To ask this child's mum to please keep her out of my garden.

[PrettyFelineSquashedThyme]

Quite often people will stop and have a look at my cat in the window, he is of course very gorgeous and loves a fuss, however what’s been happening recently has made me fairly annoyed.

A few days ago I noticed a child of around 4 or 5 knocking on my window to get the attention of the cat, the window he sits in is facing the road but set about 2.5 in metres into very densely planted garden, which is currently full of young plants. I figured as a one off I wouldn’t say anything, however it keeps happening.

my question is, what would you do in this situation? Would you speak to the mum? I’m admittedly a complete wuss and hate confrontation but also my plants are getting damaged.

Edit: title should say “child’s mum” mum is not a child, but an adult.

Unbelievably rude to encourage a child to go into someone else's garden and bang on their window. I would be opening the door and telling DC to leave my garden as they are trampling my plants. Tell them they are frightening the cat.

Speak to the child and if that doesn't work speak to the parent.

I'd just open the window and gently say "you know you are not supposed to be in my garden don't you?" (or words to that effect) or to the mum "please could you keep your child off my property/out of my garden". I'd be firm but not confrontational. She is being rude.

So what?#

It's even worse if the mum is telling her to bang

What if your cat was scared?

It doesn't have to be a confrontation!

Just saying that it's your garden and you don't want your plants trampled isn't confrontation!

Bark at her

Jeez you can tell MN is so terribly middle class… ‘polite’ notices and oh the horror of saying anything less than jolly to anyone…

Just stand at the door and tell them both to fuck the fuck off and stop trespassing. People are far too accepting of CF entitled behaviour these days and they are so lacking of self awareness that only a blunt short sharp shock will have any impact.

Well the kind of person who encourages her child to go walking through flower beds and banging on strangers windows probably won’t take kindly to being told off. Or at least that’s my assumption.

Dont worry about my cat, he doesn't care in the least and isn’t scared of anything (which is why he is no longer allowed outside).

The woman doesn’t know your cat isn’t scared though, so it’s still a good excuse for telling them to stop.

I think banging back and shouting hey get out of my garden would do the trick. Don't be nice as they obviously aren't nice people. If you go all apologetic you're more likely to get an earful. Wouldn't bother with notes either. Child won't read them anyway.

This! I wouldn't even bother speaking to the mum, just tell the child to bugger off out of your garden!

Explain to the mum that you have been having trouble with bugs/slugs and have had to put down some very unpleasant treatment. Too risky for the child to get it on their skin or clothes, better stay away from the garden.

Not sure, can’t possibly comment until I’ve seen this cat.

I would go and speak to her but would also get a big sack and write Semtex on it and stick in where you don't want her to walk

Or Arsenic or some other label

😳 I’m actually very surprised by this. I would
never let my kids walk onto someone else’s property! I’d say something (to the Mum) like “Hi, I know your little one wants to say hello to the cat, if she could do it from the pavement as I’ve got plants in the front garden”.

You shouldn’t have to tell anyone not to come onto your property uninvited tbh. It’s very entitled of the Mum not to consider this is inappropriate.

Oh, if you insist.

I think I’ll just need to just put on my big girl pants and talk to her.

She hasn’t been by again today so hopefully I won’t have to 🤞

If you can speak to the mother and don’t feel able to directly call her out on encouraging her child to do this I would pretend concern for said child because you have slug pellets (not really) all over your garden to protect your plants and you would hate to think of little whoever getting poisoned.

He is divine!!!!

I'd be walking on your flowers to see that gorgeous creature. I bet he looks very proud sitting posing at the window. 😄

Do you not have a fence?

We didn't have a fence on our front garden and next doors kids would just invite themselves in and start playing on our kids toys while we were out (we could see them on our cctv) and their mums would just be stood watching them 🙃 like seriously?! So we put fences up and my partner made the gate purposely hard to open 🤣👏

Gorgeous floof of a cat! I have one almost identical - apart from much less gorgeous because she's covered in mats and dreadlocks which she hates me grooming out. How do you keep his coat so nice? <completely misses point of thread>

I am completely with you on hating confrontation to the extent that I could only watch in horror recently as a man allowed his dog to relieve itself in the middle of my front lawn.He did clear most of it up but I have put up a temporary fence to try to prevent it happening again and will be putting up iron railings.

That cat is absolutely gorgeous - I think I would be drawn to him as well (but I wouldn't knock on your window

put up an electric fence she'll soon learn