Neighbours complaining about my cat

[ParsleyCake]

My cat has been sneaking into neighbours houses and eating food etc. my boyfriend has had previous neighbours poison cats for less, and after some neighbours complained, he now wants to keep her indoors only. However she has peed on and scratched carpets and furniture in the past, so I have aways kept her in the kitchen. I don't think it is kind to keep her only in one room though, do you?

The neighbour was completely lovely about the situation even though she was complaining.she's scared of cats, and her husband is blind and can't see our cat when she slips into their house as he opens doors. I know what our cat is like, even if it were a case of neigbours leaving doors and windows open, it's very likely that she would just sneak in if a door was opened as someone entered and exited.

I don't want to let the cat out any longer, as like my boyfriend told me, it's true that in our area cats have been harmed for leas than going into other people's houses. However its surely cruel to keep her confined to the kitchen.

Does anyone have any advice?

Are you in the uk? Bit cold for the ndn to be leaving doors open now.

Yeah but even so the cat was nipping in by their heels as they went in and out

Is she only allowed access to the kitchen? Or is she only shut in there once you go to bed?

let her have free rein of the house if you can't allow it then either let her out or let her go
its cruel to only let her in the kitchen

why don't you let her have free rein and put the effort in to toilet train her and get her a decent scratching post for her nails and a lovely comfy bed

Have several litter trays. Usually in multi cat households it should be one per cat and one extra, so you'd need 2.

Our cats were prone to spraying when they were upset in the house. Since we beefed up the litter tray provision they've been great. Plus we bought a couple of felliway diffusers. They're outdoors cats, but now tend to pee inside unless they're sneakily marking outside (all 3 neutered/spayed, but even the girl cats spray corners of the garden).

I think you seriously need to give you head a wobble tbh. Cats scratch things despite the post make your peace with it and put the effort in with the peeing.

Or re home her if you can't be bothered. Christ I don't even like cats but I've put more effort in than what you're describing with mine.

Sigh. People always turn mean on this website, I swear...

First off, gamerchick, I put more effort in for this cat than you seem to realise. She was rescued half feral from an abusive owner by me and wrecked half my house and clothes with her claws and pee, lost us our deposit for our flat. After three years she is a nice cat but with a tendency to relapse into a wild thing and as we are about to have a baby and are renting a clean new house now, I am reluctant to give her access to carpeted areas.

If anything, you are the hypocrit, telling me to rehome a cat after criticising me for not bothering enough. I have never rehomed any pet I have committed to and am not about to start! What are you even doing in the cat forumif you don't like cats?

I already have multiple posts and trays, but don't worry, I intend to give her access to more of the house if she's not going to get outdoors.

Thank you to the others for you helpful answers!

That's good that you're allowing her access to more of the house, she sounds a bit lonely/bored with the present set-up. Does she have plenty of toys? There's a thread here with some good cat toy suggestions.

As other posters have said, worth giving the Feliway Diffuser a go, especially with the upheaval of a new baby.

I have a cat and I can post where I like

Do you have a garden? We're building a run outside joined up to the Window so she can go out. Is that an option maybe?

And those plug in things are pretty good I discovered.. that and catnip in a sock when they need distracting.

Our cat is only allowed in the kitchen/utility room at night or when we go out. She's got a comfy bed, different food and water areas, litter tray, toys, scratch post. If we let her have the run of the house all the time she scratches and destroys stuff. It can only be when we are there. She is allowed out but doesn't like going out much. I don't think that's cruel? It does mean she's sometimes shut in for a whole day or 2 but equally she's usually got the run of the house for at least half the day.

Neither of my cats are particularly destructive, they have the run of the house and outside access.

Boredom encourages destructive behaviour. We got new carpets a year ago, after initially stressing about a little claw sharpening on said carpets, I came to the conclusion that after all, they are cats, just doing their usual cat stuff.