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Original poster

To want to throttle neighbour's cat and neighbour!!

239 replies

Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 14:24

My neighbour's cat spends her days on our cars. It has now left scratches on both our brand new cars - more mine than DH. I saw neighbour yesterday and mentioned about the cars and she just went 'oh naughty Simba'..and did a little laugh and walked off.
AIBU to say to her that she either keeps her cat away from my car or she can pay to sort out the scratched.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Albgo · 05/08/2021 15:00

@Helpme20

Think I will go with the hosepipe/water pistol/buckets of water idea! sounds fun as well
Now you just sound unpleasant.
pussycatlickinglollyices · 05/08/2021 15:00

@LimitIsUp

Cats - just what is the point of them! Turn the hosepipe on them op
That won't work. My cats love playing in water!

Oh, and the point of them is that they aren't stinky dogs that shit on the pavement or piss up a lamppost.
HTH
😺

custardbear · 05/08/2021 15:02

@Helpme20

Think I will go with the hosepipe/water pistol/buckets of water idea! sounds fun as well
🙄 fun - no wonder the cats are seeking you out
AlmostSummer21 · 05/08/2021 15:02

There's something wrong with your paint job if a cat getting on & off your car is leaving 'scratches'.

I suggest you go back to the dealer

HopeHappy · 05/08/2021 15:03

As a cat owner, I say squirt them! I'd be mortified if my cat did that.

One of our cats has been known to shit in neighbours' gardens and we've offered to give them repellent to use and told them to spray them with water if they catch them doing it. They'll soon learn to keep away.

Hopefully the scratches are mainly superficial as PPs have said, and will polish out, but I wouldn't be expecting to spend my own money to repair a car damaged by a neighbour's pet.

Original poster
Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 15:04

@Fancymice

I think get a cover for the car, as it sounds unlikely she will want to keep the cat inside because of this.

Surely the scratches are quite superficial? Tbh of you want to keep the car pristine you need to keep it under a cover or in a garage. You can't spend loads on a car, leave it parked outside then get pissed off when wear and tear happens.

Thanks I will get a cover for the cars - just a hassle when have to go out. Also it is not wear and tear though....
OP posts:
mrsm43s · 05/08/2021 15:04

A cat sitting on a car won't scratch the paintwork! They have retractable claws - they don't walk or sit with their claws out! So even if you have CCTV of the cat sitting on the car, it doesn't follow that the cat has scratched the car.

Far more likely to scratch the car is grit or sand from the road, bushes or hedgerows. Unless you leave your brand new car unused, under cover, then small scratches are likely to happen due to wear and tear. Nothing to do with Simba!

And small scratches do not cost thousands of pounds to rectify!

feathermucker · 05/08/2021 15:04

Do you have detailed pictures of the damage? We may be able to suggest a fix.

Fancymice · 05/08/2021 15:05

You sound like one of those people who refuse to pull in on country lanes as they don't want to scratch their car on the hedge, meaning I have to squeeze right into the hedge and down a pothole.

Original poster
Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 15:06

@Albgo sense of humour - No?

OP posts:
HoobleDooble · 05/08/2021 15:08

One of my neighbours chucked a bucket of water over my nervous rescue cat for crossing his garden a couple of days after she'd plucked up the courage to venture out ... He didn't look quite so smug (or dry) after he answered my knock on his door and got the same back.

MurielSpriggs · 05/08/2021 15:09

Unfortunately it's legally no different from if squirrels scratched your paintwork, or rats chewed through your wiring. No one is legally responsible. I don't know much about pet insurance, but I greatly doubt that the neighbours' insurers would pay out for third-party liability when there's no legal obligation to do so. It's up to you to insure your car against risks like that.

Original poster
Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 15:10

@Fancymice

You sound like one of those people who refuse to pull in on country lanes as they don't want to scratch their car on the hedge, meaning I have to squeeze right into the hedge and down a pothole.
I live in Surrey - very large country lanes - no need to pull in or go down pot holes. But I am 'one of those people' who let their kids eat in the car, get in with muddy boots. A car is a necessity for me not a show piece BUT my mess, my car...neighbours cat is a different story.
OP posts:
FenceSplinters · 05/08/2021 15:10

Does the cat have an issue with its claws?

SixesAndEights · 05/08/2021 15:10

@Fancymice

You sound like one of those people who refuse to pull in on country lanes as they don't want to scratch their car on the hedge, meaning I have to squeeze right into the hedge and down a pothole.
Oh god they're annoying! Usually driving the biggest car possible as well!

I once had to reverse for a bloke refusing to pull into a layby because his tyres cost £5000 and he didn't want to spoil them. What a wanker.

pussycatlickinglollyices · 05/08/2021 15:11

Hooble Good. I'd be right behind your with a second very icy bucket!

bigbaggyeyes · 05/08/2021 15:11

Had a similar issue with my ndn cat so I used to chuck a bucket of water at it, my ndn got really upset with me when she saw me doing it Hmm the neighbour actually pissed me off more than the cat tbh. It was the whole 'ohhh cats do that' attitude. Not in the slightest concerned her cat was damaging other peoples property.

I bought a lurcher several years later. Never saw the cat again in our garden Grin

Original poster
Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 15:12

@HoobleDooble

One of my neighbours chucked a bucket of water over my nervous rescue cat for crossing his garden a couple of days after she'd plucked up the courage to venture out ... He didn't look quite so smug (or dry) after he answered my knock on his door and got the same back.
You sound like a great neighbour to have...am sure all your neighbours are very happy to have you there. Down my end we are a bit more civilised - hence why I have spoken to her first wink (wink)
OP posts:
SaltySheepdog · 05/08/2021 15:12

Legislation is that cats can roam so the emphasis will be on you putting something over your car to protect it rather then her keeping the cat off your car

SaltySheepdog · 05/08/2021 15:13

Or just get a water gun and shoot it every time it sits on your bonnet

TiredButDancing · 05/08/2021 15:13

@Helpme20

Think I will go with the hosepipe/water pistol/buckets of water idea! sounds fun as well
Water pistols. We gave them to our neighbour's children when our cat was going into their house and stealing their cat's food. He stopped pretty soon after that!
ChristmasJumpers · 05/08/2021 15:13

I have cats and would be mortified if one of them did this (and there was proff it was one of mine - there are a LOT of cats in my area).

I wouldn't be laughing it off but also I wouldn't keep my cats indoors, it makes them miserable.

I'd have no objections to a neighbour giving the cat a quick squirt with a water gun to put them off sitting on the car though, it doesn't do them any harm and usually does the trick

Original poster
Helpme20 · 05/08/2021 15:13

@FenceSplinters

Does the cat have an issue with its claws?
I will go speak to the neighbour and see how we can sort this - ask her to see to the claws
OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 05/08/2021 15:15

As a PP says, cats have retractable claws. Unless Simba is a very unusual cat, it won’t be scratching your car.

Cats use their claws out when they’re actively scratching (but a car bonnet won’t be a scratching post, it’s too smooth) or climbing or when they’re attacking something. All the rest of the time they walk and jump on their pads.

The cat might be picking up grit or something on the bonnet that then it’s moving around but honestly your car paintwork isn’t being clawed like a new stair carpet.

Keep the cat off your cars - yes. But I think asking the neighbour to pay for a respray is a bit much.

ChristmasJumpers · 05/08/2021 15:17

I forgot to say, cats naturally have sharp claws. I'm not sure what you want your neighbour to do about that

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