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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ridiculous argument with neighbour

256 replies

KindleAndCake · 21/04/2022 15:24

Maybe IABU. My dog only ever barks at cats, that's it. Never at other dogs or people.
So, new neighbours at the back recently moved in and have cats, they have them on leads and put them up against our fence.
When I let our dog out and he sees the cats through the fence he'll bark at them. I will then bring him in.
Neighbour saw me today and challenged me over the barking. He said it was annoying. I just said there wasn't much I could do, he's a dog and he barks at cats and I bring him in as soon as I hear him.
Neighbour then responds with, "but my cat doesn't make any noise". I just looked at him, and said, but he's a cat. He doesn't bark.
Neighbour then threatened to call the police if this carries on.
Am I really being unreasonable? I don't know what else I can do?

OP posts:
Notmoresugar · 22/04/2022 20:23

What sort of idiot would do that with their cats, when a dog is on the other side of the fence!!
Of course and not surprisingly your dog will bark at them.
And I'm a cat lover by the way.

SuchAsSeals · 22/04/2022 20:25

Training some dogs not to bark is about as easy as training a cat not to wander. You're not leaving the dog out to bark for hours, so YANBU. Some dogs bark when they see cats. Tough luck on the neighbour if he doesn't like it. If I put up a taller fence/better visual barrier/etc., I'd do it for my own sake and for my dog's comfort, not for the irritating and entitled neighbour.

(But surely the fence is more than 2 feet tall...)

munner · 22/04/2022 20:26

Next time he threatens the police tell him to fuck off.

Winnipeg23 · 22/04/2022 20:28

Barking dogs are a pain in the backside. Anything that is loud and goes on and on will annoy neighbours... screaming kids, revving engines, dogs that bark and list goes on.

Bonbon21 · 22/04/2022 20:33

Well this just says everything about entitled cat owners..
Everybody is wrong except the b....y cat!
They COULD shorten the leads..
They COULD block their fence to prevent their cats being visible.

But no!!!!.... everybody else on the planet has to accomodate the cats/owners...
Yeah!!!

Longdistance · 22/04/2022 20:37

Your neighbour is a bell end. Cats on leads 🙄

Booklover3 · 22/04/2022 20:42

Bonbon21 · 22/04/2022 20:33

Well this just says everything about entitled cat owners..
Everybody is wrong except the b....y cat!
They COULD shorten the leads..
They COULD block their fence to prevent their cats being visible.

But no!!!!.... everybody else on the planet has to accomodate the cats/owners...
Yeah!!!

This sums it up for me ^^

Kitty901 · 22/04/2022 20:53

Your neighbour needs a mental help, tell them to brush off! How about you calling RSPSA and telling them they keep their cats on a lead attached to the fence and they look poorly and not well looked after?! I swear i would make it even bigger if i had to, dog barks - normal, tell them to get on with their own miserable life, or to move away...end of topic! Surprised how ridiculous people are these days...

Thighdentitycrisis · 22/04/2022 21:02

He is cruel to keep cats on a lead, and mad to suggest calling the police

on the other hand my neighbours used to keep a big dog in their garden all day that barked at every single cat that walked past and we live in a densely populated area. Drove me bonkers because they never dealt with it

( I know you bring your dog in when it happens, but it is annoying, and dogs can be trained)

Bunchymcbunchface · 22/04/2022 21:06

My dogs bark at cats too….oh and birds, aeroplanes, leaves, cars, tractors, bikes, people, imaginary people, invisible people, people who might’ve been there a few days ago….

luckily I live in the middle of but fuk nowhere and there’s no neighbours to complain

CrapBucket · 22/04/2022 21:12

I wonder how hard it could be to teach the cats to bark. Then it would be fair. And you and your neighbour could go on Britain's Got Talent. Win win.

RaspberryChouxBuns · 22/04/2022 21:16

Let him call the police. They'll do absolutely sod all as usual. Ignore.

lms2017 · 22/04/2022 21:25

Go and knock and tell him his cats are meowing at your dog and it's annoying !! Then swiftly tell him to get his cats away from the fence if he is that worried about them.

BMWqueen · 22/04/2022 21:32

Every cat owner on my street are weirdos it must be a cat owner thing lol x

saleorbouy · 22/04/2022 21:32

Can't wait to hear the police response when they get a 999 call about a barking dog.
They hardly respond to a burglary so I think the response will be a long time coming.
Tell your neighbour to keep the cats out of sight of the dog if he doesn't like the barking in response.
How would he like it if your dog sat on the fence on a lead?

TinselTinsel · 22/04/2022 21:37

Your neighbour is a twit 😂

Itsbackagain · 22/04/2022 21:47

There's a fence, the dog can't get to the cats, let the dog bark and hopefully they'll take their indoor cats inside. Cats on a lead ffs.

Soresoresore · 22/04/2022 21:50

RaspberryChouxBuns · 22/04/2022 21:16

Let him call the police. They'll do absolutely sod all as usual. Ignore.

I’m just imaging the call handler’s response when your batshit neighbour calls the police.
’What is the problem?’
‘Well, my neighbour’s dog is barking at my cats’
<call handler disconnects call>

Pompomaker · 22/04/2022 21:58

Get some really really tall bushes / trees and plant them in front of the fence as a screen and to stop the dog seeing the cats on the fence… & hopefully blocking their sun 😂

YetiTeri · 22/04/2022 22:14

Those cats need rescuing.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 22/04/2022 22:28

Really surprised at how many people think this is your problem.
your dog, in your garden, doing what comes naturally - barking at a cat! I’ll tell them to get a stronger lead as if they get in the garden the dog will eat them.
let them call the police, but jobs.

Katya213 · 22/04/2022 22:53

I’d love to hear that phone conversation with the police 🤣, yes police officer, I’d like to report a dog barking…

ArabellaDrummond · 22/04/2022 22:58

YANBU
i have cats, when the dog barks next door they just run off? Or taunt the dog either or 😂 Of course barking dogs are annoying but there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

Happymum12345 · 22/04/2022 23:11

How do you train a dog not to bark at cats? Genuinely curious!

jimbob1969 · 22/04/2022 23:22

He sounds like a mentalist. You should be calling the police on him!