Cats killed neighbours budgie!

[ethal80]

My nextdoor neighbour has a budgie whom he thinks the world of, he's a very tame bird and well trained.
Neighbour also has a dog flap installed...
I got a text early this morning asking if my cats were in. (I don't have a cat flap) I said that they'd been in all night, (which I thought they had) just been fed and let them out at 7am.
He told me his birdcage was open and budgie was gone...no windows open or no way of escape.
I helped search for the budgie...no luck. Later on today, I asked my son to brush our longhaired cat...he discovered blue feathers in his fur!! Unbeknown to me, my son had let him out and back in again at 4am this morning! He's killed the bird hasn't he? He's been known to go in the house as he gets along with the neighbours dog so isn't frightened.
Neighbour has been out thus morning, installed a motion camera, gone out and low and behold....my cat has again entered the property! He's sent me the footage of my cat at the cage today along with threatening messages to me and him saying that he's going to kill my f**King cats!
He's a big drinker and is out at the pub now with his brother and I just know that when they return, they're going to kick off. I'm so scared and feel sick at the thought of him harming my cats. I really think he's capable of it too as he hates cats anyway. I've got them both indoors now and filled the litter tray. Will try and keep them indoors until he's calmed down.
Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading if you've got this far but I just don't know what to do??

What a horrible thing to have happened - really upsetting for you as well as for him

By being aggressive, he has put himself in the wrong, but in relation to the incident itself I don't think you should make yourself feel better by talking up his responsibility for the incident.

Lots of people with budgies let them fly free in a room as often as possible. In fact that is the only kind way of keeping them. And presumably the dog flap is a kindness to the dog. Of course he bears some responsibility for keeping the dog flap secure. But basically, as pet owners we are responsible for what our own pets do. So I think you do need to suck up the blame.

That's not to say you should tolerate his aggression and threats, though. Bang out of order.

I'd put a bell collar on your cat and try and forget about it - it is sad of course but cats gonna cat. especially if it's almost given to him on a plate like a flap and an open cage! What did he think would happen? I mean everyone with a brain cell knows cats kill wildlife (I don't like it hence a bell to warn it and I would not have another for this reason) also some dogs will kills cats that wander into gardens as well. What can you do apart from take reasonable preventative steps. I also dont think cats should be kept indoors.

Surely if the cat got the budgie there would have been evidence in the house - feathers / entrails etc the cat won’t have eaten the lot feet and all and it most certainly wouldn’t have caught the budgie and then manoeuvred it out of the dog flap to kill it outside . Way more likely that the dog just scoffed it as they would eat the lot .

Wait - is your neighbour saying that the cat opened the budgie cage? Or that the budgie was out loose in the house? Because if you cat can get in through the flap then its possible that the budgie got out or the dog took him out.

Oh no that’s so sad!

You’ll just have to say that there is no proof that it was your cat and that of it was you are incredibly sorry.

Do not say anything about him locking the dog flap.

That’s like blaming someone for getting robbed because they left a window open - yes it would have helped to avoid the situation but it’s not fair blaming the victim, especially when one has just had a loved one die.

I expect the cat and the dog had a joint enterprise, as they are friends.

it’s not fair blaming the victim, especially when one has just had a loved one die

Yes. Completely agree. I have budgies, and if the awful thing happened that you describe, I would try to be understanding and forgiving towards the cat owner, because I do understand that cats need to roam. But if the cat owner were to say 'Well, its not actually my fault because it is your responsibility to stop my cat waltzing into your house ... then I would get quite angry

If he has sent you threats, and you are genuinely scared he will do some sort of harm, then I would just report him to the police. You can't go around threatening people just because you are stupid enough to leave a pet bird roaming free in a house that cats can easily access.

OP, this is HIS fault.

From experience (not budgies!) there would be a lot of feathers somewhere if the budgie had been caught. Also, mine bring their catches home - there would be feathers in the house. How long did your son leave him out?

Your cat could easily have just picked up a feather in its fur from somewhere. If your cat can get in, any cat can get in. Or fox really given it's a dog flap.

Offer to buy him a new cat flap worh the magnet key that only his pets can enter with.

By the way, that kitty deserves an extra treat 😉

I have to agree with this. It happened to me, as a child, but the budgie cage was not left open and the cat still killed it (came in through the garage). I still remember the cat owner telling me it was nature, cats get birds, and that was the end of it. I was 12.

It's not the bird owners fault, but his threats are unacceptable. I would log it with the police.

How is it his fault?

Do you have pets?

How would you feel if a neighbours dog jumped through your window and killed your rabbit/cat/dog?

Even though it’s not technically OPs fault, it definitely isn’t the man’s either, who had kept his own pet safe in his own home.

Agreed. While cats do roam it's not ok he went into someone's house multiple times. I speak from experience. Growing up we had a cat who roamed. Someone got fed up of him and poisoned him. He had a very painful death that was horrific. It traumatized us as kids and our mother felt so guilty for not just keeping him indoors or in a cat run outside.

Thankyou all for your support and words of advice. I have taken on board the differences in opinions too.
I will update on here if anything else occurs. Fingers crossed I can avoid him until the situation calms down and we can talk properly without having a heated argument.
I'm just praying that he doesn't come round here drunk and disorderly when he gets back this evening.
Cats are both in, doors are locked and blinds are closed.

Just forget about it, maybe offer to buy him a new budgie.

That said the dog flap should of been closed, your son shouldn't really be letting the cat out at 4am and the budgies cage should be been locked too.

It's just a act of nature.

The very same thing happened with our old cat about 20 years ago. Fortunately the neighbors were just a bit snooty about it - no death threats. Cats will be cats sadly.

I'm not surprised he was upset if you blamed him for your cat killing his bird. He was wrong to threaten you but he is upset and angry and understand why.

Why Don’t you just apologise sincerely? Leave a later if you have to.

Not surprised he's pissed and lashed out

The problem isn’t the dog flap. You are victim blaming in the most infuriating way.

are 100% responsible for the actions of your cat. You let them roam. You are responsible.

take responsibility and make a plan that something like this never happens again. Have that plan ready to tell your neighbor. Hint, it starts with your cats will be staying on the house 24/7 until you manage to cat proof your garden or build a catio.

if your neighbor shows signs of violence, call the police.

There is absolutely no need to have a cat run and there is no way to "cat proof" a garden.

If the neighbour secured his bird in its cage and didn't have a flap that anything could get in then this would not happen.

It's not victim blaming...no one is blaming the victim because the victim is a pet bird.

I can’t believe you are blaming this poor man!!! No wonder he is absolutely furious! So what if he left the bird’s cage open- it is his home, he can leave whatever pet running/ flying/ slithering free in their own house as he pleases.

If you cba trying to cat proof your garden, then put a bell on the collar. And apologise to the poor guy profusely, whilst offering to pay for a new budgie (if desired).

OMG @nandinos
Thank you so much for your post.
You've articulated exactly what I was thinking.

I've been reading this thread open mouthed at how the OP is presenting herself as the victim in this.

The neighbour - however unpleasant he may be (its irrelevant) - is quietly minding his own business in HIS house. I am

There is absolutely no need to have a pet that goes into a neighbour’s house without being invited, either.