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, if it’s been installed back to front then the controls for it would be on the outside of the house so it would be very obvious.

These cat flaps don’t always click shut when the cat goes in.

They’re also extremely easy to open with a credit card (it’s how we got access to our own house once when housesitter lost the key).

Bloody hell. Time to make him an indoor cat.

Just go and force the cat flap and then put a note through the door explaining and offering to replace it, plus installation. There's nothing else you can do

I’d google how to force open the cat flap and let him out and a letter saying you’ve seen him in their window and he’s been stuck for 24hours and you’ve asked everyone for their details and you don’t want him to die nor to completely pee all over their house. Add it with your address/number/apology and offer and then as soon as you see them go round with flowers/wine etc

Don't bother with the RSPCA. We had a similar issue with a neighbours garage. They couldn't care less. Would rather the cat starved or dehydrated to death. The police were helpful and a PCSO came with a locksmith and we changed the locks on the garage and gave the neighbours their new keys and a present for the inconvenience

OP we have this cat flap. Its not that intelligent. Press down the little grey catch that's holding the flap in place and pull it towards you, it'll open! Good luck!

Our smart catflap (Sureflap) allows any cat out but only chipped cats registered to it in. We also get notified if an unregistered cat tries to gain entry. It may be worth going to it and shouting your cat

I wouldn’t break in. I used to work in council housing and if a tenant was absent and something was leaking into a flat below it’s still illegal breaking in without a court order. in an extreme emergency we would break in with police presence. I would contact police/RSPCA for advice and maybe local council who may have a contact no as they should have registered for council tax. They won’t give you the number but they may pass on your number. Also try water authority/estate agent for same reason

We've also got a microchip catflap. In addition to the microchip reader which operates a small latch it has a manual knob so you can set it to one of four options - in and out, out only, in only, locked both ways.
The big ginger tom next door still used to be able to barge through it if he was chasing our tabby and his weight would overide the small latch if he caught it right.

Definitely nobody here. It’s basically empty apart from a bed and a rug.
I’ve managed to get round the back. I could see some neighbours curtain twitching as I scrambled over their back fence. I’m so embarrassed 😩
It’s not as easy as I thought it was going to be. The catflap isn’t in double glazing glass like most are, it has been tunnelled into a brick wall. So the cats crawl through a corridor to get in.

FFS my cat is watching me from the window.

No offence, but I'd want to fucking throttle your cat if I were them!

Good luck op!

Not the point, I know, but your cat is gorgeous :)

Does the estate agents have social media? I don't check my work emails at the weekend but Facebook notifications come up on my phone.

Just break the cat flap

Omg your cat is so cute, you wouldn't think they could cause such trouble. I would probably ring my local police station and ask advice.

I doubt the piss and shit will be a walk in the park either.

I'm really hoping the OP warned them about her cat when they moved in.

Same. I’d break in to get him out asap before she finds herself having to pay for professional cleaning, flooring and re-painting. He’s going to be using somewhere as a toilet after all.

Paying for a cat flap and a small patch of wall seems minimal in comparison!

Maybe time to consider a catio or some other way to keep your cat contained on your own property once you retrieve them? Not really fair on the neighbours for someone else’s cat to keep getting into their properties.

Post food and water through the letterbox?
Have you tried a post on Nextdoor/local FB group asking if anyone can put you in touch with the owners?
If they're having work done is there a company sign displayed? They likely wouldn't give you the details of the house owner but could pass your details onto them.

Can we stop with EA, Rspca, Police, SM, has nobody got a brain here, break the feckin catflap and stop the stupid suggestions, it's not rocket science.

It's their cat . They must know if the cat can get In or out.
Leave it
It's not your cat or your business

Here for thr rescue update! Don't worry OP, they'll be far less pussed off with a broken car flap than cat shit on their possible new carpet.

Can you read??

The previous owners of the house may have to new owners contact details