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?!

OP. I really feel for you. I don’t think posters here are mocking you. If I were in your shoes I would be beside myself with anxiety and worry about the cat. I do hope you manage some sleep. The cat is safe at least and you know where he is. Tomorrow’s another day with possibilities.

So I see there's no reasonable way to debate what I said was wrong...got it

That goes into the porch which the cat can't access.

Also I wish people would stop telling the OP to call the police. She already has and they can't/won't help.

My cat once got stuck up a tree for 3 days, tried everything to help her down but couldn’t quite reach and similarly was a weekend/ bank holiday so couldn’t get help immediately. In the end had to hire a tree surgeon, anyway as soon as he got close to her the cat just jumped down with no problem and no assistance! Even after 3 days I don’t think she was desperate. I wouldn’t start panicking yet, your cat may still find a way out once he starts getting hungry and desperate enough. Perhaps put some strong smelling cat food in the cat food tunnel tomorrow as it might be if he worked a way in he can work a way out if he just tries a bit harder, cats can be surprisingly dim when it comes to cat flaps so he might just need to preserve a bit.

Tomorrow won’t really be 2 days without water, he presumably was fed and watered today before he got into next doors house so tomorrow would be the first day without food and water, today is day 0. Assuming he is usually fit and healthy I wouldn’t panic, it sounds like you can see him through the window so you can keep an eye on him and it does sound like if he starts showing signs of any illness/ dehydration that is the point the rspca will intervene anyway so as long as you can see him at the window and he looks fine then hard as it must be there probably isn’t much you can do other than keep checking on him and being ready to phone rspca at first sign he’s not okay so they can intervene.

Op , I can understand your worry and I'm sorry for making fun of the situation, no offence was intended.
Im sure you'll get him out tomorrow and he will be fine.

Is there a burglar alarm OP?

op if it helps my car got locked in a neighbours garage for three days - we thought she was lost - dreadful time.

they came home from holiday and heard her crying. She was pretty hungry and had lost somE weight - but she recovered fine. She didn’t leave the garden for a long time afterward and was a bit clingy.

please do try and keep your cat on a shorter leash after this. A cat that constantly breaks into neighbours houses is universally hated. Trust me!

Ok. I'm going to give this prize for the most extreme suggestion. Anyone care to beat it?.

@Catsos just in case the owners call in tomorrow early and you miss them, stick a timed and dated note through the door saying “urgent please call me on xxxx at number X if you get this before I have contacted you/I will likely have put other notes through the door”

friend says it’s like a police exam question, but they should be helping you out more, try the police again tomorrow and you’ll get someone different.

I'm sorry to say this, but I'd be absolutely livid if someone broke in or called a locksmith to get into my house without my permission. I'd be hot footing it to the police the moment I found out. Be careful OP, you don't know how the owners of the house will react.

Could you unwind and bend a wire coat hanger to push the cat flat open?

Break the catflap so your cat can get back out.

A real animal lover then

I’m not mocking you OP but enjoying the wit of other posters. Try not to worry - tomorrow he will be released. x

God this thread has gone batshit!! Aside from the posts offering genuine advice, youve got posters taking the piss / telling the OP to keep her cat indoors or words to that effect! Not helpful at all. OP , I hope you get sorted .

We called the police when this happened to my cat (no cat flap, she’d just been locked in somehow).

I kid you not, 3 police cars turned up.

I would be livid if I came back to a dead pet cat in my house.

I would prefer someone broke in, secured the house and then paid for the damage.

Wonder if the cat will just walk back into ops home tonight? 🐈

He long is the tunnel. Would an umbrella reach?

I am. I have pets of my own, and many through the years, but I don't let them go into other people's property. A pet is not an excuse to break into someone's home. It's illegal to break in, has everyone forgotten that?? Like so many people have said, EA's normally have an emergency phone number.

If the cat flap is locked without the relevant microchip, how did your cat get in?
We had one of these cat flaps a few years ago, I'm sure if a determined cat put enough force on the flap it opens.
If you can get something to go round the tunnel corner and put some force on it, you might find it will open.

It could also be one of those cat flaps where you can turn the dial and have the cat be able to come in but not go out. Again, if you can push it open from the outside you may have success. Good luck!

I was just about to say the same!

Dear OP, sorry, hope you don't think it's you I'm mocking. I've had a similar situation in which my cat went high up in a pine tree & couldn't get down. She was there for 2 nights/3 days, even through a rainstorm, & everyone I phoned for help had nothing but helpful suggestions whch weren't actually any use. Eventually on the 3rd day, I called the Fire Brigade myself & because she'd been there so long it had become an official emergency & a fantastic team of men came out & got her down in a sack! She was fine.

I know that all the time she was up there I was so worried for her. It was ridiculous & nerve-wracking at the same time.

I’m not convinced it’s even a cat flat. Normally cat flaps that require a chip work the opposite way as in can’t get in without it but can get out.

You sound delightful. Shes not wanting to break in for the good of her health ffs!.