To tell her to get lost?

[Sportycustard]

Just got home to find a note from my neighbour.

"Hi Sporty, just wanted to let you know that we're rehoming a couple of cats in the next week or two. I can see from our upstairs windows that you have some plants in your garden that are poisonous to cats so I will pop round in the next day or so and point them out so you can remove them in good time for our new arrivals"

I've just done a quick Google and it looks like she is referring to a rhododendron that was a gift from a friend who has now passed away and an azaelia that was a 50th birthday gift. Both are established shrubs and mean a lot to me.

AIBU to tell her my garden will be staying as it is?

‘Thanks for the heads up. I would prefer you kept your cats within the confines of your property as I don’t want them pooing in my garden. Moreover my plants will therefore not be a problem’

She is batshit crazy. We have two cats and plenty of rhodedenrums and azeleas in the garden. We also have lilies and daffodils which are also poisonous. Probably the majority of plants are not suitable to eat. Never seen the cats attempt to take a bite out of any of them.

The dog chews the rose bushes, but she doesn't seem any worse for it.

Omg this is so funny @Sportycustard 😁 do keep us updated. I can't wait until the cats arrive.

How does she think other local cats cope?

Brilliant response. Absolutely spot on. Cats roam and I would hazard a guess that more get squashed on roads than die of plant poisoning. I have a garden full of lavender and one of the neighbours cats often sleeps under the bushes.

I have 3 cats, one of them is nearly 10 yrs old. My garden is brimming with things that are not cat friendly. The only garden related things I’ve seen them interested in consuming are the many birds that visit and the odd mouse or rat that passes by. Nothing of the flora variery!! They’re all very much alive 😊

In my experience, neighbourcats are generally more interested in either sleeping in the sun or coming into the house via any open door/window and sitting in the kitchen, staring at the fridge, occasionally jumping up on the back of my chair to tap me on the shoulder in a friendly "Hey there! It's me! Any snacks?" way.

Cats roam for miles so she needs to tell everyone within miles to remove whatever. Cats shit everywhere and you don't want them shitting in your garden. Just avoid her. Your property, your business. Yanbu. Bloody cheek of it!

She's batshit. And I say that as a proper crazy cat lady (I have 4!)

Mine have a completely enclosed back garden because I don't want to have them exposed to the risks that come with being properly outdoor. I spent a couple of grand having it professionally cat proofed. It's my responsibility to keep them safe.

We have neighbours with outdoor cats but our front garden has plants like rhodo, azaleas, loads of lavender. Like others the one I wouldn't do is lilies because they don't have to actually eat them - pollen transfer to fur then cleaning it off is enough to do serious harm/cause death so even though I love the look, it's one I wouldn't risk growing because I personally would feel terrible if anything happened to my neighbours cats and the risk is so much higher with that then anything else. But that's my choice and my neighbours would have no right to complain if I did grow them.

Sportycustard

Your garden sounds gorgeous, your neighbour on the other hand.....

I did enjoy reading the reaction of the greyhound owner, excellent response.

How does she think cats have managed to survive all these centuries? Ridiculous woman, feel sorry for the cats that are moving in with her, they will get no peace!

Say my name. Basically.

Like many other cat owners, I have plants in my garden that are poisonous to cats. My cats don't go near them. I've had lilies given to me and a poinsettia one Christmas - no issues. My old lady cat loves a bit of chocolate (she's 18) and our childhood cat liked fruit cake (also lived to a ripe old age). Ask your neighbour if she'll be knocking on all the doors locally asking about poisonous plants. Oh and make sure you tell her you'll post any cat shit in your garden through her letterbox 🙄

Obviously a very unreasonable request.

what I wonder is, what reputable cat charity would foster to someone who knows so little. Cats roam all over, they won’t stop in just the nearest gardens. We live next to a country park that is absolutely overgrown with rhododendrons, which happen to be a favourite haunt of the neighbourhood cats. None have been poisoned as far as I’m aware.

I’m a real crazy cat lady, but I think she’s bonkers to ask/assume you will remove your plants!! YANBU!!! Her cats will stay away from them. Obviously I avoid buying any plants that are harmful to my cats, but I wouldn’t have a clue what plants my neighbour’s have; it’s not my business!

I’m a vet and cat owner and I have rhododendron in my garden! Cats don’t generally go out of their way to eat things like this. The only thing she needs to avoid is lilies as the pollen (as well as the plant) is poisonous and very dangerous when the cat grooms themselves.

I wonder what she'll do when her cats go into a garden that already has a cat who objects to intruders, or when the other neighbourhood cats start going into her garden. Will she be telling everyone else to keep their cats indoors?

I would initially have thought this was a joke 😂 I can't believe anyone would be that entitled!! Yanbu

What a nutter.
Don't forget to add in your reply that if and when they soil in your garden, you will expect her to pick it up. (I live next door to six of the little shit machines and have a garden I can't grow veg in anymore because of them).

I'd be writing her one bad saying she needs to ensure her cats don't enter your garden as you don't want them using it as a litter tray and potentially spreading toxoplasmosis... otherwise you will charge her every time you find a cat pooh in your soil

Ditto everyone who’s said will she promise to follow her cats around and stop them using your garden as a toilet ? (Have to admit though she sounds as if she’s a caring owner and we need more of those)

When I brought my cat home as a kitten I lifted his basket in the direction of my next door neighbour's garden and said "now you must never go in there because Mrs next door loves her plants". He's 4 now and he doesn't. He goes across the road to the crazy cat lady and spends his time in her garden. He shits in mine!

I love cats but that is ridiculous. Tell her to fuck off.

Obviously cats know not to eat them, otherwise random suburban gardens would be littered with dead cats all the time.

She doesn’t sound like she’s capable of looking after an animal. Poor cats! My cats are completely free range and have managed to avoid killing themselves by foliage! Or next door’s dogs.

The cats won't eat them unless the cat is deranged or she trains them to eat them . Tell her to sling her hook.

I've had cats most of my life and the poisonous plants I have grown were never touched by the cats , humans maybe but not the cats . The cats ate my sweet corn and chard seedlings 🤬

Make sure you send her a letter pointing out if she touches your plants you will sue her