ok so about 6 months ago we moved to the perfect house.
perfect house, perfect neighbourhood, perfect everything

the very best thing about it was that it was quiet and had a lot of fields nearby so i could let the cats out. i hate keeping them locked up inside when i am away for so much of the day.

so we have spent the past 6 months gradually allowing them out more and more, first supervised and now unsupervised.


but today we had one of the neighbours come round to say that they are basically the menace of the neighbourhood. they are going into other peoples windows and homes.

help!

how the hell do i stop this?

As far as i'm aware there will be no way of controlling them when they are outside.
As sad as it is it might just mean that outside time is restricted to when you are home and potentially with a lease.
If a neighbour is complaining then its not going to get better - cats will be cats and if they know a window is open then they will always go for it.
Might mean they are indoors cats from now on.

What Becky said you can't control a cat.

I live by fields but I only let mine out when I'm home and can keep an eye on them. Doesn't stop them getting into all sorts of trouble tho.

ok, so far i have written an apology letter to everyone in the neighbourhood explaining thst they have never been out before and are unaware of the boundaries. im hoping that if people continue to shoo them out (and generally do not welcome their presence) they will figure out that the only house they are welcome in is mine?
i have told everyone i will only allow them out when i am home for the time being and asked people to call me if they come in or cannot be easily shooed out.

what im getting at is, there must be some way of training them that other peoples homes are not theirs?
any other suggestions?

You are not at home so the cats have had to make their own fun, or their own shelter or their own "home" whilst you are not providing it for them, being at work.

The "menace of the neighbour hood" doesn't sound good to me, as that says there is some bad feeling towards them and that is not good.
Are they terrorising other cats too or perhaps peeing in other people's houses or just going where they are unwanted.
A lot of ill feeling can be harboured and that can mean that someone will take it out on the cats and that would scare me.
Personally I would bring them in and make a great outdoor cat run for them.

I am not sure you are going to be able to train them to that extent if I'm honest.

I feel bad for you - I can only suggest to cat proof your garden - as realistically this is the only place you want them to go by your own admission ie if you don't want them going on other peoples property it only leaves your own.

ok i have personally spoken to all the neighbours now and the only complaint is coming inside uninvited into 2 of the houses. one of the houses admitted that this had only happened once, and the other house admits that her kids have fed them and this could be interpreted as an invitation (which for my greedy little gannets it certainly would be)...

so touch wood a lack of treats will prevent that in future.

god i feel like i have been put through the wringer today, my cats are my one weakness and we turned down so many possible houses on the grounds of not right for them... and they are so happy now that they are outside, but i really want to get to know my neighbours on good terms!

Although your cats shouldn't be going into other people's houses, your neighbours really should not be feeding your cats! To me, if you start feeding someone else's cat then you cannot complain when it comes into your home as you're basically inviting it. It's different if the cat looks malnourished or injured (I'm sure yours don't) but healthy cats that clearly belong to someone else should not be fed by strangers.

I hope everything is sorted now:)

It may not be something that you wish to use, but it is possible to install electric "fencing" with shock collarsfor cats just like dogs. I guess its a question of how big a problem it is.

This one is for a UK product, but I am sure there are US equivalents.
http://www.freedom-fence.co.uk/

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Lollo

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Lollo

Keep the kittys INSIDE !! 5Theyr much safer inside n who knows what evil neighbors will do or what the cats can get in2

I also had this problem somewhat. I live on a terrace of houses with back gardens all connected, but higher walls at the ends. So, for a while, my cats could get out into all the neighbours gardens.

The problems began when they wandered into houses. One neighbour found them in through the back door and let them out onto the front (very quiet road, but road all the same) as they didn't know any better. Another ended up with my cat hidden in their loft, as she couldn't find her way out after sneaking in after them (they didn't realise she was there). Another was napping on a sofa, only to scream in fright as a cat jumped over onto him...

Unfortunately a cat does not recognise property boundaries. Most people should understand that and be reasonable.

Why do cats just walk into someone's house? That's how I got my Bengal. I opened the door to go out to him and he rushed through my legs inside. He ran from one room to another until he had touched every inch of the floor of every room.

I think your solution is a cat enclosure. That's what we built for our kitty after he got into a vicious fight with a neighborhood cat and had to be rushed to the vet. It's 12"x12" with 8' high ceilings. Yours would not have to be that big, but it would have to be enclosed on all sides. Ours is on our deck and we had a cat door that allows Raiden access any time he wants to. He can't get out, but has plenty to occupy himself. Toys, cat trees, steps at different levels. He loves to watch the birds as we have feeders hanging in the yard.

I've heard of neighbors who hate cats and make sure the cat disappears and never comes back -- so you have to be careful. You've got to protect your kitties. They don't know the dangers out there. Personally, that other neighborhood cat comes into our backyard to kill our birds. He's such a sweet kitty cat, but I don't have the heart to do anything to him. Still looking for the owner and keep asking those that I see when I walk my kitty.

I firmly believe cats belong indoors. I also grew up in a city and now live in a relatively calm suburban area. This bring to mind a cat who, from the looks of it has a nice home, keeps coming around my yard. At first it was at night and my cats and this cat would chatter back and forth through the back windows. The past few mornings I have caught the cat playing and napping in my vegetable garden. I grow a lot of tomatoes and peppers, both toxic to cats. I know no matter how many times I chase it off, it will be back and probably become ill at some point because of biting the plants and vegetables. I feel for the cat because it is allowed to be outside and do as it pleases. Right now it chooses to play in a very bad place.

I guess I wonder if it is really worth the risk? What if you cat wanders into a house and finds a basket of cherry tomatoes to play with? What if it eats a poisoned mouse? Even if the neighbors loved the cats, there are so many other risks to contend with...