To tell the neighbours the cat isn’t my problem

[Miniminxymoo]

We have neighbours who own a cat. The cat is a bit of a pain in the backside and continually came in our garden. Obviously, we couldn’t stop it and it treated our garden as its own causing some damage to toys and crapping in the flower beds.

We have recently got a lab from a rescue who, as we quickly discovered, doesn’t like cats. As soon as we brought our dog home and let it in the garden it immediately chased this cat down. The dog didn’t catch the cat and is likely never going to but likes to terrify the cat. Thankfully, the cat seems to be trying its luck a little less and our garden isn’t suffering so much mess and damage. Most of the other houses have had dogs for a fair while so cat hasn’t gone into the other gardens, ours was the only one it went into because of the dogs.

The neighbours have now complained that they are worried that my dog is going to harm their cat and possibly kill it. Now, as I’ve said, the dog is likely never to catch the cat and my garden is very secure so will never escape. The neighbours have said they will charge us for any vet bills if their cat gets injured and they will complain to the council.

neighbours have also said that if the cat is in my garden then I shouldn’t let the dog out for a pee. The issue is, I often don’t see the cat before I let her out.

My dog is pretty chilled, never any bother in any other way other than when the cat comes in.

AIBU to tell the neighbours that it isn’t my problem if their cat is scared. It’s my garden and my dog’s home and if they have an issue then they’re the ones who should keep their animal in? I’ve suggested for them to put rubber spikes or similar on their fence to hopefully prevent the cat, who is a twat, coming in but they have said the expense to do that should be on me and they don’t like to do things like that!

No, they can’t.

Your neighbour is an idiot. <gavel>

Cats aren't stupid they will normally avoid dogs like the plague. My cats won't go near them.
Next doors cat will learn not to go into yours if it's got any sense. But it isn't your problem if it does.

How long have you had the dog? I'm surprised the cat is still coming into your garden.

Your neighbours are bring ridiculous!

I adore my cat - but honestly your neighbours sound batty! It’s the dogs garden and the cat will soon learn to stay away

The law wouldn’t do anything. The only time it might be an issue is if OP’s dog got loose and into the neighbours garden.

If you let your cat out to roam, you take the risk that your cat could be injured, hit by a car, attacked by a dog, trapped somewhere etc.

That’s not true. In the uk cats are considered by law as semi- domesticated not fully domesticated and have the right to roam like wild animals do. That of course comes with risks and the cat might not live as long but very few cats don’t show signs of distress if forced to be indoors only. A lot of cat charities are irresponsible in my opinion and view cats as a possession rather than an independent animal - for example, think trapping and containing a feral cat (who is inevitably terrified and frustrated) is in its interest as it will live longer! Life isn’t all about length. Humans take risks all time to enjoy life. It totally frustrates me that people think it’s in the cats best interest to force it into a captivity they wouldn’t wish on themselves. It’s purely in their selfish interests as it’s upsetting if the cat dies or disappears.

Back to the op! Cats are creatures of habit and routine so it will try and come back to your garden for a bit I expect but it will stay away if frightened. It certainly isn’t your responsibility to worry about fhe cat. If you wanted to be neighbourly and indulge them, you could offer to take the dog initially on the lead for a few weeks before letting it off to give the cat a chance to see it. But there certainly isn’t any obligation to do that. A lab is a breed that’s unlikely to actually harm a cat although you obviously can never be sure. Our next door neighbour got a much faster breed dog and it never occurred to us to worry about our cats. Their dog did catch our ducks a couple of times! Again the risk we took by letting our ducks free range as they hated being contained too.

So every-time the dog wants to go in the garden, you think the OP should put the dog on a lead and go out as well, come rain or shine?
Who has time for this?

Again! Why do you think it’s in the cat’s interests to live a life without risk!! It’s not a toy.

They are probably just annoyed that they now need to clean up their own cat poo. We have cats and they just avoid the garden with the dog.

I’m guessing relations are pretty shite between you two at the best of times?

In my experience, you dont have to do that for long...the cats do wise on there is a scary dog in the garden.

As I said further up, I have a greyhound. When we first adopted her, I would go in the garden with her on a lead but after a couple of weeks, I started just doing a cat check before letting her out

I know op doesn't "have" to make sure there isnt a cat in the garden before letting her dog out, but I do think its the right thing to do.

If my dog harmed or killed a cat, I would be heartbroken and feel guilty, I wouldn't just think " ah well, shouldn't have been there anyway/not my responsibility " so I just think its taking precaution

We’ve had the dog for 3 months. For some bizarre reason the cat just isn’t seeming to learn. It’s not every day but I would say about 3/4 times a week it wants to try its luck. It’s a pretty bolshy cat but is wise enough not to hang around when the dog is let out nor will it come in when the dog is already out in the garden.

Put your hard hat on, OP. Someone posted a similar thread last week was basically told ‘cats have a right to roam and shit in your garden.’

Personally, I think it’s your garden. So, fuck ‘em.

It's very aggressive of them to threaten you with vet bills, sounds like it's getting quite nasty. Nothing has actually happened to their cat and this is a very common neighbourhood scenario with pets, so they need to calm down.

Tell them that you will do a cat check before letting the dog out, and if you see the cat there you will try to shoo it away first. That is reasonable.

But ultimately, it's your garden, and their cat is not your responsibility - especially if your dog isn't aggressive and has no history of harming other animals. Most dogs will chase cats, it doesn't mean they are going to maul them or actually do anything even if they catch them (which they usually don't!)

Cats learn quickly and it will soon stop coming in the garden if it has been chased away. They are overreacting. But there is a compromise, which is you shooing the cat away if you see it. I wouldn't go any further than that and certainly wouldn't agree to keep the dog in.

I mean, legally that’s true in the UK. Cats do have the right to roam.

That doesn’t mean it’s the OPs’ problem though!

Dogs make.mess in the garden to.....unless you toilet trained your dog?

Just tell the neighbours to jeep cat out the garden and there w9nt be an issue.

I've a cat and those cat owners are being completely unreasonable. Surely their cat is bright enough to avoid the garden now it knows there's a canine about. I take it they don't complain to the other dog-owning neighbours? Their cat will adapt.

I would make it very clear to your neighbours, in writing, that you can not be responsible for the safety of their cat in your garden. Point out that the garden is secure so there is no risk of the dog escaping, and suggest that they take any measures needed to keep their cat away.

First response nails it as usual.

I obviously wouldn’t want the cat to get hurt but I’m also not going to out the dog on lead every time I let her out for a pee. It’s not fair on my dog and also turns a quick pee into a big deal of leashing the dog up, putting boots on when the garden is wet and having to take extra time to do all of this whilst the dog is busting for a pee

Neighbours are CF.
Tell them you are sick of their cat damaging your property and shitting everywhere and to keep it out of YOUR garden.

I have a greyhound who chases cats. The neighbours cats come in our garden if he is inside and I actively use him to chase them out (knowing the time he takes to wake up, get his lazy bum off the couch etc, will give the cat time to get away).

Frankly (I like cats but) I don't like their cats pooping in our garden as it's a health risk for the kids plus the dog likes to eat it (YUCK). I would be mentioning the danger of their cats poop to your neighbour by the way.

My neighbours are nice though and there's never been any fuss. They know their cat is brazen. I also yell at their yappy dog sometimes and they don't mind 😄😄

Just an aside but I make sure to worm my dog very regularly for fear of parasites passing from the cat poop.

When the dog poos in the garden I immediately pick it up. It’s also easy to see where she does it.

Yes, regularly worn and flea and I’m part of a care club at the vets so have it supplied. I also protect against lung worm as it’s rife in our area