My neighbours cat - where do i stand?
My neighbours cat - where do i stand?
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Discussion

markizok

Original Poster:

644 posts

279 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
My neighbours cat is the spawn of Satan!

When i had my TT (no jokes please) it caused over £300 worth of damage by scratching the bonnet when it was walm - neighbours were appologetic but asked what i expected them to do. Fair point i guess, cats arent like dogs, in essence they are wild animals.

The problem is i woke up this morning and i saw that the cat had walked all over the elise, done a s*&t on the roof and has put claw marks on it. It isnt ripped but thats not the point, what am i legally allowed to do?

I have one of those sonar devises that scares off annimals, but as i live in a semi the neighbours complained that their cat didnt go home anymore because of it.

Is there anything else i can do -i have a cover but with the weather being so poor right now the car is never dry enough to use it.

Is it illegal for me to kill the little b'stard, or at least cut its paws off - im not into being nasty to animals, but this is beyond the joke!

reubsta

88 posts

252 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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I have the same problem... i put a breathable cover on every night which does the trick, alternative methods are:

1. Covering the ground around your car with orange peels and/or pepper.
2. If you have fencing surrounding your car you can buy spiked lenghts of plastic that stop cats from walking on them, also makes them wary of the area as it becomes painful to escape from if an enraged Elise owner charges them down hissing and cursing the creation of the little b*!*!*rds!
3. a dog
4. your own cat.. will keep the others away (u can 'train' it to avoid your car or use above methods!)
5. a gun




markizok

Original Poster:

644 posts

279 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
I like the idea of the gun.
I have an old bb gun upstairs - if i catch him right and get a decent shot up the sphincter i doubt he will come back!

In all seriousness does orange peel really work?

minidiva

1,227 posts

252 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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Soory, but that post is just sooooo funny - had me giggling for a good couple of minutes.

Cat's can be a right pain. How about covering your car with a loose net or something - I don't think cats like it as they can't walk on it properly - their paws get tangled in it. Might look a bit daft, but if it means protecting your car then it might be worth it.

Or you could get a guard dog to fend off the little f***er

stuart1969

335 posts

308 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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I would use the ultrasonic device, in the same way they say "what can they do" about your car you can just shrug them off, alternatively set it up and just hide it and deny all knowledge if you cannot hear it.
You have a right to protect your property!!!

rfoster

1,482 posts

285 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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Cover your car in goose fat or thick grease.
Might not get rid of the cat but it'll be damn funny watching it try to get up on the roof!

gooby

9,269 posts

265 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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You are not allowed to cause suffering so If you decide to kill it it must be quick and humane.

Personally, the first thing I would do is bang on the neighbours door and demand they clean the car. Then use the ultrasound. It is not your problem if the cat doesnt come back and if the neighbour will not accept responsibility for the damage caused by thier cat, why should you put up with it.

Make life as unpleasent as possible for any cat on your property. The tool of choice is a supersoaker water pistol filled with the really cheap 9p per bottle coke. Keep it in the fridge and when you see the barsteward, soak the little sod. He will be cleaning the sticky crap out of his matted furr for days and 2-3 sessions like this will cure it of its desire to be anyware near you. It is also the sweetest revenge.

I have tried everything. Paintball guns do far too much damage to the cat and are generally not subtle. The RSPCA will take notice. Same with BB guns and soft air guns. The most efficient way and please bear in mind that I had to protect hundreds of thausands of pounds worth of rare birds was a moderated '22 bolt action rifle with hollow nose subsonic shells. Guarenteed that no suffering was caused. This is not an option for many people.

Now I have a professional take care of any cat problem. She is very efficient.


>> Edited by gooby on Thursday 19th January 10:41

reubsta

88 posts

252 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
yeah orange peel works... ok so in summer it attracts a little wildlife but definately a smell cats hate. Thinking about it a cat fireing one out on your roof seems a bit weird - a conventional moggy would bury said waste - are u sure u have'nt really p!!!sed of your neighbour buy owning an Elise in the first place... do you have a race exhaust system fitted!!!

markizok

Original Poster:

644 posts

279 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
Yeah, b011ox to it, ill try the sonar devise again - cheers guys

ps - the goose fat is also a good option, as is the netting!

Fingers crossed"!

reubsta

88 posts

252 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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Gooby.... quality post!

turboman

370 posts

282 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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Best way is Tiger Poo, you can buy it from most zoo's, but it does really stink, put some around your garden and no cat will come near your house, trouble is, no-one else will either.

P.S, I dont know if every zoo will sell it, but it wont half be funny watching you ask for some at the gift shop...

Hope that helps.

gooby

9,269 posts

265 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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markizok said:
Yeah, b011ox to it, ill try the sonar devise again - cheers guys

ps - the goose fat is also a good option, as is the netting!

Fingers crossed"!


Nope the netting isnt. If the cat gets caught up in the netting and is injured then you are for it. Your intent was to cause discomfort and injury to the cat. You will be in court quicker than you can say "sorry officer". Also bear in mind that if the cat starts to slip an loose grip the first thing it does is to deploy sharp claws and try to dig them in.

There has to be no in between you either have to cause temporary discomfort or outright kill. Anything inbetween is you causing suffering and you open yourself to prosecution.

TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

281 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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check this thread from the Porsche forum last week

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=235453&f=48&h=0&hw=cat

(do beware this one doesn't go the same route though!)

-------------------------------
One thought I had...you can get car wash shampoos that smell of orange or lemon, for example?! Would the cat not like that (ref the bit above about citrus).

From what I've read, the most simple solution is keep the sonar thing there; it's not their problem the cat scratches your pride and joy, it's not your problem whether the cat comes home or not.

beachbum

2,610 posts

262 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
Caterpalt, you can vary the amount of power used, so in theory not hurt the animal to much.

My suggestion would be the Sonar emitter. If the cat dont come home, then even more reason for the neighbour to get the cat trained properly.

As someone already stated, very unusual for a cat to Cr4p on a car, might be worth an bit of investigation to see if it was actually put there by someone.

gooby

9,269 posts

265 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
turboman said:
Best way is Tiger Poo, you can buy it from most zoo's, but it does really stink, put some around your garden and no cat will come near your house, trouble is, no-one else will either.

P.S, I dont know if every zoo will sell it, but it wont half be funny watching you ask for some at the gift shop...

Hope that helps.


I am not sure if that is a comedy post. Would you rather have a cat problem or the smell of rancid tiger poo? Have you ever smelt a tiger? Believe me the cat will avoid your house, the neighbours will avoid your house, your friends will not come back and your family will be a distant memory.

The other problem is that poo and animal excrement is now classified as toxic waste and you need a licence to sell / handle.

lawrence5

1,254 posts

266 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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You do not legally own a cat unlike a dog and are not responsible for damage to others property. Get some stuff from your garden centre..... will keep it away and a little less drastic !!

MJK 24

5,679 posts

267 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
I had a similar problem with a car scratching at my roof and pissing all over the car.

I threw a bucket of very warm soapy water all over it one night and thought that cat still lurks about, it avoids my car which I class as a result.

GTRene

22,737 posts

255 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
Annimals are OK, but not on my property! or when they damage things, the owner of those animals have to keep them indoors or on the line! just use that device, the neigbours can't hear it...so you don't know a thing...what thing and cats! I don't like them because of their behaviors, they are "easy" pats but have a very own wihll and they don't listen, I had a cat often on my hood of my beemer when it was warm! saw tracers of catwalk often when I go out and the cars is outside, their is a cat around their who love's my car too but also once I closed my garage but pressed by accident again on the automatic door opener and the door was open all night and catwalk over the hood(was raining) and sadly small scratching that I could wax away...
What I did with a annimal problem I had,but please keep in mind I like annimals too but some are...aaaaaaahhh, every morning around 04:00 and 05:00h there was a blackbird on my small balkony under my sleepy window who screemd so hard every day, I scared it away by showing my face but every day it came back! aaaaaaah then I decided to k*ll that beast...with a small arrow in a pipe(like some kanibal hunters have) I was sitting outside and then I saw the noise maker that wakes me so I could not sleep anymore and I need much sleep sadly, cause of my brains-rest..
I pointed the pipe and fastly blewed air so the arrow(with a iron nail) came out, and first time bingo...problem salved, I had to burry it(in the dumbster) I was free again and no more noise from that stupid noisy bird, I warned him/her anough and who s not listening has to feel..
Sorry but I saw no other choice...and last option I had.


>> Edited by GTRene on Thursday 19th January 13:41

iaint

10,040 posts

269 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
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It would be reasonable for the owners to repair/sort out any damage their cat causes but, as stated, cat owners have no legal liability for their pets unlike dog owners.

As a cat owner can I urge you not to hurt the poor thing - it's not doing it to deliberately piss you off. Again - the owners should be decent enough to do the right thing.

If you had netting in place to keep the cat out then it's fine. If the cat gets stuck in it then tough - you didn't mean to cause harm, just to keep it out.

MJK 24

5,679 posts

267 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
GTRene said:

What I did with a annimal problem I had,but please keep in mind I like annimals too but some are...aaaaaaahhh, every morning around 04:00 and 05:00h there was a bird(sparrow?) on my small balkony under my sleepy window who screemd so hard every day, I scared it away by showing my face but every day it came back! aaaaaaah then I decided to k*ll that beast...with a small arrow in a pipe(like some kanibal hunters have) I was sitting outside and then I saw the noise maker that wakes me so I could not sleep anymore and I need much sleep sadly, cause of my brains-rest..
I pointed the pipe and fastly blewed air so the arrow(with a iron nail) came out, and first time bingo...problem salved, I had to burry it(in the dumbster) I was free again and no more noise from that stupid noisy bird, I warned him/her anough and who s not listening has to feel..
Sorry but I saw no other choice...and last option I had.


lol! I had this problem too with two wood pigeons who wander about at 4:30am making obscene amounts of noise. I threw a tennis ball at one of them from my bedroom window but it missed, bounced on the floor and set a car alarm off! To be honest, I don't think I could harm these two pigeons. They're quite nice looking and they seem to be mates - they're always together.