Does this sound rude?

[Amy27]

I live in a condo with a fenced in yard. I leave the door open when I am home and it is nice out and my cats go outside. They love it outside and it is one of the reasons I picked this condo to buy. My cats always stay in my fenced in yard.

For the second time a black cat has jumped the fence and come into my yard. Making my cats very unhappy. Luckily both times I caught it before a fight happened. My cats have no front claws and I am not sure they could defend themselves. My one cat is blind. My door is also open so the cats could come in and out as they please but that also means the black cat could come in and hurt the bunnies too. I don't think I should have to stop my cat from going outside as they stay in my yard.

I was going to call the condo association but I am not sure they will do much. Then I thought about putting up a sign at the mailboxes asking this person to keep their cat in there own yard. I thought about doing both but then the condo association would know who put the sign at the mailboxes. This is what I was going to say on my sign. Is it rude? What would you do? I am so ticked about this and don't want my animals endangered.

[size=[font="Times New Roman"]To whoever owns the BLACK CAT who keeps jumping the fence into my yard. I would appreciate it if you kept the cat in your yard. I really don’t appreciate it coming into my yard and starting fights with my animals that stay in their fenced in yard. If I see the cat wandering the neighborhood I will be calling the humane society or taking it there myself. If a fight happens in my fenced in yard again you will be receiving the vet bills. [/font]][/size]

[size=[font="Times New Roman"][/font]][/size]



Thank You

 

[Becca]

I don't think thats rude at all. You have a fence round your garden for a reason! Your right to protect your own animals!

 

[Flashy]

sorry, i disagree. i do think its too blunt for the first try. i would say that its ok to put up signs asking politely for the cat to be kept away form your animals, but i would probably only resort to something so brisk if a really polite attempt failed.

that's just me though, and im not relevant, so you don'thave to listen to me.

 

[Becca]

Flashy wrote:

that's just me though, and im not relevant, so you don'thave to listen to me.

if she didn't think any of us were relevant she wouldn't of asked our opinions
You're more important than you give yourself credit for Trace (SORRY for O/T)

 

[Numbat]

I agree with Flashy, to me it does a sound a bit rude. You do have the right to protect your animals (and it does sound like they have a disadvantage) but your neighbours might not realise what is happening. It's very hard to fence off a yard from cats as they jump/climb so high.

I don't have any suggestions except to maybe politely talk with your neighbours or write a less blunt note, maybe something along the lines of:

Hi, there is a black cat who keeps jumping the fence into my yard and frightening my cats. I would appreciate it if you kept the cat in your yard or work this out some other way. I'm just worried they'll get into a fight and hurt each other. Thanks.

Are you sure it's not a stray cat?

To add: If I got a note like yours out of the blue, I would be very angry and hurt so I do think it's quite harsh.

Good luck!

 

[Amy27]

Thanks guys I thought I was probably being harsh. I wrote the note out of anger, I still am angry. I think I am going to use what Numbat said.

I think everyone here has relevant opinions. Becca is right that is why I ask, even if their opinion isn't the same as mine. I actually like getting different opinions, it is one of the things I love about this site. Sometimes things people say can make you stop and think and have a different perspective. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my threads and reply.

I don't think this cat is a stray. I only see it out on nice days. It also looked well feed, though a neighbor could be feeding it. It also seemed friendly, wasn't really bothered by me or my cat. Thought my cat was very bothered by it. I am also really bothered by the fact someone is letting their cat run around like that in the city. I live by a very busy road and people drive through the complex pretty fast. It is very lickly this cat will get hit sooner or later. Especially being black and last time I say it in my yard it was really dark. I am surprised the cat can even jump the fence. It is like 5-6 feet tall. My cat couldn't jump it or atleast thinks he can't jump it.

Thanks again everyone and thanks Numbat for rewording that for me.

 

[Numbat]

No problems

It's very surprising how high cats can jump!

 

[SnowyShiloh]

I don't have a cat, but to me it seems like it would be really hard to keep a cat in a yard if it doesn't want to stay. Would the only solution be for them to keep their cat inside all the time? That doesn't seem fair to me

 

[DeniseJP]

To deter the kitty, could you spray a hose at him/her? He might think twice about jumping the fence into your yard if he is greeted with a cold shower...

I have a little bottle marked "Cat Zapper" that is used if my two kitties decide they need to counter surf. They are not counter surfing any more.

Just a thought...

Denise

 

[irishbunny]

SnowyShiloh wrote:

I don't have a cat, but to me it seems like it would be really hard to keep a cat in a yard if it doesn't want to stay. Would the only solution be for them to keep their cat inside all the time? That doesn't seem fair to me

That's what I was thinking too. Plusare you sure a fight would even start between your cats and the cat? If your cats have no front claws (I guess they were de-clawed?) then your probably just going to have to supervise them all the time while their outside to keep them safe, you just never know what could come into your garden.

Squirting something at the cat or chasing it away will keep it away, for a day or two then it will come back. You really can't control everything that comes into your yard and it happens to everyone.

 

[BethM]

SnowyShiloh wrote:

I don't have a cat, but to me it seems like it would be really hard to keep a cat in a yard if it doesn't want to stay. Would the only solution be for them to keep their cat inside all the time? That doesn't seem fair to me

If their cat can't behave while it's out (stay in it's own yard), I think it's fair for it to not go out unsupervised. I know someone whose cat would wander off, so she would put it on a leash tied to the railing. Then she could put it out for half an hour, and not worry about it running off. (It was a pretty long leash, so the cat was able to move around and explore within it's area.) Many cats can't go outside, because they can't or don't know how to behave outside.

Also, like Amy mentioned, there are cars around, the wandering cat could easily be hit by a car. The owner doesn't seem concerned about the safety of their animal.

I think spraying the intruding cat with a hose is a good idea. Eventually, it might decide to stay out of your yard. Also, the cat's owner might decide not to let it out so much, if it keeps coming home wet.

 

[Brandy456]

The best thing you should do if take it to the humane society. It's not only helping you out but who knows, that cat may have not eaten in a while or gotten proper attention. If his owners are caring enough, they'll go get him.

 

[werecatrising]

Cats tend to go where they want to go. I get irritated by cats coming into my yard to start fights. Then one day I came home to find my cat prancing on over from visiting the neighbors yard. Point is, your cats may be wandering too, even if you think they aren't.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

All of my cats are allowed to go where they want. The neighbors cat from where I keep my sheep comes over here and we're pretty sure he's the one beating up our cats, because he's so muscular and tough and none of the other neighbor cats cause any problems (one helps to keep our mice population down cuz our kitties down eat mice!)

Anyway I think it would be difficult to keep a cat from going where they want to go.

But I agree with DeniseJP. Spray the cat the next time it comes in your yard and it may not come in your yard again.

Emily

 

[Numbat]

Brandy456 wrote:

The best thing you should do if take it to the humane society. It's not only helping you out but who knows, that cat may have not eaten in a while or gotten proper attention. If his owners are caring enough, they'll go get him.

How would that help if they go get him? It wouldn't solve the problem at all, just create unnecessary trouble for both sides. It might even cause anger from the owners. I think the squirt bottle is a very good idea but I think talk to the neighbours and work something out with them which is what a friendly note should do And yes, cats are independent and have their own territory where they do whatever they want.