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

Original poster

Angry neighbour went for my cat - what to do?

109 replies

HaleyDunphy · 15/12/2013 14:14

Started letting my 3yo female cat out this week, as we've moved to a lovely area away from main roads with lots of greenery, so feel safe letting her out here.

She's very confident and she's really loving it - not going too far either which is reassuring for me. However I've just been outside watching her and she was perched on my bottom fence, looking into another garden. She climbed into one of the trees of the other garden (probably because there is a lot of bird activity in that garden). The man who lives there came out straight away, really angry and swearing. I went down to the bottom of the garden and saw her just sort of frozen and he went for her. She bolted back into my garden and even then he carried on swearing. I should have said something but I was a little shocked at how angry he sounded and just wanted to get her inside.

I'm guessing from the sounds of it he has bird feeders in his garden and I get why he would be defensive, but she does wear a bell so I'm not sure what else I can do? Any tips on that?

I've kept her in as I hate the thought of someone hurting her, but she really needs to go out as she's having a hard time with my other indoor cat. H says he will go round and just say that he's welcome to shoo her away but that it's not fair to be aggressive. I don't think it's going to make a difference to someone like that tbh. Is this just how it is with some people? I feel really awkward about it.

OP posts:
isitme1 · 15/12/2013 14:21

What a bastard.
I don't particularly like cats but wouldn't go for one like that.
Sorry not very helpful

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 15/12/2013 14:25

What do you mean by "went for her"?

VivaLeBeaver · 15/12/2013 14:33

I saw my neighbours kids chucking stones at my cat once. I'm sure probably under their dads instructions as he moans about cat poo on his lawn. The cats have just realised now that they're best of avoiding his garden, so everyone's happy. I'd have thought your cat will soon work out not to sit on the fence and everyone will be happy.

The aggression and swearing isn't good but the cat won't understand. Not really any different from a dog which in some gardens will bark and go for cats. Again the cats learn which gardens to avoid.

I wouldn't say anything to him as he doesn't sound very nice and you'll just get an earful. Obviously if you think he's going to be physical towards the cat then warn him off.

I never actually said anything to my neighbour as I only saw it once. The stones hit the fence not the cat and in fairness they might have been aiming at the fence not the cat just to scare her off.

Original poster
HaleyDunphy · 15/12/2013 14:35

He lunged with his arms out like he was going to grab her. I shoo her away when she's in the way indoors, but the way he did it was just really aggressive

OP posts:
Original poster
HaleyDunphy · 15/12/2013 14:38

Yeah, I don't really want to say anything as I don't want to tell someone how to behave especially on their own property, and I know her going outside is my responsibility and I'm trying to cover all the bases... I guess I'll just put another bell on her and hope she figures out not to go near that garden.

OP posts:
bonzo77 · 15/12/2013 14:39

He's clearly a cunt. The best cat deterrent is water. Can you get him a water pistol and explain that as you can see he doesn't want your cat in his garden this is an effective humane alternative?

lottieandmia · 15/12/2013 14:40

What a nasty man. Totally agree that water is the best deterrent - no need to traumatise her, poor thing.

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 15/12/2013 14:41

Sorry, you're over reacting. Your cat was on his property, he simply chased her away. He didn't throw anything at her, nor did he chuck water over her. He just basically shouted and lunged at her. At no point did he harm the cat.

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 15/12/2013 14:42

water is the best deterrent - no need to traumatise her, poor thing

LOL. No, because having water thrown/squirted at a cat is not traumatic.

lunar1 · 15/12/2013 14:43

Maybe he wants to make sure you cat doesn't want to come back. I have had to stop growing veg at home with my children as there are so many do the bloody things round here using the garden as a toilet.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 15/12/2013 14:48

We have 3 stray cats who have taken up residence in our back garden. 3 times this year we have had pest control out to exterminate cat fleas in our house which has cost over €750. The exterminator said most likely they come in on kids or my husband when he mows the lawn. They shit all over our back garden making it completely impossible for the kids to play. In the last housing estate we lived in the neighbouring cats (we counted 7 at different times) also used our garden as a toilet ruining our amenity and making the garden dangerous for small children. So yes I run cats from the garden, we kick balls in their direction, we use super soakers during the summer. Frankly if the exterminator had not told us that the strays in the back garden would almost certainly be put to death at our expense if we tried to deal with them and my heartlessness nor wallet does not extend that far they would be gone too. One persons pet spoiling another persons amenity and because let's face it you cannot control cats like dogs then cat owners like you have to suck it up or else keep them in your own garden.

specialsubject · 15/12/2013 14:50

she'll be fine, he doesn't want her killing the birds or crapping in the garden. He can't catch her unless he has a net or a stun gun.

even if he does chuck water at her, it won't hurt her.

he's trying to scare her off, perfectly ok. Your cat will not need psychiatric help due to hearing rude words.

VivaLeBeaver · 15/12/2013 14:50

Balloons. You need to contact a cat charity, not the RSPCA.

They'll come and trap the strays and try and rehome them as farm cats. Our local small cat charity does this anyway. Ring round and ask.

RandomMess · 15/12/2013 14:51

You need about 3 bells on the collar to keep the birds safe (ish) one isn't enough. I would also buy a super soaker and give it to the neighbour - I would rather my neighbours deterred my cats like that than any other way.

One of mine keeps going into my neighbours house and she is scared of them!

IDontDoIroning · 15/12/2013 14:52

Not everyone likes cats. He obviously doesn't. He scared your cat off he didn't actually touch her and maybe after this she'll keep out of his garden.
He could have done much worse.

WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 15/12/2013 14:58

I've always scared cats out of my garden, usually by either banging on the window or shouting and clapping hands at them. I would never physically hurt one though. We have our own now and my neighbours are very welcome to shout and scare them out of their gardens, cat poo in your garden is disgusting if it is not your own cats. Maybe your neighbour has had years of cat poo problems and is feeling very irritated about the arrival of yet more cats in the neighbourhood. Maybe go round and have a word - does yours use a litter tray? If so, maybe telling him that will reassure him.

LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA · 15/12/2013 14:59

I would have to say something - you dont have to be narky, apologise for the cat, tell him you w ill get a new bell and he should feel free to shoo her away. What this achieves is letting the old bastard know that you have seen him and he would be no1 suspect should anything happen to the cat.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 15/12/2013 15:01

Viva thanks but I should have said the cats are wild not just strays. The would definitely be put down, the exterminator guy assures me he would be the one they all call to do it do he is definite.

HesterShaw · 15/12/2013 15:09

He could have done much worse.

Is the OP supposed to be grateful?

I think what she's upset about (please correct me if I'm wrong Haley) is the hatred and aggression and fury on the man's face, rather than chasing the cat away. We have chased cats out of our garden before - this isn't because we want to hurt or traumatise them, but we don't want them upsetting our own cat.

Original poster
HaleyDunphy · 15/12/2013 15:11

She uses a litter tray and I've put one outside too so I'm hoping she'll carry on as normal and use the trays as I know how annoying cat poo is. It's not that I am precious about someone swearing at her, it's just how angry he was. There's nothing wrong with not wanting cats in your garden, but he was just so aggressive.

Three bells sounds like a good idea, and I don't have a problem with water pistols or anything. I would keep her inside, but as I said upthread, she's having a tough time with our other cat and letting her out seems like the best way to remove her from the situation without any more fighting.

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 15/12/2013 15:38

Balloons, I assumed they were wild cats from your first post. The ones my neighbours had were totally feral, wild and the cat charity rehomed.

thecatneuterer · 15/12/2013 15:42

balloons - I'm guessing you're not in the UK?

Lovecat · 15/12/2013 15:50

Haley, I have 4 cats and I do that to cat interlopers in our garden - there are 2 very nasty 'bruiser' cats in the area who come and sit in the garden, terrifying our young cats - they won't go outside if the bruisers are there.

Knocking on windows and opening the door to glare at them does nothing, they just sit and stare at me doing an 'am I bovvered?' - the only thing that gets them moving is if I go towards them in an aggressive manner I may have been known to shout raaaaaaaah! at them as well and to an onlooker I might well look like a crazy cat-hating loon. Despite the fact I love them.

It hasn't traumatised the bruisers, they still come back, so I wouldn't worry for your cat too much. Calling people cunts for shouting at a cat is a bit much...

MoominMammasHandbag · 15/12/2013 15:50

I loathe cats and always chase them out of my garden quite aggressively. I would never dream of hurting one though. If one was to call my bluff and not run away I'm not sure what I'd do.

I have lots of bird feeders and like to attract wildlife to my garden. The idea of a cat spoiling all that makes me quite annoyed.

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 15/12/2013 15:51

I think what she's upset about (please correct me if I'm wrong Haley) is the hatred and aggression and fury on the man's face

The cat won't give a shit about the look on his face. If this is the case, the OP is projecting her feelings onto the cat. He just chased it out of his garden. He did not harm the cat in any way