neighbour says shes killed my cat!!

Hi everyone just joined the site and need some advice. One of my cats went missing last sept and we have pretty much given up on her coming home which the family is v upset about. My neighbour whose garden backs onto ours has been horrible to our cats from when she moved in last summer. Have caught her throwing stones at our cats on number of occasions simply for sitting on the fence! She has told us she really hates cats.
Last week I was out with my children and husband getting a coffee when she approached me. She said I hear your cat has gone missing and I said yes it was v sad. She then said it was dead and the others would soon be too! I was horrified and the children v upset. I asked her to repeat what she'd said which she did. I said have you done something with my cat and she laughed and said I would never find her ( the cat) and she would make sure the others went missing too. I said I would contact the police but she said that without proof they wouldn't b interested. I was and still am v upset and shocked by her comments. I am scared she will hurt my other cats. I have contacted the rspca and police via 101 so hopefully they can help. What would you all do? Help me please?

This is so awful to hear and I am extremely sorry and sad for you and for your family and especially your kitty. I would be very, very, very concerned that she means business since you already have witnessed her abuse against your cats. Personally, I would try very hard to acclimate them to be indoor only kitties. I don't know if that is possible or how many you actually have? But, in all honesty, that is the only sure way to their complete safety and security against this cat hating neighbor. I have heard of these situations before too. One person actually threw out rat poison to the cats. I am very concerned for your cats!

YES - call the Police - the humane societies - and ask for advice on how to handle these threats. IF you could record her threats - even better.

IF you cannot bring your cats indoors, then there is also the option of an outdoor large cat enclosure? Some even attach these to their homes so the cats can come in and out and still stay safe from the dangers of the outside world. I am so very, very sorry about your loss too. Please keep us updated on what the Police say when you call to report this horrible, heartless woman and how they say to handle the situation.

Quite apart from someone hating cats enough to even think about saying such things, if I had a neighbour saying that sort of stuff to me I would not feel very safe or happy in my home.  I think you did the right thing calling the police and hope they make contact with you and take what you have to say seriously (if they haven't already done so).  The RSPCA should be able to advise you on the legalisities if someone does harm any of your cats, but the police can hopefully look at it in a wider context of potentially threatening behaviour.  At least if you contact them to report such things they should have a record if anything further happens (which I hope it doesn't).

I agree with what both Lauren and MServant have said.  I'd be especially inclined to look into the idea of keeping them indoors, or adding a cat enclosure.  I've seen the pictures you've posted of the great cat shelf run inside your home... it looks as though they could be well set up for indoor life.

Thank you so much for your supportive messages. The police went to see her today and said she was far from apologetic about her behaviour. She said at least there is one less cat for her to hate! The police said that although they would love to dig up her garden just to annoy her, without proof (ie a body!) they can't do anything. They did give her a stern warning and that they would be recording this incident. They told her to stay away from the cats and my family. The rspca r going over tom or thurs to address the stone throwing and warn her too. She didn't deny anything which shows her arrogance that nothing will happen to her. I am keeping the cats in more and more. There's only one the bengal x that goes out much and I will b putting something on top of our joint fence to keep the cats off. Will post what the rspca says. All our nbours r aware what she's said and one who lives opposite is keeping close eye on her. Will keep u posted

It is good to hear the police seem to have taken this seriously and that RSPCA have also been able to help.   I do agree though, I think I would be keeping the cats in (which I do around here both because I live in an upper appartment on a busy main road and have a cat that is too friendly with strangers to trust out on his own).

Wow - she sounds relentless and even in the faces of the Police! Well - she certainly isn't hiding or lying about anything, making her hateful feeling quite clear. Glad the police are taking this seriously AND even better to hear that one of your neighbors will watch out for her abusive ways too. Good for you contacting all of the resources you can. I hope the RSPCA gives her an ear full too. I still think it is a good idea to keep them in, as you are already managing a bit, and putting up something on the fence to try to keep your Bengal x in the yard. Keep us posted!

What an awful lady. I would warn the neighbors as to what she has said and admitted she has done. Killing a domesticated animal is a clue to how dangerous she may be. It borders on antisocial behavior. Hopefully she admits what she did to the rspca and maybe they will be willing to do something. I hope she doesn't have kids.

What a dreadful woman!

I'm glad that the police and the RSPCA are taking the matter seriously. Now that you've reported her she'll be on their radar, so if anything else happens (God forbid!) they'll take action. Let all the neighbours know what is going on, some cats have a territory that covers a couple of streets so they might unwittingly wander into her garden.

Have you thought about sharing this story on Facebook? The more people who know that she doesn't like cats the better, it would be terrible if she got her hands on anyone else's pet.

Could you put a cat-proof fence around you garden so that your cats can go outside safely?  There are a few pictures on this site that will give you an idea of what's possible.

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm

This is downright psychotic behaviour. Someone who would harm a pet animal and then feel completely remorseless and even brag about it to the poor cat's family? She is not right in the head and I would move, move, move. Also, post "Cat Killer in the Vicinity" posters around your neighbourhood to warn others.

Animal abuse is a symptom of mental illness.  Lots of people dislike their neighbors' pets, but they just file complaints.  On the one hand even a mentally ill person has a right to a cat-free yard if that is what she wants.  You and your cats have no rights on her property.  So yes, keep them inside.  Not only are they safe from her, they are safe from cars, mean children, etc. If you love your pet, you have to protect them in every way.  While we think that restricts a cat, if you imagine yourself the size of a cat in a place the size of your home, you see that it would be like living in a huge castle where there is plenty of room to run, sunny places, fresh water, food, good company, quiet places...   everything you really need in your castle.  Let your home be the castle that protects your cats.  Your sadly mentally ill neighbor can have her pet-free property. 

I hope the police properly note the psychiatric imbalance of the neighbor, as people like this often abuse humans around them next.

Best of luck.

Thanks for all your posts. She is a lady in her 6o's and lives with her daughter who has also thrown stones and is equally nasty. My nice nbour has a theory that as she walks her dogs in some local woods every morning she has dumped our cat up there either dead or alive. Sadly our cat was so friendly she would go to anyone so it's def a possibility. I am trying to find out her surname so can do some detective work on line bout her past. Rumours r she's done this before and moved away. Am getting a gardener round to look at cat proofing the garden thanks for website idea. Will c how rspca get on. Sadly can't afford to move as kids r at local school etc. She hates children too as she shouted at my 3 yr old for crying!
Am a firm believer what goes around comes around and if she gives out bad karma it will come back to her one day

crazycatlady007 said:

Thanks for all your posts. She is a lady in her 6o's and lives with her daughter who has also thrown stones and is equally nasty. My nice nbour has a theory that as she walks her dogs in some local woods every morning she has dumped our cat up there either dead or alive. Sadly our cat was so friendly she would go to anyone so it's def a possibility. I am trying to find out her surname so can do some detective work on line bout her past. Rumours r she's done this before and moved away. Am getting a gardener round to look at cat proofing the garden thanks for website idea. Will c how rspca get on. Sadly can't afford to move as kids r at local school etc. She hates children too as she shouted at my 3 yr old for crying!
Am a firm believer what goes around comes around and if she gives out bad karma it will come back to her one day

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It sounds to me that she is soon going to annoy all her new neighbours and have to move again.

crazycatlady007 said:

Am a firm believer what goes around comes around and if she gives out bad karma it will come back to her one day

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:nod: KARMA...... for sure.

I hope you have good luck with securing your yard somehow to keep you cats in, safe, and away from likely harm by this very unhappy, angry, unbalanced, and callous human being. And, sad to hear about the daughter too. Like mother, like daughter in this particular situation. One must wonder if the daughter has/is or was abused at one time or another by her mother. I wouldn't doubt it.

Have you tried calling the police? I'd appeal to the "property" sense, saying this cat was your property and your neighbor destroyed it. I don't know if you can actually convict or bring charges. But this is unbelievable. In the meantime I agree with the other response: keep your cats indoors at all costs. 

…also: good perception on the other responder's part. People who are cruel to animals have been abused themselves at some point or other. They are certainly unhappy. They certainly don't have lives (as in, "Get a life!")

Disgusting crazy beyotch...only a matter of time before one of those rocks hits your children. Can you set up a security camera?

Just a quick update. Rspca came out to visit my nasty nbours last week. Really nice guy who came over to c me before and after seeing them. He loved my cats and their super highway!! The nbours we r v rude and aggressive to him. They said they hated my cats in particular I have no idea why and didn't deny they throw stones at the cats. They said it was to protect our cats from coming into their garden and being attacked by their dog!! They said that people who own cats are too lazy to have a dog?! They said from now on cos of the hassle I have caused them re contacting the police and rspca, they wouldn't b stopping their dog from attacking my cats. Needless to say and trying to make my garden cat proof. All my other nbours have been so supportive and don't speak to them as well as being spies for me!! Am hoping they realise how hated they r and move!!

If this were me, I would be keeping my cats inside.  They have warned you and you openly know they want to hurt your cats.  Why take a chance?  I would not let them outside until you have a safe enclosure.  The consequences are crystal clear.

I am relieved, and pleased for you, that the authorities have paid attention and been supportive of you along with your other neighbours but I share ShadowRescue's concern for your cats.  This person does not sound like they have been alarmed by any of the attention or advice they have been given and I worry that if any of your cats did approach their garden or boundary they would be at risk, and possibly even more so than they were previously.

I hope you are able to keep your cats safe.