Cat came home completely soaked - upset that neighbour might have done this

[Startingagainandagain]

My rescue cat walked completely drenched and dripping with water. As if she had been swimming in a pool!

We are having a really sunny day so nothing to do with the weather.

I have dried her as much as I could and made sure she was not hurt.

She is now hiding behind a curtain and trying to dry herself.

I am really upset because there is a strong possibility that a neighbour (not my neighbours on each side who have cats and are animal lovers, but someone else) did that to her.

I would understand someone using a water pistol to warn the cat away, but this is not acceptable.

She is a lovely rescue cat who had a really bad start in life and she only spends a couple of hours outside during the day and mostly stick to my garden.

The house is also full of muddy prints now....

There is always the possibility that she feel into a pond or child inflatable swimming pool but how likely would that be?

I am sorely tempted to post something on the local Facebook group warning other cat owners in the area...

Were your cat and theirs fighting? I've tipped a jug of water over a fight to break it up, it included my cat.

Or maybe it wax crapping in someone's flower bed and someone threw water at them to deter?

No, no history. I only bought this house a few months ago and have had no issues or complains from anyone about anything. I get on well with neighbours on each side of my terrace and across the street.

As I said I would completely understand throwing a mug of water to chase the cat away.

But the cat literally look like it has been dipped into a bath/pool or been in car wash...

Hmmm I'm 50/50 (and a cat owner!). Not everyone has a water pistol to hand - throwing a mug of water at a cat to stop them doing something (coming into a house / pooing in the garden etc) might not be the kindest thing but may be a last resort for a neighbour to stop them doing something.

It's water, I have a cat I've always had cats if my cat was digging up someone's flower bed or using their gravel drive as a litter tray I'd have no problem with someone drenching him. To be fair it wouldn't work with current cat as he loves water, plays under the sprinkler, jumps in the paddling pool and even a bath if you leave the door open. Previous cats not such fans, but realistically it's water no harm done and maybe your cat will stay away from the source.
Equally it could be a complete accident, cat has run into a garden with a sprinkler on our fallen in a pond. It's really not a big deal, go and get a towel and dry her off

I've chucked water over two cats scrapping before now. I've also had cats fall dramatically into my pond after the fish. My own cat fell in my neighbour's paddling pool one summer. It's just water, it won't kill her.

I turned my hosepipe on my neighbours cat, after water pistols and loud noises didn’t scare it off. I did this because it kept trying to come in and eat my cats food which is laced with thyronorm.

The neighbour was pissed off but her cat isn’t ill from eating my cats medication.

Thank you for the sensible replies.

It is just because she was a shy rescue cat with a tough past so I am sensitive about anything that could set her back and make her scared of me for example again.

Your cat has probably been shitting in someone else's garden, who then turned the hose on them. Seems fair to me.

Ive certainly had a cat slip into a pond though it was only his back half. Not all cats are observant and agile IME 😂

I wouldn't post a "warning" perhaps more a "can anyone help solve this mystery?" sort of post, then you might find out if anyone has suggestions , or saw it happen

Mines come in absolutely soaked before. I just assumed he'd been pissing someone off.

I also had a cat (different one) who was obsessed with people in the bath and she did fall right in once. Seems I pick 'em.

I have cats and I told my neighbours to use water if they were being pains including using their garden or trying to break in. Luckily mine do neither

I used to keep Guinea pigs and NDN cat got doused when he was being a threat my pigs were kept in Fort Knox style accommodation so not free range and expecting a cat not to be ACat.

Hopefully this episode will be just an unpleasant warning and no harm done

One of our cats fell in the paddling pool (rigid sides, it was trying to walk around).

But it's just as likely someone's thrown a bucket of water over yours if it was fighting, screeching or shitting in their garden. Cats can be really bloody annoying and a soaking isn't going to do any harm.

Keep your pet out of other people's gardens then. If mine went onto another person's property and made a nuisance of themselves, that's tough. If you're worried about it being scared, keep it indoors.

Shy rescue cats are as capable as any of killing birds in the gardens of people trying to support our dwindling songbird population, or digging up tomato plants to take a crap, or fighting.

Or she might have chased something and jumped into a pool by accident.

Yes… warn people on SM, the only thing they will be able to do as a result is keep their cats in their own gardens. Result.

I'd think it quite hard to drench a cat tbh. More likely to have fallen into a pond or similar.
You also have to accept that people don't appreciate cats as you do.
Last house we had cats that persistently crapped in our garden and tore birds to bits.

It's water, the cat is fine, and you really have no reason to think anyone, much less a specific neighbour, deliberately drenched the cat versus the cat falling into a pond or paddling pool.

Then maybe turn your garden into a Catio so that you can keep her safe?

I've previously suggested to our neighbour on one side that since they don't want our cats in their garden they are welcome to use supersoakers on them.
Water really won't harm your cat and hopefully gives the cat the message not to go where it isn't welcome.
It is entirely possible it's fallen into a paddling pool or similar as well. Ours have occasionally fallen in the river - they do come out VERY wet!

I really wouldn't put it past a cat to fall into a paddling pool though.

Any local residents groups you could post in? I would post something about being concerned your timid cat had come back soaking wet and ask if anyone recognised the cat or knew where the cat hung out? If ry and read the room by the responses.

You sound like a lovely caring pet owner and I totally get what you’re saying. Please ignore the stupid replies on this thread.

Yes do warn other cat owners. People can be utter arseholes especially to animals and seriously lacking in kindness and empathy and understanding.

Glad your cat has found such a caring owner now. It’s all they deserve.

Our cats are rescue cats and the boy is very shy . Even having a plumber or electrician in the house sends him into panic.

I think he’d scarper before anyone got a water pistol out

Your cat has probably been shitting in someone else's garden, who then turned the hose on them. Seems fair to me.

This. I'd have no hesitation hosing down the cat that shits on our front lawn if I caught it. Not to be cruel, but in the hope it would deter it from coming back.