# Feral neighbors and their cat!!!



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

The other night my husband and i arrived home (9:45pm) to one of our neighbours cats dead under the other car.
It had been hit on the road and come under our car to die. So we go next door to tell them and the woman (who is FERAL!!!) started shouting and swearing that we had run over her cat, and why didnt we check under our car before driving it out Etc.

Now apart from the fact that people fly around the corner we live on and her cats are always out despite a 24hr cat curfew, we hadnt moved the car in over a week, i saw the cat alive before we went out that evening and it had not been run ove,r it had been hit, so we did not kill it!!
The guy from next door believed us, the kids believed us but the woman was going ballistic (kids holding her back from punching my husband!) and then she said " well you have 2 little dogs in there, you want to watch that something doesnt happen to them"

I was quite scarred so next day i called police to see if they could make a note of what had happened, but was told unless i make a formal complaint and they go over and talk to her (which would result in the house being torched or something) there was nothing they can do.

I am really worried now that something may happen to them and there is nothing i can do.
Anyone have any ideas? Is there someone besides police who might help?

PS Despite what happened to their other cat the day before the next day the other cat is out trotting across the road and lying on my drive way
I do not hate cats and i would like HELPFUL suggestions, please.

Ta Sarah


----------



## miley_take (Jan 14, 2009)

Are you able to keep the 2 dogs inside when you're not home/and or at all times?


----------



## dailyskin (Jan 14, 2009)

Perhaps make a nice gesture such as taking some wine and a cake or cookies over with a card? And explain, once again, that you didn't do anything to the cat, but you feel for their loss?

As feral as the neighbours are, it is very upsetting to loose a pet and I'm sure many people would overreact and say things they don't mean...


----------



## Auzlizardking (Jan 14, 2009)

She might just be all talk - short of that stay out of there way - buy or get a kitten and give her that and tell her again you didn't do hit there cat but you want to be a good neighbor.


----------



## Chris1 (Jan 14, 2009)

ummm,...her cat should have been in the house,...she can only blame herself for that,..!! 

call animal control annonymously re the other cat, and tell them that one of the cats has already been run over, if she gave half a hoot the other cat would now be inside.

i'd call teh police and make a formal complaint if ur feeling threatened, ,you never know what their plotting since they think u killed their cat....take out home and contents insurance as well,....


----------



## LauraM (Jan 14, 2009)

bloody neighbours, hey atleast her kids have some sence... if people let there cats run free on road they have to expectt casualties, if you have an alarm keep it on and try keep the dogs inside (if you think shes serious about the threat) .. she should b grateful you came and told you could have taken it from under the car and put it on the road. im so glad i dont have neighbours like that and sorry you do, Goodluck


----------



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

miley_take: dogs mostly indoor but have dog door to go out to do their business.
Dailyskin: My husband said the same thing but i dont want to tell them i am sorry for their loss incase she takes the i am sorry as admission of wrong doing on our part

I dont want to cause further problems with them, am hoping with time it will just blow over but i was hoping there was some other way of having the incident on record incase something does happen to the dogs.
Do local counsel handle that type of thing?


----------



## cougars (Jan 14, 2009)

Keep your dogs inside or relocate them for a bit(friends house).Your neighbour is probably all talk but best too be on the safe side.Make a formal complaint just so its on record.If she really cared for her cat it would have been inside not roaming the streets.Dont get her a new cat or talk to her.


----------



## miley_take (Jan 14, 2009)

If you don't want a formal complaint, just record everything that went on on paper, may not be solid evidence if something happens, but at least you have something


----------



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

LauraM said:


> bloody neighbours, hey atleast her kids have some sence... if people let there cats run free on road they have to expectt casualties, if you have an alarm keep it on and try keep the dogs inside (if you think shes serious about the threat) .. she should b grateful you came and told you could have taken it from under the car and put it on the road. im so glad i dont have neighbours like that and sorry you do, Goodluck


Tell me about it! Next time kitty will go over back fence and we wont get involved!!!!
Ironicly, a few months ago we DID hit a different neighbors cat (going slow and cat was ok), but when we stopped to tell them they told us not to worry, it wasnt our fault cos cat should have been inside anyway


----------



## megrim (Jan 14, 2009)

I say make a formal complaint to the police. It's entirely likely that the woman was just upset and not thinking straight when she threatened you, she's probably deathly embarrassed by it herself.

And if she meant it, then the police have been notified, it's all on record, and if anything at all 'happens' the police are able to go to work on it straight away.

I don't see it as spite, or 'dobbing' on her, after all, it's what the authorities are there for


----------



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

cougars said:


> Keep your dogs inside or relocate them for a bit(friends house).Your neighbour is probably all talk but best too be on the safe side.Make a formal complaint just so its on record.If she really cared for her cat it would have been inside not roaming the streets.Dont get her a new cat or talk to her.


Have taken them to mums place when we are going out for long periods and they are more than happy to stay on couch all day, i am just worried that the area they use as a toilet backs onto feral neighbors fence and that it would be easy to throw something over the fence that they will then eat.
My worry with making formal complaint is they will go over and talk to her and then things could get worse because we "called cops on her"
In the mean time i am avoiding her like the plague!!!


----------



## wiz-fiz (Jan 14, 2009)

make a formal complaint and then ring the cops.


WIll


----------



## Sturdy (Jan 14, 2009)

gotta hate it when people just like to point the finger at you...

watch your dogs and maybe invest in some security cameras they are not to expensive and im sure hubby would be able to figure out installation. 
to be honest.... a majorty of security cameras for the general public are cheap imports.... let ebay be your friend in this matter.


----------



## dailyskin (Jan 14, 2009)

I don't think sympathy implies guilt. Particularly if you explain, once again, that you had nothing to do with it, but that you understand how upsetting it is...


----------



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

megrim said:


> I say make a formal complaint to the police. It's entirely likely that the woman was just upset and not thinking straight when she threatened you, she's probably deathly embarrassed by it herself.
> 
> And if she meant it, then the police have been notified, it's all on record, and if anything at all 'happens' the police are able to go to work on it straight away.
> 
> I don't see it as spite, or 'dobbing' on her, after all, it's what the authorities are there for


Am hopimg she was just upset and nothing will come of it, but the problem is the police wouldnt record it unless i did it formally and then they would go and talk to her, which is what i dont want.
So if she does anything its my word against hers. Only i have record of what happened


----------



## Kirby (Jan 14, 2009)

call the cops. she threatened you and your animals.


----------



## Kirby (Jan 14, 2009)

if they do look into it that far, they will clearly see that car has been stationary, and no signs of hitting the animal.


----------



## snakecharma (Jan 14, 2009)

yes its hard when the police cant help 

but in these cases where you are in fear of retrabution, i like the specialist touch of 'hired goons' 

just go down the pub buy a beer for the dodgy'est looking bloke get talking explain ya problem, bam crisis averted lol 

you know what to do next time though, dont take the cat around there or you look like the person that did it.....


----------



## dailyskin (Jan 14, 2009)

Hmm or a slightly less dodgy approach...

Ask someone who looks super tough and scary to go to her house with you, while you both Very Politely explain again how sorry you are for her loss, give her a card, and again remind her that it was NOTHING to do with you. Introduce your 'friend' as your brother who is staying with you...


----------



## Scleropages (Jan 14, 2009)

Move/ get nice neighbours and forget all about them. ( note how I diden't say torch her car / catnap her other cat and take it to the pound or anything like that  )


----------



## wiz-fiz (Jan 14, 2009)

oooo, extreme restraint to not say do anything bad.


Will


----------



## gex01 (Jan 14, 2009)

Hi Sarah i would contact the rspca or what ever organisation is equivilant down there and just have the threat recorded by them.Once you have done that let your neighbour know that the threat has been recorded and if anything happens to your dogs she will be prosecuted and sent to jail. You get a harsher penalty for hurting an animal than a human.


----------



## dailyskin (Jan 14, 2009)

gex01 said:


> Hi Sarah i would contact the rspca or what ever organisation is equivilant down there and just have the threat recorded by them.Once you have done that let your neighbour know that the threat has been recorded and if anything happens to your dogs she will be prosecuted and sent to jail. You get a harsher penalty for hurting an animal than a human.


 
Unfortunately, that is far, far from the truth. People who torture and kill baby bunnies and kittens often only get a fine or some community work.


----------



## coz666 (Jan 14, 2009)

give her something to make her feel better, imo a good slappin.
the over reaction implies that she may have already known.
she may have put it under your car as to have someone to blame.
i give you 100 points anyway because if your gonna get the blame you get the points.
well done


----------



## notechistiger (Jan 14, 2009)

Just tell her that if you'll run over the other one if she tries anything


----------



## dailyskin (Jan 14, 2009)

My friend once ran over a puppy that ran onto the road  She was beside herself, so upset, and when she stopped, the owners were screaming at her, which she said she totally understood...

BUT then it turns out they were yelling because the puppy cost $1,500 and she 'better give them the money back!!' - foul people weren't even upset about the puppy!!! GRRR!


----------



## MrTono (Jan 14, 2009)

not sure if this will help, but a justice of the peace can witness and sign & date a statement without police involvement, if anything occurs(and we hope to god it doesnt) then your statement can be used as proof of prior involvement and threats, hope it helps.
TONO


----------



## sarah_m (Jan 14, 2009)

MrTono said:


> not sure if this will help, but a justice of the peace can witness and sign & date a statement without police involvement, if anything occurs(and we hope to god it doesnt) then your statement can be used as proof of prior involvement and threats, hope it helps.
> TONO


Really? I didnt know that, that sounds like the best opption i've got.
Thanks for that, feel better that there is something i can do just incase


----------

