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?!

perhaps some kipper through the air vent?

Have you actually tried any windows or doors to see if they have been left unlocked by mistake... apologies if this has been done/said

OP has already called the police who weren't interested and she can't break the cat flap because it's built into a brick wall and isn't straight

If the door was opened you could leave food and water.

Plus the small fire in the garden to lure in the firemen!

Can you thread a wire cost hanger through window gap to lift the handle?

And spreading info that they are not at home will encourage burglars.

The last update just makes me think this is an elaborate joke or you are just a bit unhinged. Poking ham through vents? Seriously! As if their house wouldn’t stink enough already from the crab sticks.

Eh?! If the door was opened she could fetch the cat surely!

Oh ffs now we're posting ham through another gap 😂😂

wire coat hanger is excellent

Sorry if this has already been said (possibly a million times)…I know the house is being renovated but maybe there’s a working toilet? Just to say it in the hope that he might be able to access some water if so

Wafer thin ham poked through the downstairs window air vent is quite an escalation OP. Can you see through the window? Is the door open so your cat can get to it?

You'd be surprised. It really was that simple. In fact I was more scared how he just jiggled something in the lock for a fraction of a second and opened it 😳 Obviously he wouldn't show me what he did but he didn't break the lock at all.

SERIOUSLY! I grew up with cats (Siamese) that went in and out as they pleased. They were happy. I lived in the USA for a while - people has indoor cats that they they declawed (mutilated). I had never come across indoor cats before. Many years on I continued to adopt and rescue Siamese - my 1st - always out. He loved it - bullied every cat in the neighboUrhood. My next 2 rescues (Siamese again) were rehomed to me as indoor cats. Absolute nightmare. They are lovely but so bored. No matter what we do to entertain them. And the mess. Good god. Never again. So sadly when these 2 go - they are both 4 - so at least another 10 years - I am never adopting another indoor cat. It's wierd - they need the outdoor environment.

🤣😆🤣😂

RSPA might be able to help?

And what about the house alarm?? @Poppyseed14

This?

I hope the op is going to poke naice ham through the vent

so is there another actual cat flap?

Please post a whole fish through their letterbox OP. Just to cover all the bases.

Is there one?

Ohhhhhh I have had a horrible thought..

What if the old owners locked their cat flap - manual locking type, not chip controlled - so as to let their cat in but not out... and left it that way when they moved.

The scratch marks are from THEIR old cat... not yours, yours has no access to that room..

Your cat got in some other way and has since forgotten...

As you eventually break in, your cat bolts, remembers this route and exits the property the way he came in...

I do hope you can get the bugger out...

It's a good reminder too..if you have a catflap that locks and youre away or you just bought the house. Set it to lock cats out from coming in... or you've just turned your home into a cat-trap.

What? 🤣