Cat/Neighbor etiquette question...

[kristilew]

OP here. I had assumed happygirl was teasing me. Can you flame and have "goodvibes" at the same time?

Really, I do know that this is a silly issue. It's just what has me annoyed at the moment. Better than being annoyed with the huge stack of year-end stuff all over my desk that I am avoiding by Dising all day.

I do really appreciate the commiseration. I have been wondering if I'm just being ridiculous. (KandD, you did make me smile!) I'm just not a cat person. I think I am am about to become a motion-activated sprinkler person, though

 

[happygirl]

OP here. I had assumed happygirl was teasing me. Can you flame and have "goodvibes" at the same time?

Really, I do know that this is a silly issue. It's just what has me annoyed at the moment. Better than being annoyed with the huge stack of year-end stuff all over my desk that I am avoiding by Dising all day.

I do really appreciate the commiseration. I have been wondering if I'm just being ridiculous. (KandD, you did make me smile!) I'm just not a cat person. I think I am am about to become a motion-activated sprinkler person, though

I wasn't t ryiing to be rude or hateful I wish you all the best. If it is bothering you. I would call animal control. I can understand not wanting cat poop in your yard.

 

[goofy4tink]

I';m sorry I don't see it as a big deal, It not something worth worring about. I wasn't being rude or silly. I wish that was my biggest worry.

I would imagine that if you tried sitting out on your patio or deck during the summer and all you could do is smell old cat urine, or you tried to plant flowers and stuck your fingers into cat feces, or had cats yowling at your door, you might feel differently. Believe me..it can be very frustrating. Not the end of the world, but annoying and frustrating to say the least.
I don't think anyone said it was their biggest worry...just something that really bothered them.

 

[jspahn]

I have 5 cats - yes i said 5, and they are all indoors only. I couldnt even imagine letting my babies out in our nieghborhood with cars, wild animals etc. That being said...

We have many cats roaming our community, some with collars, some without. It's really annoying. My husband and I spent the better part of last summer trying to figure out how to stop our garden from being the community litter box!

i am also on my HOA board - and we do indeed cite owners when a complaint is received by a neighbor.

So, definitely keep complaining to your HOA board for sure! The mothballs was a good idea, and probably cheaper than sprinklers.

As a pp mentioned, they do make sprays and granules specifically to keep cats out of the yard (you can find it at Petsmart), but you have to re-apply after it rains or every few weeks.

Good luck!

 

[dismom2]

I completely understand your concern. We have neighbor cats scratching up our cars, pooping in our kids' sand boxes, yards, flower beds (all over our properties), meowing all hours of the night, making dogs bark and bark when they spend time in other people's yards, and when they are in heat---that aweful moaning in the middle of the night is not pleasant, to say the least. A couple of my neighbors asked the main offending neighbor very nicely if she could try to keep her cat out of their yards, but she got very defensive and chose to do nothing.

I would keep contacting the HOA. I don't know how easy it is to keep an outdoor cat indoors, but neighbors with roaming cats should be a little understanding and realize that their cats can disrupt (and damage--as in cars) other people's property.

 

[Scurvy]

OP, I am a cat person and I still get livid over my neighbors who let their cats freely roam the neighborhood. Partly because I don't want their cats in my yard - I clean up after my own cats inside; I don't want to have to clean up after someone else's cats in the yard. But also because I've seen what happens in the winter when someone starts a car that has a neighbor's cat sleeping under the hood. It's not pretty. I also live in fear that I'll accidentally run over one of the neighbor's cats one day, since they love to lie in my driveway all the time. Cat person or not, it's normal to not want other people's pets in your yard.

I wish I was you and my biggest worry was my neighbors cats Wanna switch lives

I';m sorry I don't see it as a big deal, It not something worth worring about. I wasn't being rude or silly. I wish that was my biggest worry.

Sorry, I guess I didn't read your tone well - it's so hard to do on a message board! I took your initial post as meaning that you assumed that the OP's biggest worry was her neighbors cats, which would be an awfully silly assumption. I apologize if that's not how you meant it!

 

[happygirl]

OP, I am a cat person and I still get livid over my neighbors who let their cats freely roam the neighborhood. Partly because I don't want their cats in my yard - I clean up after my own cats inside; I don't want to have to clean up after someone else's cats in the yard. But also because I've seen what happens in the winter when someone starts a car that has a neighbor's cat sleeping under the hood. It's not pretty. I also live in fear that I'll accidentally run over one of the neighbor's cats one day, since they love to lie in my driveway all the time. Cat person or not, it's normal to not want other people's pets in your yard.





Sorry, I guess I didn't read your tone well - it's so hard to do on a message board! I took your initial post as meaning that you assumed that the OP's biggest worry was her neighbors cats, which would be an awfully silly assumption. I apologize if that's not how you meant it!

Maybe I did come off as to strong, I guess my sense of humor is off

 

[mhsjax]

OP here. I had assumed happygirl was teasing me. Can you flame and have "goodvibes" at the same time?

Really, I do know that this is a silly issue. It's just what has me annoyed at the moment. Better than being annoyed with the huge stack of year-end stuff all over my desk that I am avoiding by Dising all day.

I do really appreciate the commiseration. I have been wondering if I'm just being ridiculous. (KandD, you did make me smile!) I'm just not a cat person. I think I am am about to become a motion-activated sprinkler person, though

I am a cat person and a dog person too. I do agree with you, I had a cat up until a little while ago. I can't stand when other cats roam in my yard. Nothing is more offensive than the smell of cat urine. And I don't want to see and step in cat poop, which was why mine was an inside cat.

 

[englishteacha]

I've heard that cats dislike orange/citrus as well. We had a stray getting into our garage (we're in farm country so barn cats wander around a lot) so we sprayed orange scented spray for a few days running and the stray kitty didn't come back.

 

[MichelleVW]

If they let their cats run loose - how do you suppose they can keep them off your lawn? There would be no point in asking.

Cats in my yard don't bother me - so I really cant understand where you are coming from.

If it bothers you that bad, then I would ask them to please keep their cats inside or you would call animal control. Which is really unfortunate for the cats, but maybe they will listen.

keeping cats inside is not unfortunate for the cats....letting cats roam free is very unfortunate.

OP here. I had assumed happygirl was teasing me. Can you flame and have "goodvibes" at the same time?

Really, I do know that this is a silly issue. It's just what has me annoyed at the moment. Better than being annoyed with the huge stack of year-end stuff all over my desk that I am avoiding by Dising all day.

I do really appreciate the commiseration. I have been wondering if I'm just being ridiculous. (KandD, you did make me smile!) I'm just not a cat person. I think I am am about to become a motion-activated sprinkler person, though

It's not a silly issue...I am a cat person (4 in the house that never set foot outside!) and I don't want neighborhood cats in my yard!!

 

[nuke]

I wish I was you and my biggest worry was my neighbors cats Wanna switch lives

I absolutely hate this response.

No matter what we have going on in our lives someone always has it worse. What kind of a problem is okay to post? Is a sick parent okay? Someone may have a dying parent. How about a kitchen fire? Someone's house may have burnt down.

How about ignoring posts that you don't deem worthy of worry and work on fixing your own problems.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

keeping cats inside is not unfortunate for the cats....letting cats roam free is very unfortunate!!

We had a new neighbor move in from another part of the country who allowed their 5 cats to roam all over the neighborhood. Some neighbors complained. The owner still refused to keep them indoors. However, unbeknownst to the neighbors, she did go out and buy moth balls and put them in neighborhood gardens. Wow, the smell just about knocked me out the first time I opened my front door to my newly mothballed flowerbeds. I do not recommend this.

But we all knew the problem wouldn't last for long as the kitties wouldn't be around for very long. Many of us tried to warn the owner, but she thought we were just trying to scare her into keep the cats indoors.

As predicted, it was only a few months for all 5 cats to become coyote, hawk, eagle and owl food.

They got a few more kittens, again feeding the coyotes. They might just as well have thrown steak out in their back yard.

After about 9 cats, they finally got the message and the next set of kittens never left the house.

We did have a friend who was a master gardener and was tired of their neighbor's cat using the soft, tilled beds for their potty. After discussion no longer worked, they did call animal control (there is a leash law in place that also pertains to cats). Cost the owner $50.00 to retrieve their cat, but that didn't deter them. Second time they had to retrieve the cat from animal control, it was $150.00. I believe the cat finally became an indoor cat when the final fine was over $500.00.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Get a big dog.

 

[sunnyday123]

I second the hose suggestion. I've used it before. Neighborhood cats used to come into my yard to eat the baby bunnies. Not what you want to see on a peaceful Sunday morning!

I had a problem with my neighbors dauchsand using my front yard as his restroom. I simply walked my Newfoundland over to their yard. Maybe I could send her over for you??

 

[robinb]

Maybe the neighbors "let" their cats roam and maybe they don't. Just because the cats roam doesn't mean it is with the owner's blessing. I made the mistake of letting my cat out on our enclosed porch and after that it was all over. He wanted to be outside for real and not just on a stupid porch. He will run from 3 rooms away at a dead silent run and be out the door before I know it. I make a concentrated effort to keep him in and I would say that it works about 90% of the time. That other 10% ... he's out roaming the neighborhood. The odds of my DD keeping the cat inside are even less as she just doesn't pay attention to whether the door closes a little too slowly or not. ZOOM! He's out!

Believe me when I say that I just want him to stay inside! This little accident:

... resulted in my kitty having his own orthopedic surgeon . The doctor did too good of a job because the darn cat doesn't even limp on his way out the door!

 

[lillygator]

Ok, here's the sitch: my neighbors have cats. I don't.

You would think I do have cats, though, because their cats are always in my yard. Sleeping and shedding on my front porch rockers. Pooping in my flower beds. Hunting the birds who nest in my shrubs.

HOA rules say no cats may run loose. I know the neighbors have been cited for this, but they don't keep the cats under control.

My current solution is to open my door and tell the cats to scram whenever I see them. But, as I have a life, I can't spend all day at the front door, waiting for them to appear.

Cat owners, what is the etiquette here? I assume if one lets his cats roam, it is because he think that is a cat's right. I assume if one ignores requests to contain his cats, he thinks the rule is silly.

I haven't said anything about this to the neighbors, mostly because I am hesitant to make what is basically a cordial, wave hello, neighbor relation turn ugly.

So, do I say, please keep your cats off my property, then get steamed when they don't? Do I call animal control and ask for cat traps? If you were these people, what would be the best way to get a positive result?

If the cats are roaming already, the "owners" do not care what anyone else thinks.

ugh I hate outside roaming cats! it's amazing they do not have to be on a leash or kept "under control" while outside as dogs do. Cats do a lot of damage....If I had the time, I would hose them down and also find whatever it is they don't like or are allergic to and spread around the perimeter of my yard. There are 7 houses on our street - one couple has multiple dogs and cats inside. They also choose to feed and water outside cats, if you want to do that - TAKE THE ANIMALS IN! The rest of us don't want them wandering the neighborhood.

 

[NMAmy]

Get a big dog.

Doesn't work. My neighbor lets her cat roam free--the cat will walk along the outside of the fence line to get the dog all wound up. She also likes to sit in my front yard where she knows the dog can see her from the window.

I've never understood why people think it's okay for cats to run loose but not dogs. And, yes, it's a PITA to clean up after it.

 

[Ponygirl]

I know this situation is a pain to deal with and can make a normally rational person lose their sanity. The easiest solution that I found was to buy the biggest super soaker water gun that I could find. Check to see if your kids have one. This bad boy holds about a half gallon of water and when pumped up, can shoot a stream of water about 30 or 40 feet. This protective manuveur can be done from the privacy of your own home and will scare the unwitting cat senseless. No going out and turning on the hose, just spray from inside the slightly ajar front door.

This will not only rid you of unwanted cats, it will provide great stress relief and enormous satisfaction for you and your family.

 

[aprilgail2]

I absolutely hate this response.

No matter what we have going on in our lives someone always has it worse. What kind of a problem is okay to post? Is a sick parent okay? Someone may have a dying parent. How about a kitchen fire? Someone's house may have burnt down.

How about ignoring posts that you don't deem worthy of worry and work on fixing your own problems.

me too- VERY rude!


I would turn my sprinklers on when a neighbors cat would come into my yard. We had one neighbor who let the cat roam free-its a shame because they get a cat, obviously don't care about it since they let it roam free and the neighbors all have to pay the price for this. Of course eventually, like most outdoor cats, it was hit by a car not long their dog that they would let out in the front of the house was hit by a car in front of my house in front of my daughter and her friends that were playing on the front lawn.

 

[luvsJack]

Well, we have always had a cat or two and they usually stay outside (because they want to be outside). Now, I live about 1/10 of a mile off the main road behind trees and such so the cats don't get to the road and you can't see my neighbors so they don't go there; but they do enjoy climbing trees and playing out in the edge of the woods. Opposite of most of you, I can't imagine not allowing the poor things outside.

At the moment I temporarily am keeping a cat that was rescued at work. She is strictly inside and never even looks out the window . So, she is a bit different from our other cat.




As for the problem at hand, the best thing, imho, to do that will keep neighborhood peace and get the cats out of your yard would be the sprinklers. Cats hate water and are not likely to keep going somewhere that gets them wet. Plus, it won't hurt the cat in anyway.