Problems with neighboring cat owner.

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Lissa

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I try to take my bunnies outside to run around acouple times a week for about an hour at a time. We have afenced in backyard and I stay outside and watch them the entire timethey are out. The problem is that my neighbor has 3 cats thatlike to jump the 6-foot fence and taunt my rabbits. I havehad enough of it. I like my neighbor but I wish she wouldcontrol her animals. I can control mine.It really makes me mad. Does anyone else have this issue withneighbors? I don't want to cause problems, but I want her tokeep her cats on her property and leave my rabbits alone.
 
It'll be rather hard to keep the cats out, asthey're naturally inquisitive animals. Also, they have rather largeterritories, chances are, your gardens part of it, which is why they'llkeep looking over and straying in. I don't think there's much you cando, short from buying a cat repellant (may be harmful to your bunsthough) and keep shoo-ing them away. You could coat the top of thefence with lemon juice, or scrape orange rind along it. Cats absolutelyhate the zesty smell. It might look silly, but you can try lining thetops with foil, as cats don't like the feeling of it on their claws.(Shiny side up).
 
Hi Lissa...

I don't let my rabbits outside specifically because we have big hawksin the area. But I do have a neighbour with a cat that drivesme nuts! He is always in our backyard! He is eitherdigging/pooping in our gardens...fishing my fish out of our pond orjust otherwise making a pest of himself. He is a lovelycat...but she really needs to look after him or do something abouthim!! But if you ask her...it isn't her cat causingproblems...uh huh...just like he wasn't in my garage spraying my carseats!:mad: Grrr...apparently neutered cats can'tspray either!!! I wonder what colour the sky is in herworld????:X
 
I am a cat owner myself, and also recentlyadopted a bunny. I'm not defending your neighbor because I don't knowthe attitudes of the cats you are talking about but my cats like thebunny. Two of my three cats are allowed to play outside with the bunnyand sometimes he curls up with the kitty and sleeps with her. They arethe best of friends. My cats are indoors and only outside suppervised.Cats are naturally curious animals and are probubly just coming tocheck things out without any intent in harming your rabbits. If theypersist in bugging you, I suggest keeping a toy squirt gun handy. Onesquirt and they should leave you alone. ;)

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I really like my neighbor and I don't want tocause problems. I just wish she'd keep her cats on her property andsupervise them when they are outside. Cats are predators and rabbitsare prey so naturally they are going to try to attack my rabbits. It isagainst city ordinance to even let your animals run around without aleash. She has 3 cats and is planning on getting another so I canimagine that the problem will only worsen. Maybe when the cats come onmy property I can squirt them with the hose?? Would that be wrong of meto do? If those cats attack my rabbits I will hurt them.
 
I appreciate the problem but being a cat ownermyself I also appreciate how difficult it can be to confine cats. I'msure she is trying to and doesn't want to cause trouble but they dolike to roam.

Maybe they could undergo some sort of training to keep out of yourgarden. When my cats were kittens we read that a way to trainthem was to give them a little squirt of water from a spray botle whenthey misbehaved, it didn't harm them but it surprised them and theylearned to associate that area with the squirting and leave italone. We used it to train them not to go up the christmastree.

Your neighbour might get a bit upset if you hosed them but maybe youcould try with the spray bottle when they come over and the bunnies arethere.

I don't know if a cat would actualy hurt a domestic rabbit ornot. My cats are scared of the rabbits andgenerally avoid them or ignore them. I know cats sometimes catch smallwild rabits but since domestic rabbits are much larger they don't seemto know they are the same thing. Probably better to be safe and try totrain them to stay away. You could maybe discuss it with your neighbourso she would train them too.
 
I am also a cat owner and I can understand yourproblem. My cat is currantly a indoor only as we have coyotesthat cruise the neighborhood. My suggestion would be go outand buy one of those pumper waterguns. When you are sittingthere watching your buns, if you see one of the cats, squirt'em! I think that when this is done enough, they will get themessage even if she does'nt. And if she says any thing(unless she actually sees you doing the deed), you can tell herthat you do not know what she is talking about.

I have had a problem in the past with my old neighbors littledogs. She would leave them outside all weekend while she wasgone and they would bark, bark and bark some more. I did notlike this lady so I made a call to the local animal control and talkedto them. I made a complaint but I also made sure that shewould not find out my name. She ended up getting a letterfrom them about this and the dogs were not left alone again for theweekends.;)

I say go for the water guns, and don't worry, the cats will not suffer any damage. (other than their egos!)
 
Thanks for your ideas and suggestions.I know that these cats will harm a bunny because I witnessed one ofthem with ababy bunny in its mouth. Obviously Idon't want this to happen to my rabbits. I'll try the gardenhose and see if that works first. Thanks!!
 
KatyG wrote:
Idon't know if a cat would actualy hurt a domestic rabbit ornot. My cats are scared of the rabbits andgenerally avoid them or ignore them. I know cats sometimes catch smallwild rabits but since domestic rabbits are much larger they don't seemto know they are the same thing. Probably better to be safe and try totrain them to stay away. You could maybe discuss it with your neighbourso she would train them too.
Cats will catch a domestic rabbit, I know because when I was littlemine did and ate it all (except the feet) :(He was a straycat when we got him, he just came into the house one day and neverleft. I don't think he purposely went and attacked the bunny but it hadescaped from someone's garden and he obviously found it wanderingabout. My mum went to the shop later in the day and the shop lady askedmy mum if she'd seen the bun (Our house backed onto a big field) Idon't think my mum admitted its horrible fate. He used to catch thingsall the time, birds, mice, rats he always had a wild streak in him. Hewas a lovely cat though.

As a previous cat owner I know that you can't really train them to stopin you garden but you could try sraying them with the hose or a squirtybottle. You can also buy cat repellers which release a noise of afrequency which is inaudible to humans but repels cats (not sure aboutthe rabbits though you'd have to chack it out)

Otherwise could you maybe agree a time with your neighbour when shekeeps the cats in (feeding time maybe) and explain why, I'm sure mostpeople would be fine with that for 1 or 2 hours each week.

Good Luck
 
I'd write a letter tothe neighborrequesting that she watch her cats (make a copy for yourself) and thenif it keeps being a problem see if you can do anythinglegally. You may have to post a sign or something.I doubt, but maybe. could you check with one of the boss's atwork? they might know something more. It is yourprivate property and I'd think you'd have a right ot say who and whatdomsestic animals are allowed on your property.


 
mskoala wrote:
I'd write a letter tothe neighbor requesting thatshe watch her cats (make a copy for yourself) and then if it keepsbeing a problem see if you can do anything legally. You mayhave to post a sign or something. I doubt, butmaybe. could you check with one of the boss's atwork? they might know something more. It is yourprivate property and I'd think you'd have a right ot say who and whatdomsestic animals are allowed on your property.


I totally agree with you. If she wasn't such a good neighbor,I would have called animal control a long time ago. It'scompletely illegal to have animals roaming free throughout thecity. But we really get along well andshe has beena very good neighbor to us. That's why I haven't really saidanything. I don't want to make hard feelings, youknow?
 
I know what you mean. My neighborskept parking their car in the ally so it was hard for me to get my carin the garage. and I was ok with it until one day I hit mygarage while trying to not hit their car! Could you maybe sayyou don't want your bunnies to bite her cat?
 
I just hate confrontation. Ugh. Maybe I'll have Jason talk to her! haha
 
Because of the high possibility of other catsbeing loose in the neighborhood, I would either provide an area with awire top or run electric wire around the top of your fence to keep thecats out.



Pam
 
pamnock wrote:
Because of the high possibility of other cats being loose inthe neighborhood, I would either provide an area with a wire top or runelectric wire around the top of your fence to keep the cats out.



Pam
Oh God. I can just imagine the look on all my neighbor's faces if I put up an electric fence! haha
 
Sorry I don't really have anything helpfull tocontribute, I was just amazed at the animal laws where you live. Herein New Zealand everyones cats just roam around as they please, I can'teven begin to imagine trying to keep a cat confined (mine, when I hadthem, were going in and out as they pleased day and night, spent moretime out than in). They only really came inside if it was raining or itwas time to eat. Many cats from all around my neighbourhood come intomy yard to visit my rabbit (she's in a good strong hutch) and usually Ijust sneak up behind the cats and YELLLL at the top of my lungs andboy, do they run scared!
 
I also have acat that keeps jumping in and out ofourfenced backyard.I havemanypictures as proof.:D In thewinter, you can see the cattracks in the snow. I don'tknow who owns the cat, but Isee it inother peoples yardalso. I was upset when it wasstalking birds.

I am distended to be a prisoner in my ownback yard, as I can't leavePebbles to enjoy the outdoors on her own.

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Rainbows! :)
 
I hate it when people let their pets run around wild. It's very disrespectful in my opinion.
 

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