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Original poster

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

1000 replies

Catsos · 27/08/2023 18:19

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?!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
Valerie23 · 27/08/2023 18:35

If the cat pushes through, so can your hand and you can call the cat to come back out or put in food and water until you can get hold of the estate agent on Tuesday.

HerMammy · 27/08/2023 18:36

Really people would phone the police or RSPCA rather than adopt a little common sense and break the catflap?
Once you've got him out seal over broken catflap to prevent any other cats entering and leave a note for owners.
It's simple.

SoCentralRain · 27/08/2023 18:37

Yeah I'm with the others - break the cat flap and stick a note through the door explaining that you'll buy a new one.

Good luck

ReviewingTheSituation · 27/08/2023 18:37

Even if you can get hold of the EA, they shouldn't give out contact details - I'm sure that would count as confidential info, and people could make up all sorts of stories!

Yellowflower47 · 27/08/2023 18:38

Break the cat flap and maybe put your cat’s food down outside of it as a way to try to entice him out? I mean they might be upset but as others say, it would probably annoy them if they come home to house full of car wee/poo/spray!

Scaredycatttt · 27/08/2023 18:39

Our cat flap attaches by screws which are on the outside of the door, if its the same it would be pretty easy to remove. Hopefully as fellow cat owners they will be sympathetic 🤞

VisionsOfSplendour · 27/08/2023 18:39

ReviewingTheSituation · 27/08/2023 18:37

Even if you can get hold of the EA, they shouldn't give out contact details - I'm sure that would count as confidential info, and people could make up all sorts of stories!

I think posters are assuming the agent might be able to contact the owners not give out their details

pennyfest · 27/08/2023 18:39

I'd say break the cat flap to get him out, block the hole back up as securely as you can, and put a note through the door saying you'll replace the cat flap/ repair any damage. Best you can do really and far better than cat piss on their brand new carpets!

Eachpeachpears · 27/08/2023 18:40

Shamelessly place marking here as I need to know this cat is ok

anotheranotheranotheranother · 27/08/2023 18:41

Really people would phone the police or RSPCA rather than adopt a little common sense and break the catflap?

Not even that, it will probably juts open because the cat managed to push it to get in, so OP should be able to as well. If not then sure, break it, but the dramatic replies of police and RSPCA Confused

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/08/2023 18:43

You ‘may’ find that a strong magnet will overcome the cat flap processing abilities. Or some pressure placed in the flap may also overcome its locking mechanism - think Alsatian sized head attempting entry into a house via a way to small cat flap…. (So a friend says). Evidently chipped cat flaps aren’t that secure.
Team go save the cat btw.

FannyFifer · 27/08/2023 18:43

Bloody cats eh.

Cinai · 27/08/2023 18:43

Can’t you just push the cat flap open (the same way your cat did) without breaking it and call for your cat? Given the cat might be hungry and thirsty by now, I’d assume it will happily come out?

OhYetAnotherBrickInTheWall · 27/08/2023 18:44

ReviewingTheSituation · 27/08/2023 18:37

Even if you can get hold of the EA, they shouldn't give out contact details - I'm sure that would count as confidential info, and people could make up all sorts of stories!

Of course, but they could contact the owners…

floatyjosmum · 27/08/2023 18:45

We have a microchip catflap, the getting out of the house bit doesn’t use the chip so he should be able to get out.

SoCentralRain · 27/08/2023 18:47

Before you seal the cat flap after getting your cat out are your really sure there is no cat living in the house??? 😱

suckrifice · 27/08/2023 18:48

I need a photo of this burglar. 😂

suckrifice · 27/08/2023 18:49

floatyjosmum · 27/08/2023 18:45

We have a microchip catflap, the getting out of the house bit doesn’t use the chip so he should be able to get out.

But he lives there now!

CheshireCats · 27/08/2023 18:49

These sort of cat flaps should let any cat out- it's a safety feature. They should not however, let any cat in. That is the point of them. So I'm a bit mystified as to how he's got in if it's a microchip reading cat flap..

nonevernotever · 27/08/2023 18:51

CheshireCats · 27/08/2023 18:49

These sort of cat flaps should let any cat out- it's a safety feature. They should not however, let any cat in. That is the point of them. So I'm a bit mystified as to how he's got in if it's a microchip reading cat flap..

I suspect it's been put in back to front..

Riapia · 27/08/2023 18:52

You need to get the cat out of there.
If the owners don’t return for a fortnight imagine them being faced with the smell of a decomposing cat.
Not a good start to a friendship.

Polis · 27/08/2023 18:53

We have a microchip catflap, the getting out of the house bit doesn’t use the chip so he should be able to get out.

The one we have does. You can programme it to only let specific cats out or in.

OddBoots · 27/08/2023 18:53

nonevernotever · 27/08/2023 18:51

I suspect it's been put in back to front..

Show quote history

In which case could it be propped open or held open while calling the cat, do you think?

violetcuriosity · 27/08/2023 18:54

Do you know the estate agents that sold the house? If so, join a local Facebook group and ask in there if anyone knows anyone who works for them (briefly explaining it's an emergency) that's usually a good way of getting in touch with local people x

BlackCatsAreBrilliant · 27/08/2023 18:54

Most microchip catflaps are controlled in only, and any cat out. If it's one of those, then he can get out and is choosing not to. So some tuna, dreamies or lick-e-lix might entice him. That design can also be opened manually by hooking it open by putting something thin and sharp (think cat claw sized) down the side.

However, it is possible it has been manually switched to in only. So you may need to push down on an outside button first, before hooking it. That may also be necessary if it is one microchip controlled in both directions.

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