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?!

There is no flap on the outside, it is an open tunnel into the brick wall which seems to go round a slight bend and then the flap is on the inside. When I peered through the living room I can see my cats muddy paw marks on the walls next to the flap, he’s definitely been trying to get out. I really can’t open it with the limited tools I have (broom handle) I need a tool with a bend in it 😭

I hope you are managing to get the cat out via the cat flap.

In your note do reference that you will pay for cleaning as presumably there is already mess and wee somewhere. And get the muddy scratch marks dealt with.

You can get cat fence barriers to attach to your garden fence. Might end up cheaper and facilitate better neighbourly relations.

"How, exactly, do you suggest that OP "sort her cat out"?"

Keep the fckin thing in maybe?

That's her problem, it's her cat.

I expect OP will give him a stern talking to when she gets him out 😂😂😂

Well obviously she needs to speak to him very firmly about his behaviour. He should also offer a sincere written apology. ..

Well he is technically now, just in the wrong house 😭

I'd break the cat flap. Then your cat can get out when he needs to and try my best to fix it again.

THose little circles look like screw covers. Can you unscrew the thing and pull it out of the hole at all?

Cute cat though even if he is a little bugger.

Smash the cat flap

By giving it the MN long hard stare....

You don't need to break the catflap OP. If you can reach the flap press a big blob of blutack or scrunched up sellotape against it so it sticks. Then pull very gently so the flap swings open towards you. I've just tried this with ours and it worked.

Then, if your cat is anything like ours, prepare to lie there for a bit wafting treats while it ignores you!

I’d try to get in touch with EA (which you have), get in touch with police (they do have authority to break in if an animal is in distress I think? I called them once when two dogs were locked in a car in summer and they smashed the window and took the dogs in), if police or EA doesn’t work I’d call a locksmith to get the front door open and just shut the door on my way out.

😂😂

This is also a good idea

@iamrageohtheresakitty you give them a very stern talking to. Cats are well known for following clear instructions dontcha know? 😁

OP your cat is gorgeous. I second the broom handle plan and breaking the cat flap

Are you this rude in real life or is it the power of a keyboard that goes to your head?
The cat is trapped, whether the OP has good intentions or not, it could still legally be classed as criminal damage if she damages their property to access her cat. So taking photos to prove the cat is trapped, trying all other methods to release the cat, and ultimately informing the police on a non emergency number of your intentions is actually quite sensible advice.

Do any of your friends/family or the neighbours have any tools to help remove the whole thing out of the wall? A screw driver or drill or whatever to unscrew it?

Shit, sorry hadn't seen your update when I posted about breaking the flap. I'd call the RSPCA and ask for their advice...

I would call the RSPCA 24 hour emergency number for advice as a cat can't survive without water for more than a day or so: 0300 1234 999. This number is for animals in distress as well as cruelty cases.

Sorry to the poster who deems calling the RSPCA an overreaction, but it's what I would do if I couldn't easily break the cat flap.

They use the voters roll 😂😂 or send someone out to the house to physically check

They don't have an up to date record of who bought a house a few weeks ago

We had an almost identical situation. The elderly lady next door had died and her daughter had put the property on the market. When the estate agent was doing a viewing, our cat snuck in 🤦🏽‍♀️.

Like you, we started to worry after we hadn’t seen him for 24 hours (he often wandered off so we weren’t concerned initially). I worked out where he was as we could hear him meowing 😭 so I looked through the letter box and there he was. We ended up posting a pack of ham through the letterbox for him 🤣.

The daughter was away on holiday so we had to contact the estate agent the next morning and thankfully they were able to come straight out and open the door. Luckily, there wasn’t too much mess to clean up 🙈.

Sorry, I realise that doesn’t help you but I hope you manage to get him out soon.

Omg dying here 😂😂😭 The look in his eyes..

This is a great idea thank-you but unfortunately they have a porch which he cannot get into. :-(