To break into my new neighbours house *THREAD 2*

[Catsos]

Following on from my thread yesterday https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4881905-to-break-into-new-neighbours-house-serious-question-not-trolling

to update all of the lovely people who are trying to help me rescue my cat who has got himself stuck in an unoccupied house.

Updating very shortly

DH is an ex firefighter. He says call or pop in to your local station and explain the issue. Obviously they wouldn’t redirect emergency services, but he says that in the past his station dealt with similar issues by sending non essential personnel there**.

He says that’s why it’s called the fire and rescue service, and most firefighters he knows would hate the idea of an animal suffering.

** DH worked in a rural station, so this kind of thing was more common than you’d think. Might be different in a busy town.

Exactly. Still patiently awaiting the update.

@EscapeeFromGumtreesMadhouse creating a new thread before actually doing anything is a bit odd, I must admit (but then she thought throwing crab sticks in empty houses was a good idea 🤪)

Go to the DIY store to buy a bendy tool

Getting a locksmith in is WAY better than breaking something in the house of your neighbour, @Catsos . You have to live next to these people, you don't want to be the person that broke their window. Not to mention that it's cheaper than replacing a window. Call a locksmith.

If I was the OP I’d definitely be posting on a local fb group because I would be so desperate.

it can be done without mentioning a specific address…..just a house in x area which recently bought and been renovated. So no safety concerns.

just because they’re from out of the area doesn’t mean they haven’t joined the local fb group. I would do th8s before making an offer on a house to get an idea of the area.

OP, I would be beside myself if I were you, I think you're doing remarkably well trialling things to try and keep your cat safe whilst trying to mitigate damage or criminal acts!

Some ideas I would be tempted to try if locksmith can't help:
-Can your cat reach the hallway? Can you poke holes and string through a shallow plastic container through the letterbox to lower it down with ice in? Ice would mean less spillage/easier to manoeuvre. Can do the same with cat food.

• if you do end up having to break a window, break the smallest like a bathroom. It will be cheapest to replace! I'm a cat owner and if you left a bite explaining what happened and offering to cover damages, I wouldn't be mad!

I thought that. But then it’s easy to take a genuine photo of your cat sat in its own kitchen window 🤷‍♀️

What a handsome boy. Hope he is back in your arms very soon.

Can you photograph the crabsticks again OP? We can check for signs of nibbling.

I’ve only read the OPs posts so sorry if I’m repeating but on those cat flaps there are two grey tabs at the front. If you can get something in there to push the tabs down then you can pull the cat flap forwards. Even if it’s locked then you can do this.

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….

I do hope you can get him out and he is ok, and you will not have irreparably damaged relations with soon to be neighbours.

I am however waiting on another post in 6mths time when there is a showdown as new neighbours have had your car force his way in a few more times and leave his hair/potentially toilet in their newly renovated house, and we are all asked AIBU as ‘he has done this for years, hates being inside, what can I do, why don’t they just happily put up with him and the ongoing debacle’.

Good luck OP.

If it's any consolation we have a number of barn cats at my grandparents farm and one got trapped in an old abandoned outbuilding for two weeks once and survived. They're made of tough stuff.

Yours looks quite unconcerned and calm in the photos you've posted so I think you can rest easy that he at least has likely found a toilet to drink from. He'll be ok.

I hope you get him out today!

I don't expect they thought they would need to provide details in order to release a cat from the house though, so not likely I would think.

As the OP seems incapable of getting the cat out of this house which may or may not belong to a neighbour, and all the posts are still repeating the same stuff as the previous one which was essentially like 'cancel the cheque' that I patiently waded through, I am calling it a day.

The amusement value was negligable and nothing is happening, it is being strung out for far too long and if it is true then something should have been done by now.

That's it from me.

Do you think it likely a hungry cat would take a tentative nibble at crabstick ?

Presumably the owner put them it there because they know it likes them and since it broke in there looking for food anyway ...

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

@Catsos They don't need to change the locks! They can just open the door, retrieve the cat themselves (which you have proven is yours by showing photos), then lock it again.

OP, your cat will be fine in there for a few days.

Just leave it now and the builders will be back tomorrow.

And then shut him in and keep him in. If he hates it, tough.

If you’re going to lob something through the window at least make it something of yours rather than wrecking more of the poor neighbours’ property.

Do not throw the bird bath as your cat will be fine for a few days. My cat was trapped in a shed for three days and came out fine..

At least your cat is not distressed OP - he looks so calm given he hasn't managed to eat/possibly drink and has seen you after being stuck for god knows how long. He must be incredibly laid back.

Cats really are something else - mine gets worked up when o walk into the same room as him and that's without being starved!!