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??

I don’t know about offering him another budgie. If someone’s dog killed mine I’d be hugely insulted if they said ‘shall I just get you another?’. I rescued gerbils and I would have felt the same way about them. I loved them for them and they all had little personalities. If he wants it replaced he can ask, but the idea that any pet is replaceable just because it’s a bird/small animal is a bit thoughtless - that’s just my opinion though.

When you say he's been known to go into neighbours house, does neighbour allow him to do this if he's there? Does he turn a blind eye, or chase him out?
My neighbours encourage my cats in, too cheap to get their own, then moan their garden stinks of cat shit.

I was thinking the same. The dog flap is a red herring, really, as it could just as easily be an open window or patio door. Are we going to be told now that people shouldn't be allowed to leave windows or doors open in warm weather or whilst cooking, if they aren't willing for other people's pets to invade?

We've already heard how the neighbour is to blame for allowing his budgie to fly about in its own home and how he should keep it permanently locked up, in case a strange animal decides to come in looking for it.

I think, when certain cat owners say that they 'can't' stop it from roaming, what they really mean is that they just can't be bothered to do so. Of course you can set boundaries for your pets, if you care enough to do so. Yes, I'm sure they'd prefer to be able to roam wherever they like; but toddlers would also like to be able to freely run into the road, and we don't allow them to do that.

As has been said, with cats, it's not just smaller animals that they can harm, but also bigger animals/cars/other pitfalls that could harm them.

It's interesting how often some cat owners will shrug their shoulders nonchalantly when their cat kills somebody else's pet or constantly poos in a neighbour's garden and claim powerlessness (or even blame the victim); yet will be strangely distraught and go off in a tirade about evil, heartless drivers speeding or driving like maniacs (without any proof whatsoever that they weren't driving safely and legally) when their cat runs in front of a car's wheels and dies.

I don't think you should blame him for having the bird's cage open. I think his bird should be able to fly around his house if he wants it to. He should not have to keep it locked up in the safety of his own home. He probably shouldn't have a flap that any cat can enter his house through.

Your cat has killed his pet in his house. You should apologize and acknowledge how sad and unfortunate the incident was. There is not much you could have done to prevent it but you should still apologise as your pet has killed his.

I would keep your cats in for some time and I would make sure the neighbour knew you would be going to the police if anything happened to your cats if he doesn't seem happy with the apology.

@ethal80

You could offer to buy him a water pistol - NOT a super soaker - and give him permission to use it if your cat strays into his house again. Won’t take long to deter the cat.

You have to keep your cats indoors for now OP. I feel for the man but this is a situation entirely of his own making. It's common sense that if you have birds, you don't leave a door open for a cat to get in (even a doggy door). He has threatened your cats and you seem scared of him. Keep them inside until he's simmered down.

I really agree with the people saying this is the OP's fault, and that the 'cats gonna cat' excuse is really off.

The link saying cats are free to roam is helpful. I dont agree that it's reasonable though. I personally don't like cats much. Neither do my kids. I don't like that local cats poo in my front garden, and on occassion run into my house if the door is open. My kids get upset, I have to run around closing doors and getting the cat out from under the sofa.

We feed birds in our garden, I don't like cats stalking the birds we are trying to encourage and feed.

I don't think its fair that I have to put up with other people's wish to own cats - I shouldn't have to take special measures to keep them away from me. They are pets. They aren't actually wild animals. Someone owns them, they shouldn't be allowed roam all over my property.

There was a thread on here a week or 2 ago where people were sharing stories of food their cats had stolen from other houses. Pork chops, whole roast chickens, massive steaks. Everyone thought it was hilarious and I really didn't get it at all. I thought it was terrible that this is considered OK.

It's not the OP's fault that the cat was out overnight. It's the OP's son's fault, he let the cat out.

Under the circumstances, OP would be best keeping DCat in because otherwise DCat is going to mysteriously "go missing" and the neighbour's new camera will have been mysteriously broken/on charge/switched off when the police ask if he has any footage that might have DCat on it.

It's going to be a pain because DCat is going to cry and scratch and refuse to use the litter tray.

OP's son can pay for the catio that you will have to build to stop this neighbour from killing your cat.

OP's neighbour is a psychopath for threatening DCat, but at least he's been uupfront about his intentions so OP is prepared.

Someone owns them, they shouldn't be allowed roam all over my property.

They aren't easy to contain because, unlike dogs, they can climb. It's not a matter of "allowing" them to roam onto your property, it's just what they do.

There was a thread on here a week or 2 ago where people were sharing stories of food their cats had stolen from other houses.

You can't train them not to do this the way you can train a dog. It's funny because cat owners are the first people to have their food stolen. I get the butter licked off my toast if I'm not careful.

Are we going to be told now that people shouldn't be allowed to leave windows or doors open in warm weather or whilst cooking, if they aren't willing for other people's pets to invade?

If you don't keep doors etc shut, you'll get more than pets invading. Burglars will enter. Wildlife will enter. I've chased seagulls out of my kitchen.

That thread was fucking vile. Pages and pages of people listing all of the joints of lamb/beef/roast chicken/bbq meat that their cats had dragged home. Most of the county’s skint af, it could have been someone’s worst week in their entire life, and they’ve made the effort and expense to go out and buy all the ingredients and cook their family a Sunday dinner/do a bbq as a treat, which ended up completely ruined because of someone’s manky cat. Nvm the skanks who confessed to cutting off the bit the cats chewed and eating the rest of the joint that’s just been dragged through the cat flap. And that one was full of murdered pets as well, loads of hamsters, exotic birds, entire ponds of expensive koi carp. The worst one was someone laughing about finding a whole litter of decapitated guinea pigs on her patio. Funnily enough there was one person who said that their rescue greyhound got in next door and killed their kitten, and that post got deleted by mn!! Absolute arseholes

Omg I'd have a heart attack if I walked into my kitchen and saw a seagull! They can be so aggressive. I remember ny nephew being surrounded until he gave up his chips lol.We have javalinas where I live sort of like a feral pig

Yes it's what they do, I'm saying I don't agree with it being acceptable.

Regarding cat owners being the first to have their.food stolen, clearly that is entirely different as they have chosen to own a cat. I have not.

In Finlad for example, you are not allowed 'abadon' your cat outside your garden.
https://poliisi.fi/en/blog/-/blogs/are-you-a-responsible-cat-owner-#:~:text=A%20cat%20must%20be%20kept,not%20be%20deserted%20or%20abandoned.

We don't have that law here. I bet Finnish catio installers make a lot of money.

The argument that we should be allowed to have open homes without wildlife intruding is one thing ( I don't think it stands up as per previous posters who've had seagulls/ pigeons/ rats/ foxes etc in when patio doors are left open) but aside from that argument, THIS argument involves a bird. So no the fella couldn't open his windows in the summer, his patio doors in the heat etc. he's got a bird as a pet. One that's free to roam at home. Which means none of these "it's his home to open as he likes!!!!" Arguments stand up. The nature of having a bird in home is ensuring it can't get out. The out is horrifically dangerous for tame non indigenous birds. As an owner you have to guard against that risk. The op should not have argued his dog door was at fault in the aftermath of his pets demise. It was tactless . But also , if you are bird owner, a free flying bird at home. And you know a cat keeps getting in?! There's an argument that you too didn't take the precautions you should have.

I've also had seagulls steal my fish and chips, pigeons enter cafes and scavenge dropped food, mice chew open my pasta in university halls of residence, flies lay eggs on ham I'd got out to make a sandwich, and feral cats try to steal my food at outdoor cafes in Greece.

Pet cats are not the only creatures that you have have to defend your food against. Keep your windows and door closed when you've got food out.

Indoor cats are common in many countries. It's weird that our culture considers cats to be "wild animals" (they're not, they're domesticated and bear no resemblance to any animals living currently in the wild).

Domestic cats are considered an invasive species in many places and the damage they cause is unbelievable. Even close to home, Scottish wildcats are endangered in part due to domestic cats taking over their territory, and British wild bird populations are shrinking dramatically.

In Japan, Korea, the USA, Australia - indoor cats aren't such a strange prospect as they are here, and the sooner the UK wises up to the evidence the better.

I once had my neighbour ask me if I could not let my dog (a Staffy/whippet lurcher) roam our back garden unsupervised as she was worried it might attack her cat if it ventured into our garden. At the time I was working from home and over the summer I'd just leave the french doors open so he could come and go as he pleased. He loved laying in the sun but, when he got too hot, he'd come back inside.
I told her that there was no way I was going to restrict my dog, on his territory, to protect her cat. It's her responsibility to keep her cat safe.
One afternoon I heard him barking in his playful manner and I came down to see what he was doing. He had caught and badly mauled her cat and he was then toying with it as it tried to defend itself. I took my dog inside and went to pick up the cat so I could take it back next door. It was in defence mode and wouldn't let me near it so I knocked on the neighbours door and told her what had happened and she needed to come and get her cat and get it seen to by a vet.
I was apologetic and she was angry, but dog's going to dog, especially on its territory.
The cat had to be put down and we've never spoken since.

It's his fault.

His budgie wasn't secure.

His house wasn't secure.

He knows your cats and presumably others can get in.

A cat has no concept of wrongdoing and although it's sad it was his responsibility to protect his pet.

If you think he's going harm you or your cats you need to phone the police, id log it with 111 regardless. And for their safety (not because I think they've done anything wrong) I'd keep your cats in for a while.

As sad as I feel about your neighbour's cat dying in such a violent way, you were well within your rights to let your dog roam into your garden.

The "cats do what they like" argument goes both ways. If DCat walks into the road in front of a car, it's not the driver's fault because cats are unpredictable in a way that sheep and cattle aren't. If DCat enters a neighbour's garden and their dog mauls him, it's not the dog's nor the neighbour's fault as long as the dog was contained within the garden. The dog was where it had the right to be and the owner can't be blamed for DCat going where he likes.

I can only say that my dear little budgie was honestly like a part of our family. If somebody else's cat came into my property and killed it, I would be devastated and furious.

Sorry OP but other than a few times where you mention him adoring the budgie you seem to be taking NO responsibility for this. Rather saying it's his fault for not locking his cat flap. Which is unreasonable in the extreme.

It is your responsibility to keep your cat locked in at night and to ensure your children are aware of the same. Cats hunt - not just pet budgies and should not be let out at night.

Lesson learned the hard way.

Like hell is it his fault....

Why should he have to catproof his own home for somebody else's cat???

Wtf.

@ChiefEverythingOfficer It's not about cat proofing his home, it's about making his own pet secure.

He was aware these cats can and do get in his home. He's done nothing to prevent it and was negligent enough to leave his bird out of its cage which could in itself cause a number of risk factors. Of course now something bad has happened he will want to attribute blame to someone else.

It was an accident that could have been prevented if he'd secured his house. Cats are legally allowed to roam in the UK so the op hasn't done anything wrong by letting hers out. What they do after that is beyond her control. If you know a cat can get in your home and you're not happy about it, do something.

I agree with pp who said that cat owners have to accept the risks that come with outdoor cats. Mine is getting on for 15 now and has always been an outdoor cat. I would hate for anything to happen to him but I accept it's a possibility and on balance would rather risk it and let him have a fuller life. He hates being indoors.

A fox, a feral cat, or a weasel could also enter through that dog flap and kill the budgie.

Pet cats are not the only hazard that a bird owner should worry about.

I was sad about the incident too, I didn't want it to get hurt, but I wasn't willing to restrict my dog on its land.
He was very protective of his territory, but wasn't that bothered by anything other than rabbits and squirrels off it. Nature of the breed I guess.
Some cat owners are incredibly entitled and think it's everyone else's job to restrict their pets/home/garden so their pet can do whatever the hell they want where they want.