To break into new neighbours house *serious question, NOT trolling*

[Catsos]

Name change as I don’t want neighbours to recognise me😭

I have a cat who has a bit of a reputation on our street for forcing his way into neighbours homes by breaking open their cat-flaps to steal their pets food. He’s been doing it for years, not much I can do about it besides keeping him in which he would hate. Anyway….

Here is the problem..

This afternoon I realised I hadn’t seen him for nearly 24 hours (very unusual for him). I went out into the street to look for him when I spotted the bloody buggar in the window of the house two doors down!!!
This house was recently bought by a couple who are living elsewhere while they are renovating it. I have briefly spoken to this couple once, and they mentioned they have cats, so I assumed they have already had a cat-flap installed which he has broken into.

I was really confused why he hadn’t come back out, so I peered through their front window and spotted the catflap which he must have entered through. It’s one of those “smart” catflap brands which only opens if the cat has the right microchip. So he’s managed to get in, but now he can’t get out as his microchip isn’t unlocking it. I can see his muddy scratch marks on their newly painted wall besides the catflap, so he’s obviously been trying to get back out 😩😩

So here’s the even bigger problem…

As i’ve said, the couple who own the house are living elsewhere while renovating it. So there is nobody here to let him back out. I usually see them visit the house every week or so but I don’t know when they will be here next and he has already been inside for around 24 hours.

I’ve already spoken to all of the neighbours and nobody has contact details for them. I did think I could contact the estate agents who their house was on the market with to try and get their contact details but as it is the bank holiday they won’t be open until Tuesday - which means he will have been trapped for 72 hours inside their house.

What should I do?! Do I try and break in, get my cat and then secure the property as best I can and explain what happened when they are next here? That sounds like a really bad start to a relationship with them but then my cats trapped inside, presumably without water?!

No, there’s a bedroom on the ground floor. Unless they are just storing the bed in there while they decorate upstairs I don’t know! I’ll ask them for you if I ever manage to contact them 😀

It’s not white tile, it’s a window seat

I’m not saying that OP has the right to break in.

I’m saying that, in the context of the OP telling the owners immediately (by leaving a note) what they have done and covering all the costs of making good, why would the owners bother to report them? I mean - just why?

And if they did, why would the police take action, or the CPS prosecute? How is that in the public interest?

If the OP broke in and then snuck off without fessing up, that would be different.

@Catsos if the estate agents deal with rentals they may have an emergency phone line for out of hours emergencies, if you haven’t it’s worth ringing them to be put through to it.

What about drain rods , they're bendy and should be strong enough to open the cat flap .

Have you got any bamboo you could use to force the catflap open? It's bendy but strong.

Have you tried messaging the estate agent on Facebook? They might monitor their messages over the weekend.

The fact they have cats is your only saving grace as cat people are always batty about their cats.

Well, it looks like tiles and grout to me. Not 'paint'. And it doesn't look very upstairs judging from the wall.

I would try the drain rods. If that doesn’t work I’d break a window tomorrow.

Do you have any friends that are handy that could help you?

Can you see what make and type of cat flap it is OP? If so you could look up to see how to reset or unlock it…….assuming you can reach it?

i really hope you can save your cat - they are a law unto themselves unfortunately.
haven’t got any more advice if the flap is a no-no. Surely the microchip thing is to stop cats coming in, it’s weird how he got in!

Cats turn people crazy I swear

Cats are dicks

Fgs no! Op is already acting like Frank bloody Spencer with the crap sticks, she’ll accidentally turn on the hose and flood the bloody place. I’m waiting for her to abseil down the chimney next. The house will be ruined by the time the owners come back 🤦‍♀️

Some of Those sensor cat flaps have a lock on which you can turn to allow it to own one way ( in wards) or two ways inwards and outwards. There should be a wheel at the bottom of the flap which you can turn to change to open two ways. If the flap opens ) which it must have fine to let you cat in) in wards you could push it open and spin the wheel to allow it open outwards. The normally sensor is only needed to open it going in not going out !

OP the room with the open window and the crabsticks. Can you see in there to see if the internal door is open so the cat can even get into that room? What room is he actually sitting in and where is that in relation to the crabsticks room? I'm thinking to try and get that slightly open window somehow open more. But if he can't get to it it would be a waste of time anyway. You're maybe better off smashing a window downstairs that you will be able to get through to get him if he can't get to the window himself. Yes I know that's criminal damage and trespass etc before the cat haters start on me. But even if you hate cats would you sooner come back to a house with a broken window that the OP would be putting right or a house full of cat shit, piss and the delightful whiff of decomposition. If I came back to that I'd be saying why didn't you think to break a window and get the cat out. Arguably she could potentially even have the window fixed before the people come back.

I would also suggest googling or searching Facebook or anywhere to see if you can find any mobile number linked to the estate agents and just message them all on the off chance anyone has one on

Do you have a garden hoe? Would that have enough bend in it to break the flap if you brace it in place and hit the end with a hammer or mallet?
Rather than worry about what the in between neighbours think, why not enlist them to help?

in the morning if no hose pipe or other implement available, break a window, rescue cat, get a window repairer round, and meet at the Winchester

I would rather have a broken window than to come home to find a car expired in my house!

if the estate agents do Lettings there will definitely be an ooh emergency number you can call

Is there a local community Facebook page? You could write a post asking if someone from the estate agent could contact you asap. Even if the staff don't see it directly, their friends will tag them.

I’m certain he can’t get out. He was meowing through the window with a desperate look on his face and when I peered in through the living room I saw lots of muddy paw scratch marks next to the cat flap. He has been trying to get out.

I have contacted emergency RSPCA and they have said they will only help if my cat is in immediate danger. They suggested I waited to see if the house owners turn up tomorrow so I guess that is what I will do.

I feel sooo bad leaving him there tonight 😪 thank you MNetters for all of your suggestions. I’m going to keep trying first thing in the morning.

I’ve gone round to the neighbours who have been curtain twitching me to tell them the situation so they don’t call the police, although ironically that is exactly what I need.

Feline bomber jackets, apparently

Don't be ridiculous. Cats have freedom to roam. How do you expect OP would stop him from entering people's homes? Follow him around all day?