Neighbours cat and neighbourly etiquette
Discussion
Hi,
We’ve recently moved into our new house and the neighbours (who are all lovely) have a very friendly cat. I was working on my kayak in my garage and it happily sat on my kayak seat and watched me, occasionally jumping onto my workbench or rubbing up against me for a stroke. I’m happy with it sitting in the garage with me and it seems to know to run out when I’m shutting the door down.
It also hangs around in our back garden a lot too. Again, we’ve been playing with it on the decking which is fine. It’s nice to have a cat to play with on a sunny weekend morning. But it’s started to come into our house recently. It runs in through the front door or the conservatory door and often sits on the sofa or jumps onto the worktop in the kitchen. I don’t want it in the house. I don’t want it to get too comfortable in the house, but I’m happy for it to hang around in our garden, or keep me entertained in the garage.
So, not having had a cat before, any tips for me? Yesterday when it was raining really hard, I could hear it tapping on the conservatory window and meowing loudly! I felt very sorry for it, but didn’t want to let it in as I didn’t want it to settle into our house! The neighbours must have a cat flap for it! So, should I just ignore it? Or is playing with it in our garden ok? I assume if I just play with it in the garden but never let it in the house it will learn not to go in, will it?
It’s obviously a very well looked after cat. Looks very healthy.
Cheers,
Dan
We’ve recently moved into our new house and the neighbours (who are all lovely) have a very friendly cat. I was working on my kayak in my garage and it happily sat on my kayak seat and watched me, occasionally jumping onto my workbench or rubbing up against me for a stroke. I’m happy with it sitting in the garage with me and it seems to know to run out when I’m shutting the door down.
It also hangs around in our back garden a lot too. Again, we’ve been playing with it on the decking which is fine. It’s nice to have a cat to play with on a sunny weekend morning. But it’s started to come into our house recently. It runs in through the front door or the conservatory door and often sits on the sofa or jumps onto the worktop in the kitchen. I don’t want it in the house. I don’t want it to get too comfortable in the house, but I’m happy for it to hang around in our garden, or keep me entertained in the garage.
So, not having had a cat before, any tips for me? Yesterday when it was raining really hard, I could hear it tapping on the conservatory window and meowing loudly! I felt very sorry for it, but didn’t want to let it in as I didn’t want it to settle into our house! The neighbours must have a cat flap for it! So, should I just ignore it? Or is playing with it in our garden ok? I assume if I just play with it in the garden but never let it in the house it will learn not to go in, will it?
It’s obviously a very well looked after cat. Looks very healthy.
Cheers,
Dan
dont get taken in by pitiful meowing - sounds like you're doing the right thing to me! play outside and make it VERY aware it cant go in. There are a couple around us who would sneak in given a chance...but they know they shouldnt as they get shouted at. They know but will still try an get away with it......
Don't encourage it in but next time you see the neighbours mention that he seems to want to come into your house and did the old neighbours let him in?
Just mention that you have no problem with him in the garden etc but you know it's not right to encourge him in the house then you can find out if they have a cat flap. Not all cat homes do. See what they say. Don't be afraid to shoo it out of the house.
Just mention that you have no problem with him in the garden etc but you know it's not right to encourge him in the house then you can find out if they have a cat flap. Not all cat homes do. See what they say. Don't be afraid to shoo it out of the house.
Just shoo him out if he comes in, or pick him up and put him out seeing as he seems friendly enough, and then no matter how sad the face don't let him in he will learn in time he is not allowed in but is allowed in your garden and garage etc. (hopefully!)
and dont forget to have a good look before shutting the garage up!
and dont forget to have a good look before shutting the garage up!
Great, sounds good. I often chat to the neighbours so will bring it up. The cat doesn't mind being picked up. It some how managed to jump up onto a really high shelf in my garage and after walking over my car cleaning stuff, looked a bit nervous about jumping off! Haha! Seemed quite happy to be picked up and put back on the ground.
Jasandjules said:
It sounds like it rather likes you.
I guess if you don't want it in the house then you'll have to just put it out again if it comes in and rinse and repeat until it gets the message.
Yes, it does! I really like it too. It's a really pretty cat. Pure white and ginger with big bright yellow eyes. It loves playing with us. One morning on the weekend it was sunbathing on the decking so we went outside to play with it before we took our showers. Ended up spending 2 hours out on the decking! It's so entertaining!I guess if you don't want it in the house then you'll have to just put it out again if it comes in and rinse and repeat until it gets the message.
danyeates said:
Yes, it does! I really like it too. It's a really pretty cat. Pure white and ginger with big bright yellow eyes. It loves playing with us. One morning on the weekend it was sunbathing on the decking so we went outside to play with it before we took our showers. Ended up spending 2 hours out on the decking! It's so entertaining!
Not being funny but it sounds to me like you'd be quite happy having a cat yourself. Get a kitten !!
danyeates said:
Yeah, we would, but have no need now! Just don't want it to get too comfortable in the house. Garden is fine!
Too true. I've never had a cat, but can tolerate them. Couple of years ago ,we had a plague of cats ,digging up gardens, peeing/fouling all over. Racked my brains on how to stop them . Then next door moved in with a big orangy cat called Bagpuss ( as in TV series ,and he looked like him) . Nice friendly moggy, so I thought, best way to keep the rest out is to get him to treat our place as his. Worked great - cat problem almost went away. He occasionally wandered in in summer when we left back door open.He'd stroll into the lounge for a pat, then wander back out. Till one day ,missus had made a pie, and left a slice on the kitchen table. We heard a noise ,and found him on table making the most of the pie. After that he was feline non grata in our place .66comanche said:
Sounds like the cat has adopted you! Good luck with the firm approach, my betting is he will worm his way into your affections and he will kipping on your sofa within a month 
every now and again mrs envy's cat comes back from a roam smelling of perfume, the f
king poncewe've since discovered he goes for a nap on the two doors down neighbour's bed during the day, he jumps in through a downstairs window which she leaves open
still, it's better than when he used to spend all day in the pub with his brother
66comanche said:
Sounds like the cat has adopted you! Good luck with the firm approach, my betting is he will worm his way into your affections and he will kipping on your sofa within a month
He'd have liked to . But after the pie incident, he got shut out. Forward to a week or two later- I'd gone to visit a neighbour a few houses down. We'd settled down in the back garden ,the GS had wandered round and had his pat. We'd opened a can, when Bagpuss appeared on fence. It was like something from a Topcat movie. Bagpuss , appeared on fence, and GS jumped. Bagpuss did a reverse turn in mid-air, and shot backwards. The neighbour moved out shortly after. Bagpuss never visited our house again .
danyeates said:
Hi,
We’ve recently moved into our new house and the neighbours (who are all lovely) have a very friendly cat. I was working on my kayak in my garage and it happily sat on my kayak seat and watched me, occasionally jumping onto my workbench or rubbing up against me for a stroke. I’m happy with it sitting in the garage with me and it seems to know to run out when I’m shutting the door down.
It also hangs around in our back garden a lot too. Again, we’ve been playing with it on the decking which is fine. It’s nice to have a cat to play with on a sunny weekend morning. But it’s started to come into our house recently. It runs in through the front door or the conservatory door and often sits on the sofa or jumps onto the worktop in the kitchen. I don’t want it in the house. I don’t want it to get too comfortable in the house, but I’m happy for it to hang around in our garden, or keep me entertained in the garage.
So, not having had a cat before, any tips for me? Yesterday when it was raining really hard, I could hear it tapping on the conservatory window and meowing loudly! I felt very sorry for it, but didn’t want to let it in as I didn’t want it to settle into our house! The neighbours must have a cat flap for it! So, should I just ignore it? Or is playing with it in our garden ok? I assume if I just play with it in the garden but never let it in the house it will learn not to go in, will it?
It’s obviously a very well looked after cat. Looks very healthy.
Cheers,
Dan
It's probably petty of me and please don't by any means think this is a comment aimed towards you personally!We’ve recently moved into our new house and the neighbours (who are all lovely) have a very friendly cat. I was working on my kayak in my garage and it happily sat on my kayak seat and watched me, occasionally jumping onto my workbench or rubbing up against me for a stroke. I’m happy with it sitting in the garage with me and it seems to know to run out when I’m shutting the door down.
It also hangs around in our back garden a lot too. Again, we’ve been playing with it on the decking which is fine. It’s nice to have a cat to play with on a sunny weekend morning. But it’s started to come into our house recently. It runs in through the front door or the conservatory door and often sits on the sofa or jumps onto the worktop in the kitchen. I don’t want it in the house. I don’t want it to get too comfortable in the house, but I’m happy for it to hang around in our garden, or keep me entertained in the garage.
So, not having had a cat before, any tips for me? Yesterday when it was raining really hard, I could hear it tapping on the conservatory window and meowing loudly! I felt very sorry for it, but didn’t want to let it in as I didn’t want it to settle into our house! The neighbours must have a cat flap for it! So, should I just ignore it? Or is playing with it in our garden ok? I assume if I just play with it in the garden but never let it in the house it will learn not to go in, will it?
It’s obviously a very well looked after cat. Looks very healthy.
Cheers,
Dan
But in general to everyone, please always check it's left before locking a garage/shed down. I know of a fair few instances where cats have been locked in sheds/garages by accident and not been able to get out for some time +.
Cats especially, can be silent, sneaky and investigative little buggers, so it's not uncommon for them to sneak past when you're not looking then get locked in by mistake!
Oh and to the OP, get a cat, sounds like you'd quite enjoy it!
Edited by RS133 on Wednesday 11th April 00:56
Edited by RS133 on Wednesday 11th April 01:02
RS133 said:
It's probably petty of me and please don't by any means think this is a comment aimed towards you personally or from what your post has described.
But in general, please be careful about encouraging/letting other peoples animals into the garage/house, please always check it's left before locking it down. I know of a fair few instances where cats have been locked in sheds/garages by accident and not been able to get out.
Cats especially, can be silent, sneaky and investigative little buggers, so it's not uncommon for them to sneak past when you're not looking then get locked in by mistake!
I now don't have this problem . I have a home cat detector. 11.5 kg of furriness , he loves cats out of our house. he'd possibly let a chosen one into his house, but on his terms. But let one decide to come into his front/rear garden(without our permission,and his approval) ,and it's jog on kitty. it's funny ,really - no cat will appear in site of our car .They must know that ,he'll go ballistic, and that's something they fear . I drive up road ,with him in car, and cats go into hiding. If he spots one, then he's on the verbal attack. But in general, please be careful about encouraging/letting other peoples animals into the garage/house, please always check it's left before locking it down. I know of a fair few instances where cats have been locked in sheds/garages by accident and not been able to get out.
Cats especially, can be silent, sneaky and investigative little buggers, so it's not uncommon for them to sneak past when you're not looking then get locked in by mistake!
[quote=Who me ?]
I now don't have this problem . I have a home cat detector. 11.5 kg of furriness , he loves cats out of our house. he'd possibly let a chosen one into his house, but on his terms. But let one decide to come into his front/rear garden(without our permission,and his approval) ,and it's jog on kitty. it's funny ,really - no cat will appear in site of our car .They must know that ,he'll go ballistic, and that's something they fear . I drive up road ,with him in car, and cats go into hiding. If he spots one, then he's on the verbal attack.
[/quote]
Haha, I looked after a friends dog for a few months and he was exactly the same
!
Edit: no idea what's up with the quoting system!
I now don't have this problem . I have a home cat detector. 11.5 kg of furriness , he loves cats out of our house. he'd possibly let a chosen one into his house, but on his terms. But let one decide to come into his front/rear garden(without our permission,and his approval) ,and it's jog on kitty. it's funny ,really - no cat will appear in site of our car .They must know that ,he'll go ballistic, and that's something they fear . I drive up road ,with him in car, and cats go into hiding. If he spots one, then he's on the verbal attack.
[/quote]
Haha, I looked after a friends dog for a few months and he was exactly the same
! Edit: no idea what's up with the quoting system!
Edited by RS133 on Wednesday 11th April 01:39
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