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?!

Would a pool noodle work round the bend?

SoCentralRain · Today 20:58
How wide does the open window open? Can you borrow a small child?

And get him to clean their chimney whilst he’s there, that might go some small way to making up for eau-de-crab stick.

hope they leave the toilet seat up

Howling, reading this post. Do hope you get the cat out OP but thos all day long.

I'd do this too. OP, can you not prize open the window, which is already ajar? The one you posted crab sticks through?
You said it's on the first floor, it's already open, all you'd need is a crowbar and strong muscles.
I'd also go around the other neighbours pleading for help! (and to have them as witnesses to the situation needing desperate measures).
please, please OP do not leave your cat there. Everything will be ok, your new neighbours have a cat too and they will understand when they read your note and talk to you. Worst case you'd have to reimburse them and be profusely apologetic. Please save your cat

I read this as pot noodle. I was trying to work out how that would help. 😂

Not as compelling of a story but I got one out late recently when I needed a stupid mistake sorted ASAP before an early moving out day so possibly. On Gumtree some list their personal numbers so might answer now or early.

Or do you mean whether they'd be happy to break into someone else's house? Not sure, but perhaps OP could offer her proof of address and it doesn't sound accessible by a person. Except Mr Tickle.

but could the cat get passed the pool noodle? i bet he would just resist

I did as well. I thought it was to go with the crab sticks.

I hear pot noodles go very well with crab sticks

OP, does you cat normally eat crab sticks?

Because they do tend to cause the squirts over this way.....

So I hope that he/she isn't a novice to crab sticks.

Have the crab sticks been eaten?

Why haven't you just broken the cat flap op? I know it's around a bend, but unless their walls are a meter thick it should still be accessible

Post a photo of the cat flap and an approximate location and we'll all be round with pool noodles, hula hoops, claw hammers, and hosepipes galore.

Love this thread 🤣🤣

Hope you manage to get the cat out x

I can't understand why there is a tunnel and why it goes round a bend , how thick are the walls ?

Were the neighbours understanding?

Mr Tickle 😆🤣😆😂

Is there anything on the cat flap which tells you the model or brand? If so, the manufacturer may be able to tell you how to override it.

Someone else suggested a very strong magnet. Have you tried that?

Your options seem to be:

1. Find an agency to force entry
2. Make contact with owners
3. Break the window
4. Open the cat flap

1 has been fruitless. 2 you don’t seem keen on. 3 sounds expensive. 4 is worth a try.

Can you start a small fire in the garden, call the fire brigade and just say to them, while you're here .....

oh yes @Furryrug you can borrow their hose

@Catsos do the estate agents have a Facebook or instagram page? I am an EA and manage the office social media profiles, my personal phone gets alerts for the messages to the business page. While I wouldn’t usually respond OOH for this this I would make an exception if I got a message, albeit at this time of night it might be a bit late to start making calls if I could access the buyers details.

Was going to say almost the same : one of our cats was stuck in a house for 17 days! He’d jumped through a conservatory window which the renovation people had left open when they went on holiday. When the builders came back they found the cat, and the owner of the property couldn’t have been nicer about it.

I hope your cat finds the food and water soon!

Forgive me if I missed it, but if DCat has been in the house since Saturday, he will have to have gone to the bathroom somewhere. Hopefully, on a safe floor surface, and not hardwood or carpet.

I think you should contact the estate agent and have them let the owners know as soon as you can.

My Tigger used to break in that way! 😢❤

Have you not found out the owners names to reach them via social media