Little rant about neighbor's dogsitting/outdoor cat (barking, adopt, food)
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I may have already ranted about this, I can't remember.
My next door neighbor has a very sweet outdoor cat. My dog hates cats. His cat keeps jumping the fence into my yard. So far, no carnage. I take my dog into my yard on a leash to check and see if the cat is there - but once she's off leash, all bets are off. Know that I really love this cat and there are no words to describe how I'd feel if something bad happened. My dog already treed the cat once but came close to catching him. Also, the cat marks my entire house so when I go out in the morning it smells like cat all over the yard.
The cat, sadly, was left behind by a prior tenant of my house. However, I consider it my next door neighbor's cat now, as he feeds it and lets it sleep inside sometimes. My neighbor said to me: "It's his house." Meaning - my house is his cat's house.
OK. I told my neighbor that when his cat pays half my rent he can consider it his house too.
In addition, my neighbor babysits a friend's dog. He does this by leaving both his dog and the friend's dog in his yard all way while he goes to work. I work from home. His own dog is very quiet. But the friend's dog barks at virtually everything, all day. That sets off the neighbor's dog too. It sets off mine too but I can control mine. My neighbor said to me: "They destroy my house." Here's the kicker: the friend and I work in the same industry ... apparently care of her dog while she travels for work is now my problem.
Just needed to complain. Last time I mentioned the barking to my neighbor he brought the dogs inside, but that didn't last.
Moral of the story: I need to buy a house, and when I do, I need to drive by several times on different days to check out the situation.
I swear I'm not generally a miserable person, though I sound it in this post.
You don't sound miserable at all: in fact, in your post, you specifically state a genuine concern for this frisky feline.
That said, I'm wondering if you can't try some kind of "atypical" border around your home so that the cat will not jeopardize his/her safety (and your sanity) by continually entering the yard:
I really don't know what to tell you about the dog barking, except to continue to speak to the neighbor about leaving the dog outside, which he really shouldn't be doing anyway; the dog should be boarded and, thus, properly supervised when its owner is away. Maybe get some earplugs...? Or you can try this, but I have no idea if it will actually work or how humane it is:
Ah, thank you! I might try that sprinkler. I'd try the ultrasonic device but I don't want to scare the cat away from his food dish, which is on the steps to my neighbor's side door. I do wish he'd move the food dish, though at this point it probably wouldn't keep the cat out of my yard. the cat really wants to live here again. He has tried to come in several times. For his own good I don't let him but sometimes I'm trapped outside until I can get him away from my door and then run inside.
If the neighbor feeds the cat and lets it sleep inside sometimes, it's his cat.
If it's not his cat, I'll find it a home (I will not take it to animal control). But given that he sees it as his cat, he probably will balk at this.
I just saw the cat jump my fence and leave my yard. I think it has been sleeping under the house. Hopefully it hasn't been playing with the ductwork.
I feel bad for the cat too, but I'll feel worse for the cat if he enters my yard when my dog is off leash and my dog injures him or worse.
Then stop being confrontational with the neighbor about the cat and approach the situation as a truly caring person who wants to help find the most humane solution---a real home.
I'll tell you, if I started feeding an abandoned cat to prevent it from starving, out of the goodness of my heart, and the new tenant of the home where the cat used to live constantly complained that the cat was in her yard, I'd be blown away by how cold hearted my new neighbor sounded.
Of course the cat is going to sleep under your house! The cat does feel it is his house. Whether it is or not is irrelevant because it's a cat and that's how the cat feels.
Hopefully if you understand how you sound about this, you might be able to improve communication with your neighbor. Instead of mentioning duct work, the cat paying half your rent and all your snide comments, just approach it from a "the poor cat needs a home. It's so sad to see it living outside and I'd feel terrible if my dog killed it."
Honestly? I suppose I don't care if you think I'm being confrontational or cold hearted. If you think it's ok for the cat to be in my yard where my dog could potentially tear it to shreds, then you are the one who is cold hearted.
The duct work issue is significant because I have been having a mildewy smell coming out of the air registers and I suspect there is a tear in the ductwork. I hope it's not from a cat.
This guy next door specifically said he considers it his cat. If people insist on having outdoor cats who roam, then they take a risk. If I didn't have a dog who hates cats, I'd feed it too (and probably adopt it outright).
I get how the cat feels. AGAIN: when the cat pays half my rent he has rights to my house.
AND! I have already tried your approach wherein I stated how terrible I'd feel.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopes
Then stop being confrontational with the neighbor about the cat and approach the situation as a truly caring person who wants to help find the most humane solution---a real home.
I'll tell you, if I started feeding an abandoned cat to prevent it from starving, out of the goodness of my heart, and the new tenant of the home where the cat used to live constantly complained that the cat was in her yard, I'd be blown away by how cold hearted my new neighbor sounded.
Of course the cat is going to sleep under your house! The cat does feel it is his house. Whether it is or not is irrelevant because it's a cat and that's how the cat feels.
Hopefully if you understand how you sound about this, you might be able to improve communication with your neighbor. Instead of mentioning duct work, the cat paying half your rent and all your snide comments, just approach it from a "the poor cat needs a home. It's so sad to see it living outside and I'd feel terrible if my dog killed it."
I know! That's been very obvious! And I'm sure it's obvious to your neighbor too.
Your current way of dealing with it clearly isn't working. It's time to change tactics. Otherwise you're just being miserable and complaining.
As the saying goes, it's easier to attract bees with honey than with vinegar
Try it yourself!
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