Neighbour keeps asking us to chase her cat out of our garden

[summershere78447]

Our neighbour has a rescue cat that was abused by its previous owner, so I completely understand why she’s protective of it.

However, around 80% of the time we’re in our garden, she’ll call over the fence asking us to shoo the cat out if it’s wandered in. When I say shoo, I don’t just mean a little shoo as she’s a friendly cat and not frightened by us at all. It therefore ends up a big performance essentially chasing the cat out of the garden.

Yesterday it was just lying quietly in the sun while I was outside playing with my one-year-old and stepdaughter. It wasn’t bothering anyone, if anything it was keeping both of the kids happy but she was looking through the gap in the fence to see if it was there.

She knows us well and knows the cat is perfectly safe with us.

We’ve had our garden done this year, so understandably we’re spending much more time outside and making the most of the nice weather. We’d just like to be able to enjoy our own garden in peace. She’s also complained about us having barbecues in our own garden.

I’m happy to move the cat if it’s causing a problem, but I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect us to interrupt whatever we’re doing every time it wanders into our garden.

AIBU?

Yanbu, if she didn't want the cat wandering she should put the time and effort into keeping an indoor cat or cat proof the garden to prevent the cat going anywhere beyond the garden. If a friendly cat was to wander into my garden the last thing I'd be doing is chasing them out the garden even if the owner requested I did so.

Tell her you’re thinking of getting a large hunting dog which are known to be cat-aggressive.

@summershere78447 do not follow the advice to spray water on the cat. Ridiculous

I think she is maybe jealous that the cat wants to be with you and not her

Some water thrown in an arch .
I'm not talking about getting a bloody hosepipe out
Ridiculous
I have cats
I have used a water throw on other cats I don't want and my NDN can use on mine if they pester .

It is not harmful .
It sends them away
Unless you pin it to the floor and drench it with a bucket of water , a spray or throw of water does no harm .

She does sound a little odd. Maybe get a gentle water pistol and that will soon frighten cat off - shame if you like having it around though.

How does your neighbour think the formerly traumatised cat is going to be helped by being shooed out of your garden? Surely the cat getting the message that people are calm and friendly would be preferable. She sounds bored and jealous of the cat not choosing at points to be in her garden. Cats are independent and roamers. If she wants devotion she needs a dog. I’d tell her you feel uncomfortable having to keep shooing the cat away when it’s doing nothing wrong, it’s bound to visit neighbouring gardens and you don’t want to scare it if it had a traumatic past.

Yeah…No!

It still a mean thing to do though

Block your fence so she can't peer through!

If she was very apologetic, about her wandering cat which might poop in your garden, and tell you to shoo it to save you some inconvenience, I'll understand.

In her case? Everybody is happy? She's deranged.

Or just leave the cat alone?

I’d squirt the neighbour not the cat.
If it’s happy in your garden and enjoying the peace leave the poor creature be.

What a bizarre state of affairs. Isn't it normally stressed cat owners with neighbours who are very hostile to the animal wandering into their gardens? She should try living next to them (and there are plenty of them on here, judging by some threads I've read).

Cover any gaps in the fence. Tell her that the cat isn't bothering you and you are not going to disturb your own peace to keep moving it on.

Another cat owner expecting the neighbours to manage their pet for them!

Tell her to either keep her cat in her garden, or else accept that it is going to wander and you are Not Bloody Interested in herding the damn thing home every time she spots you 8n proximity to it in your garden.

• squirt water near (not at!) the cat, using a low-­powered water pistol. Try to remain hidden from view; if they associate you, rather than the garden, with the negative experience they may simply wait until you’re not around and come back
• or, install a motion-sensitive water sprinkler

This from the RSPCA site

........................................
So anyone who thinks it is cruel , and no i;m not going to tag because I simply CBA , it is not cruel to fling some water .

A container like a jug or a sprinkler .
I am not advocating a bucket or a pressure hose FFS

The cats owner has asked for it to be chased . The cat thinks otherwise .
A new cat needs to learn new territory . The owner doesn't want the territory to be next door .

If someone asked "How do I keep a visiting cat out " my answer would be the same .
If someone says "how can I stop my cat scratching the sofa" often the answer is "water pistol" ( I don't do this as I don't want water indoors )

Cats gonna cat.
They rule, not humans.

Could she be chucking/encouraging it over so she can engage with you? Maybe the cat worked out ages ago that she’s bonkers and is hiding at yours.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget do you wear camo for these Black Op’s?

Huh?

Whoooooosh !

Poor cat, probably looking for a way to move in with you!

Brings to mind the neighbour on Waffle the wonder dog.

Put some thing against fence and tell her you cant see the cat

Yeah. Or you could engage with her. I know it's what people do now, but you don't have to lock everyone out and put up barriers so you don't have to talk to people.