Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

What do I do about my neighbours cat?

24 replies

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 22/11/2013 23:42

It's always out, which is fair enough for lots of cats but it's always trying to get in here through open windows and doors.

It's becoming freezing here, tonight it's meant to get to -8 and it's crying outside my window and trying to get in through the top, my heart is breaking for it, it must be freezing.

Neighbour is an upstairs neighbour and claims he always wants to be out and never wants to come in, when we pass her stairs though (4 in a block and she is our upstairs) he cries at us and then runs to the door as if he wants in. She claims he wants in our house to play with our cats which is total rubbish.

They've put a bell on the poor thing as well, so if he's hungry at stupid oclock in the morning he wont even be able to hunt.

I really don't know what to do, I can't let him in here as my 3 cats will have him for dinner especially as he makes straight for their bowls, they proper fight with each other (mines are the problem there which makes me know he doesn't want in to play with them.

I don't even think neighbour is in right now.

OP posts:

Thanks

Share

Report

goodasitgets · 23/11/2013 03:52

Didn't want to read and run - horrible situation
My neighbours cat is currently sat on my lap so I can't talk! (He waits for me to come home in the early hours and cries until I let him in)

Thanks

thecatneuterer · 23/11/2013 04:20

I think right now, in such bad weather, I'd have to take the cat in and put it in a room away from your other cats - such as the bathroom, or a spare room if you have one (presuming you've a spare litter tray). In the long term though I don't know what I'd do.

Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/11/2013 15:17

She sounds totally flakey tbh.

What did you do?

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 15:39

TheCat This has been going on for more than a year! It got loads better over summer (because the cat wasn't freezing his poor bum off) but as it's gotten colder it's right back to where we started.

We used to go to her door and get her to let him in everytime it happened, then she stopped answering the door even though we could see her through her window! That's when all the "he loves being outside, wont come in etc") stories started. I would say something to her again but tbh, she scares me a bit and attracts all types of people and I don't want trouble coming to my door.

I have tried to bring the cat in but one of mines opens doors so it does't work.

Not long after posting this thread last night, she came home and I think mog got in then. We were about to go to her door with him though as we was really crying.

Good That would be this cat, if we let him. He's a lovely cat, if I didn't have the other 3 (or they were nicer cats) I would just bring him in.

Oh, she has a kitten as well, think it's about 7 months now though but it's teeny. Hope they at least let it in.

OP posts:

Thanks

goodasitgets · 23/11/2013 15:54

Not that I'm soft or anything
i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll66/brighthair84/477DEA10-6067-41FA-8D0E-161C8E40CB03-50541-000040E39270959B_zps3833b6a5.jpg

Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/11/2013 16:04

Good grief the woman's clueless. Most cats like a warm duvet not to be out in -8.

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 16:27

Good That is a bloody gorgeous cat!

Fluffy He's a bengal with a really quite short coat so I do worry. Mines would have a fit if I left them outside and they didn't have their lovely warm blankets!

It's only going to get colder here (Scotland), last year he was out in proper snow, hail etc. I don't think I can just leave it this year. Last year I tried to let him in the kitchen for a drink and stuff for as long as possible but it just doesn't work with the other cats here, they hate him.

OP posts:

Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/11/2013 16:32

I wonder if they would get used to him being in overnight in bad weather? We've done similar and the resident cats got used to it eventually.

Thanks

SummerRain · 23/11/2013 16:35

Our neighbours did the same with two tiny kittens. They were really ill by the time I said fuck it and took them in. My own 3 got over it eventually. I had planned to rehome them but the kids fell in love and they're lovely cats so they ended up staying

People are bastards

Do you have any cat rehoming charities near you that you could bring him to?

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 16:44

Fluffy They attack him from the other side of the window, if he comes anywhere near the house the 3 of them become crazy pack animals. I would have him in all night every night if there was any way to do it. We're in a small 4 in a block flat so there isn't anywhere to hide him at all. We try our best when it gets cold, he runs in and hides behind the washing machine. :(

Summer There is one... A CPL but it would cause all sorts of hell with the neighbours and while I really want to help this cat, I don't want the people she knows at my door. We had a window broken in before we even actually moved in, names scratched on windows, the previous tenant of this house coming to the door and threatening my GM because we dared to say we weren't happy about the all night party and the randoms dealing drugs and passing out outside my kids bedroom window and mines...

OP posts:

Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/11/2013 16:46

How awful for him.

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 16:48

We've thought about putting a small dog kennel in the back garden with blankets and some food etc. What do you think the chances are of him going in it?

OP posts:

Thanks

thecatneuterer · 23/11/2013 17:21

That was going to be my next suggestion. He will almost certainly go in it. You can get purpose made cat kennels in fact. Pets at Home sell them for starters

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 17:25

I think I have seen the ones at Pets at Home, we're very happy to do that. Ours will probably have a go in it if we're at the shops etc but they're mostly (definitely in winter) in every night so he would have it there pretty much all the time, we could put some food and water in it too.

Any tips on how to do it to maximise warmth?

OP posts:

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 17:33

The one in PetsAtHome is getting rotten reviews on Amazon for not actually being waterproof. Will have a hunt on Amazon.

OP posts:

Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/11/2013 17:43

A hot water bottle wrapped in a fleece blanket.

You get a silver blanket that hikers use in case they get trapped in bad weather to line it to keep his body heat in or tack more fleece blankets on the inside to keep it snug.

I use Asdas fleece blankets, they are usually 2 for £5 and wash well. I think it's so kind that you'll put yourself out for this cat, his owners either heartless or clueless, or a charming mix of both.

Thanks

thecatneuterer · 23/11/2013 17:48

Oh that's a shame. I've got a couple of the old style Pets at Home ones which are great, however they are prone to condensation - hot, steamy cat inside plus cold outside walls equals condensation. But I just used to put lots of newspaper on the bottom, and then blankets and stuff, and just change it frequently. I used to put microwave heat pads in there too when I had a feral who wouldn't come in. He loved it. Sometimes he got so warm you'd see him still a leg out of the door from time to time to cool off and you could practically see the steam coming off it :)

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 18:00

Fluffy I can't see a moggie (or any animal really) suffering, I can't risk the safety of us and our kids by confronting/taking cats away so this is what I have to do, I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to it or the kitten and I could have helped. It's a lovely massive wee thing too.

Thanks for the tips. :) I have a microwavable Hello Kitty somewhere as well, think I'll stick that in too and have loads of those Asda blankets and a spare hot water bottle. :o

TheCat I would have loved to have seen that! Sounds adorable.

Would a properly cosied out dog house work? Seems easier to find them.

OP posts:

Thanks

thecatneuterer · 23/11/2013 18:03

'stick a leg out' that should have read.

I'm sure a dog kennel would be fine too. They tend to have and open space for a door rather than a cosier flap though. But I'm sure with plenty of blankets and microwave pads it will be fine, and a hell of a lot better than just being stuck outside with no shelter at all.

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 18:09

I could make wee curtains from blankets to cover the open bit, think I am getting a bit excited at this little project! Will have a lovely toast cat by the end of next week. :)

OP posts:

Thanks

thecatneuterer · 23/11/2013 18:15

In fact mine were open door ones too. I used to cover the whole thing with a large picnic blanket type thing (blanket one side - waterproof the other - they used to give them away with vouchers in Sainsburys many years ago. So it was obviously waterproof side up.)

No only did it cover the entrance nicely it also kept the outside of the kennel from getting too cold and so reduced the condensation.

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 18:16

That's actually a really good idea, Matalan always have them very cheap.

OP posts:

Thanks

CharlieAlphaKiloEcho · 23/11/2013 18:22

Would the neighbours have to know it was you if you dropped it off to CPL? Sounds like it would take them days to realise t was gone in the first place.

Poor moggy :(

Thanks

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 23/11/2013 18:29

No they would notice. :( One of them is always around or someone they know lurking on the street. They just don't answer the door.

OP posts:

Thanks

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.