Cat lover or not....

Old 01-31-2011, 06:05 AM
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You people seem to have your heads on straight and there are many of you who love cats. I enjoy cats too. I love to watch them sneak around. But.... I have a situation...I live in a "cat litter box". I have no cats but my neighbor has 4 or 5 of them. My neighbor tells me their cats don't come to my house to do their "business". So, I got a cat trap from our local animal control officer thinking that for sure the cats coming to my home were strays. I caught a cat and the officer took it away. The cat turned out to be my neighbors cat. Now my neighbor has put up a big 5 foot square sign in front of his house with an arrow pointing toward my house saying that I am a cat trapper! He also has positioned cameras on top of his house pointed toward my house to keep an eye on me. Thank you for any and all comments!
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Old 01-31-2011, 06:11 AM
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WHAT?! He is watching YOU and not his cats?! Oh, I would be very mad! I have 2 cats, and I do NOT like strays because they attack my cats and Lord only knows what disease they would have. My cats are fixed and strays will spray to mark their territory. How were you to know the cat was a neighbors? I would call the police and have him remove ths sign. That is harassment. I am sorry this happened to you. Good luck!
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Old 01-31-2011, 06:11 AM
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That sounds like harassment to me. Start by talking to the police. If they can't help you, surely they can tell you what to do next.

Sorry for the duplicate. I think Joan and I were typing at the same time. She is faster than I am.
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Old 01-31-2011, 06:32 AM
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Wow, that sounds pretty extreme. I'm surprised you didn't recognize your neighbor's cat once it was in the trap.
This happened to my friend and while her cat was at the pound it got very sick and in lots of pain and all her other cats (5) got very sick, cost her over $1,200 to cure the cats.

I understand the situation from both sides and hope he doesn't keep the sign up very long. As far as the cameras,
consider it extra security. He'll be able to see if someone is snooping around your house.

Good Luck :thumbup:
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Old 01-31-2011, 06:45 AM
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some people are just crazy
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Old 01-31-2011, 06:56 AM
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No one who lets their cats outside to roam freely can guarantee where they do and don't go. Cats allowed outside will roam and sometimes farther then the owners have any clue about. I live out in the country and shockingly have no strays that live in my neighborhood. My neighbor behind me lets her cats out but they tend to stay off our property because our dog would chase them. In all the years I have lived here I have only had one stray show up and she was a kitten and got added to my current crew. She has no desire at all to go out. My other cats are strictly indoors and the only outside time they ever get is strictly supervised by me.

Do you know if your area has any kind of leash law or ordinance about free roaming cats? Not many do but if yours does at least you have the law on your side. Regarding the sign on his property, not sure if there is anything you can do about that either as it is his property and even though the sign is rude and intimidating the wording is not libelous. It is unfortunate that the situation has escalated to this. I am sorry you are having to go through this. As a cat lover I would be very upset if neighborhood cats were frequenting my property and using it as a litter box. They can also endanger my house cats by spreading disease. I don't think I would have handled it any differently then you did. You spoke to your neighbor prior to trapping and he told you they didn't go on your property. Obviously they did. Ultimately, if your nieghbor does not want his cats trapped and picked up by animal control, or hit by a car, or mauled by a stray dog he should make them inside cats. It is his responsibility, not yours, to keep his cats safe and under control. You could try speaking to your neighbor again, reminding him you asked if his cats were coming on to your property and he said no so you thought you were trapping stray cats that could be spreading disease. Good luck, I know it is awful to be at odds with your neighbors.
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Old 01-31-2011, 07:08 AM
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I'm ornery enough I would put a sign up in MY yard saying, D**n right, keep your animals home.

And I have 3 dogs and 5 cats.
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Old 01-31-2011, 07:26 AM
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My friend had stray cats around her place. She was gone on vacation and I was watching her place. A stray cat scratched me and I had to go through the rabies series. NOT FUN! I have indoor/outdoor cats. I also live in the country and have 3 acres of land. My animals are vaccinated and are treated for ticks/fleas.

I do not like stray animals on my property! I had a rabid skunk around a few years ago and was so thankful my animals are well taken care of.

Sorry, as a pet owner, if you do not watch you animals and they cause damage to someone else on their property, then you have to pay the price to get your pet back and endure the costs. That is just my opinion on it.

I wouldn't let my kids just roam wild so why should I let my pets? JMO
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Old 01-31-2011, 07:33 AM
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What did you use to bait the trap? I tried, but wasn't successful. We don't have too many strays because the coyote population is in an upswing, but the ones we do have are aggravating. One very large one tried to attack my 34 pound dog. Another spends the night in my carport to get out of the cold and wind. That'd be okay if it'd go out to urinate, but it doesn't.

It's hard to have problems with your neighbors, but I agree with posting your own sign. My last cat was an indoor cat.
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Old 01-31-2011, 07:46 AM
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depending on where you live, (small town or city) the sign may be a violation. I know larger towns have rules about signs. Call city hall if you have one. Good luck.

On a more devious note, I would do things in front of the cameras that would make him call the police. For instance, get a dozen potted plants all alike that look similar to marijuana. Take them out of the house once a day and water them in the back yard. Then, looking all around, bring them back into the house. Leave them in a room in sight of the camera with grow lights on day and night.
or go out at night and dig a hole in the back yard, put a "bundle" of something in there. Cover it up, look suspicious.

After a few false alarms to the cops, HE will look like a kook.
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