Hey Anita,
This is one of my worst nightmares. The apathy in my less than
desirable neighborhood causes my overcrowded rescue efforts, but it also
has the benefit of protecting me from just this sort of thing. I know
how distasteful this suggestion is going to sound, but I think your best
bet is to muster the stomach to appease this horrible new neighbor of
yours. People like this are desperate for attention. Give it to him!
If I were you, I'd go over there and tell him that even though these
animals are "strays", you love them and feel responsible for them. Let
him know you understand why he's upset and, if he'll let you, tell him
what you are planing to do to rectify the situation. Ask him to allow
you a time frame to see if your ideas are working, (maybe a month).
Don't make suggestions about what he could do, ask him to let you do
these things FOR him. Clean out his landing, spray cat-be-gone
products, block the entrance, pour wood chips in any area that looks
like a cat might use to relieve themselves. Enlist his "help" by asking
him to let you know if he spots any cats on his property and to call you
so you can come and clean up any "messes" they make. I would tell him
you are sorry that you got off on the wrong foot and maybe even
apologize for my husband's rudeness, (very difficult to do, I know). In
short kiss this guy's ass! Believe me, I understand how hard this might
be to do, but you have to think of the end result. You don't want him
calling animal control, and you certainly don't want him putting poison
down for your unsuspecting cats. Nip this feud in the bud, it's not
about you, it's about the safety of your babies. I would figure out
some sort of enclosure if you can and start trapping asap. I'm sorry
this has happened. Please let us know how it is going,
Nina
Stray Cat Alliance wrote:
Do you believe this story....every day, I feed my front yard and
back yard cats (I love in a townhome attached on both sides)..and have
done so since we moved into the City in 1998. Last May my elderly
neighbor moved out (she was pet friendly and had volunteered at the
Humane Society) and new neighbors moved in (no pets).
Over the weekend, I was cleaning out my backyard house of straw from
winter and the husband neighbor came over and said a cat was pooping
in the landing of his basement steps. I said I feed only stray cats
and you can't control where they go as you can't control the birds
pooping where they want. He said you don't walk in bird poop. But in
any case, I said to let me think about the situation as it never
happened before. So I went in and got a plastic bag and cleaned up the
poop as I didn't want any problems. Funny that noone ever pooped in
our landing but ours smells a lot better - not that musty yuck smell.
Then that night, in the middle of the night, I realized the one thing
that changed was my husband put stone along the only grassy section in
the backyard. In the morning, I asked my husband to move the stones as
I figured that would probably make it stop if it was indeed a cat/s.
Then, the door bell rings and my neighbor wants to speak to my
husband. Of course, it was about the cats. My husband said it might
not be a cat/s, there are skunks and possums. And just to put some
wood out to block the cat/s or animal/s from going down the steps to
the landing.
Then the neighbor says if it doesn't stop he's going to kill them!
Then my husband said he couldn't do that or he'd go to jail -- and my
husband said then he didn't have time to argue about it and came in.
Now, I am worried about the kitties! I would love to take still
somewhat feral Mom cat (tho she lets me pet her) from the front inside
but I have way too many cats and doubt she'd appreciate it. If we
ever move, she is definitely coming.
I am crossing my fingers and hoping this blows over.
Thanks for listening, I know I am rather long winded!
Anita
"Every year shelters kill almost 5,000,000 cats, dogs, puppies & kittens.
Most were beautiful, loving creatures (even feral cats!)
that died simply because they did not have a home.
Every puppy or kitten born costs a shelter animal its life.
Save lives, spay-neuter, support Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) & adopt for life!"
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