Another neighbor issue....

[mAlice]

I understand you concern but I am torn. We have a cat that was a rescue as a kitten (found hanging around hubby's office). We had it fixed so we would not add to the population, however it refused to be a totally indoor cat. Gosh knows we tried, but the cat would pee on my clean, folded laundry right in front of me!!! The problem was that it wanted to be able to go out and come in when it wanted to. I know that it roams the neighborhood and luckily we have not gotten any complaints, but what should we have done? Sent it to a shelter where it would eventually be put down? Live with a cat urine on everything we own?

Your cat's next.

 

[SamSpade]

I understand you concern but I am torn. We have a cat that was a rescue as a kitten (found hanging around hubby's office). We had it fixed so we would not add to the population, however it refused to be a totally indoor cat. Gosh knows we tried, but the cat would pee on my clean, folded laundry right in front of me!!! The problem was that it wanted to be able to go out and come in when it wanted to. I know that it roams the neighborhood and luckily we have not gotten any complaints, but what should we have done? Sent it to a shelter where it would eventually be put down? Live with a cat urine on everything we own?

*Some* feral animals simply cannot be made to be family pets.

On the other hand, I used to have a male cat that would pee on anything warm left around the house - including a basket of warm, fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothes. He'd also eat or drink anything remotely edible that was on the floor, and unravel all of the toilet paper if it was installed "over-the-top" instead of under-the-bottom. He would use, as an alternative litter box, anything that LOOKED like a litter box - including cardboard boxes, milk crates - whatever.

I just learned to adjust with him.

 

[OrneryPest]

I understand you concern but I am torn. We have a cat that was a rescue as a kitten (found hanging around hubby's office). We had it fixed so we would not add to the population, however it refused to be a totally indoor cat. Gosh knows we tried, but the cat would pee on my clean, folded laundry right in front of me!!! The problem was that it wanted to be able to go out and come in when it wanted to. I know that it roams the neighborhood and luckily we have not gotten any complaints, but what should we have done? Sent it to a shelter where it would eventually be put down? Live with a cat urine on everything we own?

I know the feeling! We used to have a black-and-orange American Shorthair (most likely not purebred) that we got half-grown from the animal shelter. We named her Ermyntrude. That cat could absolutely not be kept indoors, no matter how hard we tried. She could find her way out through any screen door ever made.

When we tried to keep her indoors, she would treat all our houseplants like fire-poles and strip all the leaves off, and would reach up and sweep all the chessmen off the board while we were trying to play a nice chess game.

One day she got out and ran across the street and got killed in traffic. The vehicle driver stopped, but at that point nothing could be done.

Since then, we got our present cats http://www.geocities.com/ornerypest/mycats.html as newborn kittens and have always kept them indoors (well, at least we've tried).

 

[sinwagon]

I understand you concern but I am torn. We have a cat that was a rescue as a kitten (found hanging around hubby's office). We had it fixed so we would not add to the population, however it refused to be a totally indoor cat. Gosh knows we tried, but the cat would pee on my clean, folded laundry right in front of me!!! The problem was that it wanted to be able to go out and come in when it wanted to. I know that it roams the neighborhood and luckily we have not gotten any complaints, but what should we have done? Sent it to a shelter where it would eventually be put down? Live with a cat urine on everything we own?

I do understand your point and cat urine is a NASTY smell but....if you don't want to live with the inconvenience of a cat urinating all over your house, why should I live with a cat that is not mine climbing all over my car and hey who knows, maybe urinating on that too! Its lucky when it jumped off my car and was sitting in the behind it this morning I didn't back its ass over!

My real problem are these jackasses that live next door. I am sure they left the cats out all night and funny, they have a garage to protect their cars. It was freazing outside, they just have no business having animals. Read back through and you will see my post about their last cat w/ one ear whom I had to find a home for.

 

[pixiegirl]

Spilled antifreeze will kill dogs, because they will eagerly lap it up for its sweet taste. But cats will not be attracted to antifreeze because they do not possess taste buds for sweetness.

It's salty not sweet and I'll be damned if a cat won't drink it. My brother killed my childhood cat w/ antifreeze.

 

[kom526]

One word: antifreeze.

"Deja vu all over again."

 

[LexiGirl75]

Man Sinwagon, I would say your neighbors are from hell. What are the chances of taking them to court (perhaps tv court). Whatever you do don't involve your insurance company. Also, google to see what others may have done in similar situations as yours.

Sounds like your HOA is not doing enough to help you with these homeowners. I would pester them until they help you take action. I also would consider joining the HOA to see if maybe you can do something with more power. I know my HOA will fine people for the destruction of common area property so maybe they have some insight for you on the personal property thing.

Also, are they owners or renters because sometimes people who act like that are not always owners. If they rent I would get the HOA to talk to the actual owner. You are right they have NO respect for other people's property and it makes you wonder why the owners before you sold. The child coming over with his diaper bag is sadly funny. They are not the type of people that should have animals or children. Good luck!!!

 

[Christy]

I know I am in the minority, but isn't there more to worry about in life than someone's cat? Why do so many people obsess over their neighbors? I don't particularly care for mine, but I've probably spent less than 10 minutes out of my entire life thinking of, and discussing them. I've had their dogs come on my property before, I've had their trees fall and block my driveway, I've gotten the stink eye look from the big fat wife. Not once did I feel the need to create a fuss over it. :shrug:

 

[mAlice]

I know I am in the minority, but isn't there more to worry about in life than someone's cat? Why do so many people obsess over their neighbors? I don't particularly care for mine, but I've probably spent less than 10 minutes out of my entire life thinking of, and discussing them. I've had their dogs come on my property before, I've had their trees fall and block my driveway, I've gotten the stink eye look from the big fat wife. Not once did I feel the need to create a fuss over it. :shrug:

This, coming from someone who invites people to her house that she doesn't even like.

 

[Christy]

This, coming from someone who invites people to her house that she doesn't even like.

Just goes to show how damn mellow I am.

 

[happyappygirl]

I know I am in the minority, but isn't there more to worry about in life than someone's cat? Why do so many people obsess over their neighbors?

that's my thought process...with the fence or the car cover. if one values the car so much and that's REALLY the issue and not how they let their 3 y/o out of the house unattended, then the investment in a car cover is much less trouble than filing suit and going to court or calling animal control and drawing all this crap out. my time is better spent wondering if the stupid neighbor reads the forums and knows i'm talking about HIM

BTW what's a "stink eye"?

 

[Christy]

BTW what's a "stink eye"?

The evil "you'd better not be looking at my man" look. And trust me, I wasn't.

 

[sinwagon]

Ok, uh I am just going to be frank. I have gotten some good advice here but some of it is just plain idiodic!

So when I buy the car cover and put up the fence and then lets say something else occurs that causes damage to my house or better yet to the fence that I will fined by the HOA by putting up, I should just let see, shrink rap my house? Or maybe I should move? Give me a break, I have never seen someone so afraid of confrontation and making people accountable in all my life!

So lets say this family moves in beside you, and the kids decide to shoot their sling shot at your horses would you keep your horses in the stable all the time after that? Or let suppose since they don't care for thier cats in anyother way, lets assume they don't have their shots and they develop a disease and because they are always on your property your horses contract the disease and die, Oh well, lets just go by new ones? Your thinking that I should be penalized for THEIR mistakes is crazy! I will be here until the day I die and I will be damned if I will continue to put up with one thing after another, I don't give a rats A$$ if they like me because I certainly don't like them! Nevermind the fact that they don't bother to cut their grass in the summer and it looks like we live beside a dump and have to worry about snakes coming over into our yard...oh wait, I know how to fix that, don't let my kids or dogs out or better yet, why don't I just go over the one fence that is there and cut it for them?

Also, I do not think about my neighbors one way or another under any other circumstances until I see their cats on my cars. They are my cars, I paid for them and it is my job to maintain them. If I decide to trade them in and cant get fair value for them because of the scratches I guess I should just overlook that as well.

Someone said it before "you must be rich" well you must be because you obviously don't care about maintaining your property and welcome someone to tear it up because you must be able to just go out and "buy a new one" how bout that lesson for your kids, let people walk all over you and also oh just go ahead and break your things up we will just buy new. Makes no sense to me!

 

[Nickel]

Give me a break, I have never seen someone so afraid of confrontation and making people accountable in all my life!

Says the person who won't go knock on their neighbor's door and explain the problem.

 

[sinwagon]

Says the person who won't go knock on their neighbor's door and explain the problem.

Maybe you did not read, but I have done this with the dogs and nothing ever got resolved. So been there done that, whats the point?

 

[Nickel]

Maybe you did not read, but I have done this with the dogs and nothing ever got resolved. So been there done that, whats the point?

Where did you say that you confronted them about this? Your first post says they were aware of the issue, how are we to know that you are the individual who brought it to their attention? For all we know, they may have just known they have dogs that poop and sleep in other people's yards. :shrug:

 

[sinwagon]

Where did you say that you confronted them about this? Your first post says they were aware of the issue, how are we to know that you are the individual who brought it to their attention? For all we know, they may have just known they have dogs that poop and sleep in other people's yards. :shrug:

Nope, was brought to their attention by me! Not to mention regardless of how they knew, they knew and should have controlled their dogs. Their response "well the old neighbors didn't mind" My response "well we do" nothing changed. My other neighbor told me that the reason there was a set of steps placed going down from my yard to the driveway was due to their kid jumping the fence and going through their yard. The previous owners were worried the kids would jump the fence and then get hurt on their property so they put steps. Crazy!

Not to mention my previous post about me taking in their cat that they never bothered to look for and even when I told them I was going to find it a home, they denied it was their cat.

So they are well aware, just as they were aware of their kid coming over here w/ a bag full of toys and diapers when the other child came to play w/ my daughter. Who do you think packed the diaper bag? They are inconsiderate in more ways than one.

 

[Christy]

Ok, uh I am just going to be frank. I have gotten some good advice here but some of it is just plain idiodic!

So when I buy the car cover and put up the fence and then lets say something else occurs that causes damage to my house or better yet to the fence that I will fined by the HOA by putting up, I should just let see, shrink rap my house? Or maybe I should move? Give me a break, I have never seen someone so afraid of confrontation and making people accountable in all my life!

So lets say this family moves in beside you, and the kids decide to shoot their sling shot at your horses would you keep your horses in the stable all the time after that? Or let suppose since they don't care for thier cats in anyother way, lets assume they don't have their shots and they develop a disease and because they are always on your property your horses contract the disease and die, Oh well, lets just go by new ones? Your thinking that I should be penalized for THEIR mistakes is crazy! I will be here until the day I die and I will be damned if I will continue to put up with one thing after another, I don't give a rats A$$ if they like me because I certainly don't like them! Nevermind the fact that they don't bother to cut their grass in the summer and it looks like we live beside a dump and have to worry about snakes coming over into our yard...oh wait, I know how to fix that, don't let my kids or dogs out or better yet, why don't I just go over the one fence that is there and cut it for them?

Also, I do not think about my neighbors one way or another under any other circumstances until I see their cats on my cars. They are my cars, I paid for them and it is my job to maintain them. If I decide to trade them in and cant get fair value for them because of the scratches I guess I should just overlook that as well.

Someone said it before "you must be rich" well you must be because you obviously don't care about maintaining your property and welcome someone to tear it up because you must be able to just go out and "buy a new one" how bout that lesson for your kids, let people walk all over you and also oh just go ahead and break your things up we will just buy new. Makes no sense to me!

You have inspired me to go hug my neighbors. I am so thankful they aren't you. :menopause:

 

[dems4me]

You have inspired me to go hug my neighbors. I am so thankful they aren't you. :menopause:

You're the bestest too!

 

[sinwagon]

You have inspired me to go hug my neighbors. I am so thankful they aren't you. :menopause:

Trust me I am glad you don't either because from what I hear, you talk out of both sides of your mouth

Not to mention, for someone who does not think about their neighbors you sure do know what their looks mean and took the time to resort to name calling.