My neighbor's cat gets on my property and causes extreme havoc, is there anything I can do to stop it?

Question

My husband says we should call animal control to have to removed (since it wanders around freely without a collar), but I'm afraid they'll euthanize it or won't do anything since it's my neighbors. It rips open trash bags, gets in our trash cans, it rips open the bags for when I rake up leaves. What am I in my legal right to do?

Answer 1

It could be anybodies cat, they roam freely all night. You may try setting some live caych traps out and take the cats you catch to someplace like cat welfare where they do not euthanize.
or...

you could booby trap the bags so that when a cat jumps on it, a bucket of water will spill on it.
or...

try spraying the bags with cat repellent spray.

Answer 2

Many animal care and control facilities will loan you a cat trap and show you how to set and bait it. When you catch a cat, they will come by and pick it up. Even though the animal may be euthanized, its still better than what happens to most free-roaming cats.

Some cities will spay / neuter the cat and allow you to release it back in your neighborhood. This doesn't really solve anything except the booming street cat population.

The downside to the trap is if the neighbors figure out you did it, it can cause all sorts of bad feelings.

You can also try putting ammonia in your trash bags, or apply predator urine (available at many feed stores) to places the cats visit. I have also heard of sprinkling cayenne pepper in the flowerbeds to keep the cats from using it as a litter box.

Answer 3

There are a couple options available to you. First and foremost talk to your neighbor. Explain the situation and your frustration and ask them to take care of the problem.

If they choose to ignore you, then your best bet would be to contact the police or animal control officer in your area and have the animal picked up. Tell the officers that the cat belongs to your neighbor and they will immediately address the problem with them (and possibly issue a fine). If it becomes problematic, they will take and try to give the animal away or euthanize it if they must.

You could try suing them in small claims or civil court (not sure on the law where you are, but we have harassment and public nuisance laws in Wisconsin). Other than that your only other option is to sell your home and move.

Answer 4

I agree with your husband. This sounds pretty much like a feral (wild) cat, rather than a cutsie sweet thing that belongs to someone. There are far too many feral cats running loose in our cities and since people can't or won't spay or neuter their animals, the best thing to do is euthanize the excess.

Watch the negative votes I get for this.

Answer 5

An animal that rips open trash bags is hungry. Does your neighbor not feed his/her cat? Or is it a wild animal doing the damage/

Answer 6

First of all, that doesn't sound like a cat. It sounds more like a racoon or a possum. Have you actually caught it in the act of ripping open your trash bags? Definitely sounds like a different kind of critter to me.

All that said, since any human that steps foot on your property is fair game in Texas, I would assume that animals are also fair game. Happy hunting...unless you happen to live in Massachusetts...

Answer 7

Have you spoken to your neighbor about this? Approach them in a friendly manner, telling them how cute their cat is and what types of antics it is up to in your yard. See what their reaction is, hopefully they will try to curb the cats wandering by keeping it in more often than not.

Understand that it is not damaging your property, so I suggest you not get too freaked out. At least it's not a dangerous or noisy dog, now that's a major problem.

Answer 8

I don't think you should rule out animal control, that is their purpose given the situation.

The cats I have dealt with always stay away for quite some time after squirting them with water. It has to be a good drenching from a hose or bucket. Cats are territorial and they don't return to places that didn't work out so well for them, at least not for a long time. THIS DOES NOT HARM THEM!

Sorry for yelling.

Answer 9

I believe they consider cats...free-roaming animals and won't do anything, but they probably will check to make sure that it's shots are up to date because it doesn't have a collar on. Why don't you try talking to your neighbor and see if you can resolve it that way ?

Answer 10

You're right they will euthanize it. How about you buy a couple of trash cans?