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?!

What use would that be - surely they will have changed the locks when they bought the house.

Does anyone really do that unless they are fitting a new door though? I don't know anyone who has.

Sorry OP, I might be raising your hopes. If the catflap is in a mode that will allow you to get a grip on it and swing it towards you, then your cat would be able to push it open from his side irrespective of the microchip function. It sounds like he's already given that a go. So it might be locked both in and out with a manual knob that he's managed to crash through on his way in but is still functioning for out.

@Catsos phone the rspca, they will advise/help. I once had to call the fire brigade on their advice to rescue to a dog that was trapped.

I don’t think I’d call the police. Better to beg forgiveness…

It's definitely possible to lock cat flaps on the inside so it is quite likely he can't get out. He may have just managed to force his way in but not out.
I would ring RSPCA/non emergency police. This can't be the first time this has ever happened.
You need to get the cat out quite urgently and somehow breaking/forcing the cat flap seems to be the best option.

It’s unfortunate that they have a very unusual cat flap, and you can’t get food in.

if you don’t want your cat to starve you will probably have to smash a window and face the consequences of paying a big bill and possibly being charged with criminal damage. Sorry I don’t see any other solution

Of course they do! Standard practice when you move - you don't know who might have a key to your home!

I know, he should be arrested for the crime!

Cat food through letter box...
Maybe wet food as you'd otherwise have to pour/siphon water through to....

Does the Estate Agent they bought the house through also let house out? If so there will be an emergency number for people who rent houses and someone on call...perhaps try get in touch with the Estate Agent that way?

Place marking for the rescue and more bat shit comments like fitting your cat with a bomber jacket when he does eventually escape.

Okay so I’ve panicked a bit and done something probably a bit silly 😩 I found a small top window open a bit in the bedroom round the back and I’ve posted some crabsticks and a couple of ice cubes through the gap 😭

I’m tapping on the window like mad to try and get him to come into the room and find the crabsticks and icecubes before they melt on the floor.

Honestly why me 😭 I’m so embarrassed, I can tell the neighbours round the back are watching me in the garden.

I will try thank you xx

Do the neighbours have the number/contact details of the previous owners? There’s a chance they’ll have the new buyer’s address or contact number. They’ll at least have a mobile number for the estate agent who dealt with the sale.

Not sure what will happen if your cat damages the property inside, carpets, walls etc, but I’m sure your new neighbours would want to avoid that.

Can you ask their direct neighbours to see if anyone has contact details for either the old or new owners?

I’d ring 101, see if the police can find out their details or assist with breaking in, then you’d pay the costs of the repair

I'd probably call the RSPCA. If a cat had been left in an unoccupied house without food and water that's what everyone would be telling the person who had seen it to do. From the point of view of the cat's welfare, this isn't much different.

Why don’t you call the police? They can break in to assist a pet.

Can you prise it open enough to get your arm in and open a bigger window? If it has those side catches that need pushing in to open fully you could use a couple of sticks to push them in. You may need an accomplice though 😁

OP can you access any doors other than the front door? A locksmith might well be able to change the lock for you on say a back door if you explain the predicament. Then pop a note through the front door explaining that you have new keys for their back door and apologising profusely. In case they come and you aren't in and they can't access their house. And block up the tunnel thing to the cat flap once you get him out.

Is it a magnetic cat flap? The ones where the cats collar has a chip on it to open it but not other cats?

Find a strong enough magnet and it should open if it is.

Sorry but I'm 😂 at the crab sticks now in their house.

Call the police. They will, at the least, note it on their system and tell you to call a locksmith.

Seriously OP please just ring the rspca/emergency services.