New neighbours cat

[butterflycatching]

Not so much an AIBU, because I am not going to change my mind, but it has been playing on my mind for a few days now.

I moved into a new-build a few months ago. I was the first one to complete, and the development has been gradually filling up. I have the house on the end of the development and next to me is woodland.

New neighbours moved into the house next door last week and popped round- I thought to introduce themselves. But, they actually asked if before I let my dog out in the garden if I would check that their cat wasn't in my garden so it doesn't get hurt, and if I would consider removing the pyracantha (spiky plant) I have planted on the woods side fence so their cat can use that as access to the woods.

I told them no, I had planted that for security, but I would happily plant more along their fence side too if it will keep their cat away from my dog. I then got a whole explanation of they were hoping to encourage the cat to use my garden side towards the woods for roaming- rather than the other gardens which eventually lead up to the road. I was left thinking they thought I was very difficult.

I am not wrong in thinking this is bonkers and entitled? I can't be checking the whole garden for their cat every time I let the dog out. And you can't train a cat to roam in a particular direction anyway!!

at batshit some neighbours can be

I have 4 cats. Have always had cats.
Not crazy about dogs. But wouldn't dream of asking a neighbour to do any of this.
Cats will work it all out for themselves.
Cheeky fuckers.
Tell them to do one

Just imagining them saying to their cat ‘don’t go that way because it’s near the road, make sure you only go and play in the woods. And put your wellies on because it’s a bit muddy’

The cat will find a way to the woods if it wants to and avoid your garden when your dog is out.

They’re crazy!

As someone with a dog and three cats, in a street where every house has a cat, and several have dogs - whatever the new neighbours ask, it's a cat, and as it's a cat, it will do whatever the hell it wants, regardless of what they want, or what they tell you, as their poor suffering neighbour, they want.

I've also got pyracantha all along one wall and none of the local cats, including mine, have ever impaled themselves on it. They aren't that stupid, and if their cat is that stupid, then as someone said upthread, they need a catio.

They sound very precious about their cat. They shouldn't be letting it roam if they are worried about the hazards. Cats are pretty smart so unless it's elderly and a bit slow, it'll be fine. CFers

Ignore them op they sound mad 😂
Say this as a crazy cat lady myself!
Their cat will be used to legging it from barking dogs I guarantee. Also he will navigate his way through a spiky bush. She’s a cat not a child.

I'm firmly a cat person, and dogs can stay away from me. But your neighbours are bonkers!

I do, however, occasionally have to call the cat inside, as she sits on the fence taunting next doors dog, and sending him loopy.

They are self entitled and batshit.

Do they honestly expect you to ‘do a reccy’ every time you let YOUR dog go into YOUR garden? Absolutely bonkers.

It would be a hard NO from me.

Before we got our dog every cat on our street shat in our garden.

Since we got our dog (a Viszla - a hunting dog) she will sit by our bi fold doors waiting for a cat or fox to dare enter her garden. When we open the doors she will run out barking and chase them. The cats now know not to use our garden as a toilet or cut through.

It is their responsibility to ensure the safety of their cat, not yours.

I’m a cat person. Your neighbour is bonkers.

The cat will walk along the tops of the fences of all the gardens and go wherever it wants without risk of dogs or plants! Next they will be asking you not to plant lilies (poisonous to cats) or let your dog out at all…

My neighbours cat jumped through my living room window last week, I wasn't even in the room. He saw it and came round and told me off for encouraging it in, now I feel I can't have the window open. I was gobsmacked.

It's a fucking cat, not a lion on the savannah. It shouldn't be being encouraged to roam at all, let alone into woodland.

I would plant as many spiky plants as you can!

Assuming even if people don’t use the woods to walk dogs there will be foxes ?
Not sure they have thought all the hazards through 😂😂

They are probably scared about it going out front in case it gets mowed down or stolen if it is a decent type of cat.

What it will probably do is climb up and walk along the top of the fence while your dog barks at it like crazy.

If you feel obliged to facilitate this (I wouldn't) then let them know and they will probably put a ramp up on their side to help their cat get up.

OTOH their cat might be clumsy and stupid and incapable of doing it.

You wouldn't accommodate both those things because both those things were unreasonable.

That's the danger with moving anywhere, renting or buying, new or old. You might have not had a dog when they bought the house and then bought one later. They are idiots imagining that everyone and everything should be exactly to their liking, and others must change their lives to accommodate their mad ideas.

So they want their cat to be able to go into the woodland to kill birds and other small creatures? Well done on the pyracantha!

Give them an inch and they will take a mile!

I would not back down on this at all! Your home end off.

if they say again that they didn’t know they would be buying next to a home with a dog I would say ‘your upset as well as you didn’t realise you would have to deal with someone’s cat that may roam in to your property least your dog is contained on their own property.’ Maybe ask if she has considered either having a house cat or one of them cat cages/run things people seem to be building in Their gardens?

^ This. Oh, and ask them if they'd like their cat's sh*t wrapped or unwrapped when you return it to their garden.

PFB but for cats. They're nuts, so I'd be ignoring them.

Very cheeky. Tiddles is going to have to learn how to manage the existence of dogs one way or another

Hahaha 🤣 your new neighbours are absolutely hilarious.

I have dogs and cats. They are being CFs. Ignore. It’s for them to sort.

They are definitely being unreasonable, not you. And I say that as a cat owner who's not fond of dogs and often moans about dog owners :)

I was ready and prepared to be against you as a cat lover and not a fan of dogs - but YANBU, they are being ridiculous!