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Original poster

neighbour nicking our cat EVERY BLOODY NIGHT, GRRRRR

32 replies

ernest · 12/04/2007 16:14

We've had our lovely cat about 6 months. She's allowed to come and go at will during day, at night she's locked in. She's been coming home less and less recently, often not at all, or very late, after the 3 kids have gone to bed, so they basically rarely see her now

I am 100% sure she's going tot he neighbour's house 4 doors up. They have 2 kids and the 9 yr old girl loves playing with our cat. I'm sure they let her in, and now basically they have our cat & we get to see her for 5 minutes a day if we're lucky.

I asked the neighbour outright last week if our cat went to theirs (have seen cat lying on her doormat) and she said yes, and if they open the door the cat goes in and spends the evening there. I asked her if she wouldn't let the cat in as she was coming very little home now and our children rarely see their own cat. She said OK, but I've not noticed any difference. Today, her dd asked me for a lift home from school when I went to collect my ds, so on the way I asked her if our cat was going round and she said yes. SO again, I've asked her not to let the cat in.

Rant rant rant
Sorry, I know cats like to wander etc etc but I feel really pissed off that basically we went to the trouble of getting a pet for our kids and these people have basically all but stolen her & she only comes back for food. My kids never see their pet.

Is it really unreasonable of me to ask them not to let the cat in? I mean, there have been times eg rainy & she's come back very late & bone dry. So clearly she's been indoors, presumably their house, and if they didn't let her in she's come HOME.

So, am I being neurotic? I have asked outright, but doesn't seem to have made much difference. Any other suggestions? This is really pissing me off now.

OP posts:

Washersaurus · 12/04/2007 16:18

Why not tell them your cat has a medical condition that means she should not be fed/watered other than by yourselves and that she needs to come home at night for her medication... a blatant lie, but I'd tell it

Pamina · 12/04/2007 16:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pamina · 12/04/2007 16:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maveta · 12/04/2007 16:21

Can you start going round in the evening but before the kids go to bed and ask if your cat is there and, if so, bring her home? Then you can make your point that you will come and collect your cat if they continue to let her in, hopefully they´ll start getting embarrassed at being caught and stop letting her in. Or maybe you´ll find they don´t have her at all and it is another family??

Original poster

ernest · 12/04/2007 16:26

both mother and daughter have freely and shamelessly admitted to having her.

may try the medication. Problem is we never bloody see the cat any more to even know if she's poorly

Probably seeing neighbour tonight so will try again but it's getting embarrassing (inasmuch as I've asked, she's agredd, but then she's not foloowed through, as dd today admitted she's still going to theirs even tho I asked the mum a few days ago not to let her in)

OP posts:

Carmenere · 12/04/2007 16:28

don't get me started about neighbours cats!!I had the misfortune to start feeding a stray cat that spent all day every day in my garden for about 6 months, she had a collar(but no id) but I deduced that as there had been a lot of house moves in the area that possibly she had run away.
So eventually we saw a lost sign on a lamp post and it was for her so I rang the number and got a tirade of abuse from the owner for trying to steal the bleeding cat!

My excuse was that I diddn't know that she was from two streets away, you neighbour has none.

shimmy21 · 12/04/2007 16:29

Don't think you're being unreasonable but sadly cats do sometimes just do this for no discernible reason. Cats are totally ungrateful bu&&ers and never apreciate the lavish care and attention and vets bills we provide for them.

To put the other view point it may be very difficult for your neighbours to get rid of your cat on these warm evenings as they may well be leaving doors or windows open.

My neighbours have complained to me before that our cat waits on their doorstep and slips in when they open their door. They never feed her and she has a constant supply of food, catflap and soft bed here. She just likes them more.

Cats - what's the point?

Freckle · 12/04/2007 16:37

We had a similar problem with our neighbours. They mentioned that our female cat was visiting and did we mind. I said that, as long as it wasn't a problem for them, I didn't mind but would they please not feed her. I also relayed a story about previous neighbours of ours who had tried to steal her and they were aghast. They assured me that they would never feed her.

I found out through one of the boys who had visited that they had in fact been feeding the cat, so I confronted them about it. They were very remorseful and apologetic and had no excuse for why they had gone back on their word. They have now obtained their own cat which has had the effect of discouraging our cat from visiting.

My advice would be to make your cat an indoor cat with litter tray.

Original poster

ernest · 12/04/2007 16:39

it's more than clear the girl loves the cat and they have been having her in for ages, long before the warm weather. Their front door isn't open, she only goes in beacuse they let her. I agree I can't stop the cat going there, but they have a bigger role to play in not letting her in, but they like her and choose to o so. This is really bothering me.

Carmenere, was it you on the pushchair thread with the cm using it for gc? Theft of purpose? Too bloody right, but if I ask and they don't react, I'll try the fake illness, but what then??? Cat shit through their letter box?

OP posts:

FioFio · 12/04/2007 16:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

hunkermunker · 12/04/2007 16:45

Can you tell her the children have been upset (waking up sobbing upset) that the cat doesn't love them any more? Horrible guilt trippiness, but I can't see what else you can do.

NadineBaggott · 12/04/2007 16:47

tie it with a long piece of string to a tree so it can't wander too far

maveta · 12/04/2007 16:51

yeah you could make up a load of stories but can´t you just go round and collect the cat instead???

Washersaurus · 12/04/2007 16:53

I did have a cat when I was younger that was adopted by an old lady up the road - I left them to it as it was obviously an arrangement that made them both happy. He lived a very long life which I hope was a happy one .

You can't stop cats from wandering, but you can try to stop your neighbours encouraging it IMO

shimmy21 · 12/04/2007 16:53

give them the ungrateful cat and get yourselves a new kitten.

Kitten wont also get catnapped because big cat will beat it up.

NadineBaggott · 12/04/2007 16:56

cats go to whoever feeds them best .....

cupboard love

Original poster

ernest · 12/04/2007 17:01

quite she comes to us for food then fucks off. She is still only (just) a kitten. I can't bloody well buy my kids a new cat every 6 months every time someone else takes a fancy to ours .

I think I'll go with major guilt trip, witht the occasional popping round, to give her her medicine you understand . I wouldn't have to make up bloody stories if they didn't keep nicking her. grrrr.

I told dh we should've got a dog..

OP posts:

hub2dee · 12/04/2007 17:11

Could they adopt the cat and your family get the dog it sounds like you long for ?

Original poster

ernest · 12/04/2007 17:39

dh doesn't like dog, and besides, unfortunately wouldn't fit in with our lifestyle. I just want our cat. sometimes

OP posts:

southeastastra · 12/04/2007 17:40

my mil seems to nick the neighbour's cat all the time. she sends them back at night and says they don't mind. i find it odd though.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 12/04/2007 18:48

tbh cats don't make great pets for young children for precisely this reason. They are independent, and any relationship with humans happens entirely on their terms.

While it's annoying that the neighbour has been letting the cat in, the cat would have gone there to be let in in the first place, so it's the cat that's chosen to go to the neighbour and the neighbour has simply let the cat in.

I think lying about medication is a bad idea, as you will have to get your children to be in on the lie, otherwise when neighbour's dd asks about the cat's illness your kids will give the game away. to much like hard work with such young children to keep up the pretence.

I would let the cat be and get something in a cage that you can contain.

maveta · 12/04/2007 19:23

Our cats always used to go to the neighbour´s house (next door).. they didn´t even want them to come in at first but eventually seemed to give in and mum was convinced they fed them occasionally. Sometimes we wouldn´t see them all day and they were out most nights.. sometimes I´d walk up our road and see one of them in someone else´s window!

But it never really bothered us. They were still our cats and 18 years later they´re both still going strong (and no longer go out) and are still very much our cats.

I guess you´re annoyed that your neighbour is lying to you but I do agree that cats are so strong willed and independant that she might be sitting outside their door mewing and mewing to come in, acting the poor abandoned animal, and most animal lovers find that hard to ignore...

Actually right now my Mum is feeding a stray cat that was pregnant and has now obviously given birth. She´s a beautiful cat and I can´t believe she doesn´t belong to someone but mum has no idea how to find out who she belongs to.. she feeds her once a day and doesn´t let her in the house (because of our two cats) but nonetheless sometimes they´ll come out of the kitchen and find her sitting next to the (closed) back door, waiting to be let out!!

pirategirl · 12/04/2007 19:29

I have the same problem, ours is 1, and judging by this thread, it seems that these unloyal felines sems to be females!!!

OUrs really isnt bothered abvout us at all. IKWyM, i feel like getting another one to make up for this one, cos we cant take this one back.

I know my neighbours have her in, I have never thought to ask them not too, but can see that its really annoying you now, cos you have blatantly asked them not too.

Cats, love them, but we have absolutely no influence on their preferences do we.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 12/04/2007 21:17

also cats are opportunists and will go to wherever there is food. We have a cat flap and it seems our kitchen also doubles as a take-away for whichever neighbourhood cats happen to fancy a bite to eat. It is incredibly annoying and I only wish their owners would come knocking to claim them back because they're a pita.

tinkerbellhadpiles · 12/04/2007 21:26

Tell your neighbours that the cat has severe tapeworm and that everyone in your house is being treated and that if it's slept in any of their beds, they should be treated too.

And fleas.

Ticks.

Avian flu.

I'm sure I can think of a few more horrible things.

Put a few dead mice on their doorstep too.

Cheeky buggers. Wish someone would adopt one of my cats, I have to shower her once a week because she can't be arsed to wash and she stinks!

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