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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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OP posts:
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23
BarbieKew · 28/08/2023 12:22

butteringthestairs · 28/08/2023 12:22

Well, it's been entertaining. Goodbye and thanks for all the fish as someone once said.

Probably a cat that said that

LylaLee · 28/08/2023 12:24

BarbieKew · 28/08/2023 12:22

Probably a cat that said that

Show quote history

Dolphins. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

Ienjoyedthebarbiemovie · 28/08/2023 12:24

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:04

I could be the kind Irish man's wife for all you know.

How am I sticking the boot in? My cat went missing. I suggested several times to remove the cat flap - least possible damage and distress to getting your cat out. Yet the OP ALARMINGLY was going to put the bird bath through the window.

It's incredibly distressing when your cat goes missing. Two weeks of stress I and our family had.

I'm pleased the cat will finally be freed.

Now @Catsos has to prevent another similar scenario.

Show quote history

Did you completely disregard the part where she said it wasn’t possible to get to the cat flap as it was around a long 90° corner? You must have seeing as though t
you suggested the impossible several times

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:24

rosao · 28/08/2023 12:20

@placemats and @butteringthestairs get over yourselves. The op was obviously upset both yesterday and today and I assume as there was no answer on the phone number it wasn't exactly news to share.

The mean spiritedness of people never ceases to amaze.

I've had a cat go missing, sadly he died in 2020 - still miss him and his strange but gorgeous ways.

I suggested a way to get the cat out with minimal damage and distress to the cat - obviously a big NO to putting a bird bath through the window.

I'm happy and pleased the cat will be released with minimum stress to them.

VeloVixen · 28/08/2023 12:25

MavisMcMinty · 28/08/2023 12:21

Second time of asking - how TF can you “cat-proof a garden”?

Anyone?

Please?

I can only imagine a kind of wire cage over the entire outdoor area, how very unlovely that would look.

You can get rolling logs you attach to the top of fence panels and they spin the cat down back into their own garden. Or yes a more unsightly arrangement where you get metal struts bending inwards to your garden with wire/mesh….think like the top of a prison fence.

SwishSwishBisch · 28/08/2023 12:25

So glad your perseverance has paid off @Catsos - hopefully you’ll be reunited shortly.

I’m assuming you will be renaming your cat Crabsticks though. It’s only right.

Mumsanetta · 28/08/2023 12:26

Catsos · 28/08/2023 11:48

🥹🥹MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH 🥹🥹

The builders (their number was on the renovation sign outside) have finally answered their phone after 48 hours of me calling and texting, an extremely kind Irish man who has found the whole thing hilarious. He said he will be come over to liberate my cat 😭😭😭😭

I’m soooooo bloody happy. THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE KIND AND SYMPATHETIC REPLIES 💗💗💗 I’ve been reading them all and it’s really helped me feel less alone.

To those trolling me, I really hope you never have an emergency and need help, as karma will be waiting for you 😊

Great news that your poor cat will finally be released. But I actually think this whole experience has been a massive dose of karma for you - you have failed to stop your cat harassing your elderly neighbours for years and it’s a wonder that this is the first time this has happened. Hopefully you will now take some to consider how you can be a better neighbour and cat proof your bloody garden.

Ponderingwindow · 28/08/2023 12:26

Excellent news.

now you just need to make right any damage he did to the house

and keep him indoors until you get a cat proof fence or catio installed.

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:26

Ienjoyedthebarbiemovie · 28/08/2023 12:24

Did you completely disregard the part where she said it wasn’t possible to get to the cat flap as it was around a long 90° corner? You must have seeing as though t
you suggested the impossible several times

Show quote history

Why was it impossible to unscrew the cat flap @Catsos posted?

That's what I suggested.

Bumblepig · 28/08/2023 12:26

Catsos · 28/08/2023 10:47

It’s quite stressful reading the vastly differing opinions. Some people think I’m doing too much even by going into the back garden & others think i’m not doing enough.
I have tried;

POLICE - they have said they don’t have authority to break in & told me to try enticing him out 🙄 (he is stuck, not lacking enticement)

RSPCA- they said not unless in immediate danger & to see if owners turn up today

ESTATE AGENTS - Closed as bank holiday. Tried emergency lettings department and the girl who answered laughed pretty much and said there’s nothing she can do as I would need to speak to sales team. I think she just can’t be arsed to help on the Bank holiday to be honest.

CAT FLAP BEND - There is a 90 degree bend in it!! It’s tunnelled through a brick wall. It’s honestly easier said than done please believe me.

FACEBOOK POST- The new neighbours are “down from London” and already told me they don’t know nobody from here

BUILDERS - there are contact details from a renovation sign outside - but they’re not answering - guess as it is bank holiday - I’ve left multiple messages

LOCKSMITH - I’m not sure what dodgy locksmiths you have in your area, but the two I have rung were absolutely adamant they wouldn’t change locks and then leave me basically in charge of the new keys to somebody else’s house. I guess it’s not worth their reputation.

Potential solutions;

LAND REGISTRY SEARCH - Some kind person who works doing land registry searches has contacted me via messages so this may be a lead on the name of the owners. FINGERS CROSSED

Last resort…

BIRD BATH - There is a heavy looking new bird bath (not installed yet) in the garden. I’m so stressed out I’m considering just lobbing it through the window. Getting my cat, apologising, paying for damages and maybe just bloody moving house.

I genuinely have tears running down my cheeks writing this as I feel so desperate & bloody mortified. Most of the neighbours are elderly and are nonstop curtain twitching me from their windows

@placemats the final post and this post. Please admit you didn’t read the full thread

mydogisthebest · 28/08/2023 12:26

CaroleSinger · 28/08/2023 11:40

Looking at how high on the wall it is, I'm not sure it even is a cat flat to be honest. Also nobody asked for the lock to be changed. You just tell the locksmith you're having some work done and locked yourself out. They use a tool to pick the lock. They don't need to change it.

When I locked myself out they just used a little tool to pick the lock and opened the door. I don't know why your asking locksmiths to change the lock, it isn't necessary.

It quite often is necessary to change to the lock.

DH has locked himself out 3 times (in 2 different houses) and each time the lock has had to be changed because they could just pick the lock

butteringthestairs · 28/08/2023 12:27

LylaLee · 28/08/2023 12:24

Dolphins. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

Show quote history

Yes, it's a quote from fiction.

willingtolearn · 28/08/2023 12:28

@placemats from the installation video on you tube I watched of this particular cat flap - both the inside and outside plates are secured by screws into the wall - you could unscrew and the outer plate but the inner plate (inside the house) would still be screwed into the wall - and this is the bit that the extending tunnel is attached to.

Ienjoyedthebarbiemovie · 28/08/2023 12:28

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:26

Why was it impossible to unscrew the cat flap @Catsos posted?

That's what I suggested.

Show quote history

From the sounds of it, it was impossible to reach? Is this correct @Catsos ?

LylaLee · 28/08/2023 12:29

butteringthestairs · 28/08/2023 12:27

Yes, it's a quote from fiction.

Show quote history

Yes. Said by dolphins. In the book (fiction) hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:29

Did you completely disregard the part where she said it wasn’t possible to get to the cat flap as it was around a long 90° corner? You must have seeing as though t
you suggested the impossible several times

Would you have been happy for @Catsos to have put a bird bath, her neighbours, through her neighbours' window?

ImNotWorthy · 28/08/2023 12:31

butteringthestairs · 28/08/2023 12:27

Yes, it's a quote from fiction.

Show quote history
Grin Did you think @LylaLee thought the dophins had actually said that?

appalled at the mean-spirited replies among the supportive ones

ThreeLittleDots · 28/08/2023 12:32

Amazing news! Please do keep your cat in, and then cat-proof your garden.

You can get fence toppers from Felisafe for just a few hundred pounds which is well worth it for peace of mind. Cats do NOT have to roam to be happy and healthy, and other cats find it extremely stressful when they are burgled by an interloper!

anotheranotheranotheranother · 28/08/2023 12:32

When he comes over make sure you take a box to get your cat in. Don't be letting him roam again for a while. Also pay the builder for coming out and take cleaning supplies and ask said builder to give you a bit of time to clean the mess.

mydogisthebest · 28/08/2023 12:32

TheBarbieEffect · 28/08/2023 11:38

Quite honestly this is all of your own making. He’s been a nuisance for far too long.

You know your cat does this, yet you didn’t do anything about it. You should have catproofed your garden. You failed to do so and now he’s stuck.

Natural consequences 🤷‍♀️ No you can’t break into someone else’s house. If you did that to mine I would report you to the police and heavily pursue it.

My you sound like a lovely person - bundle of laughs too!

Been a nuisance for far too long. He is a cat and probably far far nicer than you

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:32

Ienjoyedthebarbiemovie · 28/08/2023 12:28

From the sounds of it, it was impossible to reach? Is this correct @Catsos ?

Edited
Show quote history

The photo of how the cat got into the neighbours house was posted early in the first thread. It showed that there were screws, plus covers, to the entrance. That could have been removed.

After all @Catsos jumped over the neighbours' fence to get into the back to photo it.

Ienjoyedthebarbiemovie · 28/08/2023 12:33

placemats · 28/08/2023 12:29

Did you completely disregard the part where she said it wasn’t possible to get to the cat flap as it was around a long 90° corner? You must have seeing as though t
you suggested the impossible several times

Would you have been happy for @Catsos to have put a bird bath, her neighbours, through her neighbours' window?

whether I would be happy about this or not has nothing to do with the fact that as explained by OP several times, there was no way of removing the cat flap. Don’t you think she would have? 😂

mydogisthebest · 28/08/2023 12:35

OP, I am so happy to read your update.

Shame this, and your other thread, have been filled with stupid comments from people too bloody lazy to read the thread and cat haters. I can only hope they and the dog haters go to dog and cat heaven when they die and have to spend eternity with them

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