Forum Topic

Threatening hand delivered letter to cat owner on York Road

This morning, someone has anonymously hand delivered a very threatening letter through my door. It claims that my cat visits their garden 'during the day and evening and leaves it mess behind and makes a lot of noise during the evening'. I work full time in the emergency services which includes many late nights. My cats are always home, with no cat flap when I am at work and I never let them out after sunset, be that 4 o'clock in the winter. They are in around 20 hours a day on average apart from my days off.  One of my cats is quite elderly and when he is outside spends his time sitting in a garden chair snoozing and watching the birds fly around. My youngest cat is very shy as he is a rescue cat and stays very close to me as he is scared of pretty much everything. They also do their toilet every day in the litter tray, ater they have eaten their dinner. The letter states, 'This a warning, so as a good neighbour you do what it takes to make sure it never comes to our garden again'. I am very shaken now as this letter does not state where it has come from, if they are are making threats to hurt my cat. There is no evidence that one of my cats is going to their garden as there is about 6-8 cats who live on York Road as best I can tell from the local cats I see on my street.By not speaking to myself directly and dropping a hand written threat through my door, how can I confirm if my cat has been to their garden or not? Because my cats are not allowed out after dark, is this person even contacting the right cat owner on the street by their claim, 'It makes a lot of noise in the evening'. Just a word of advice to cat owners on York Road, there is a person making threats to cats owners anonynously and may harm the animals.I wish that the person had the courage to speak to me directly. I have lived here for 20 years, and had a pet cat for the past 15 years, why the sudden threats?

Miriam Kerketta ● 5533d15 Comments

Well....it’s not the best scripted neighbourly letter  and it’s anonymity unhelpful, but I don’t think it’s threatening to your cat per se; a conversation directly with you would have been better.If as you say your cats are unimpeachable on the grounds your neighbour claims, why don’t you speak to your neighbour directly? Your position is much stronger than his if what you claim is correct. Sometimes it pays to be the bigger person.I know cat lovers love their cats to a fault but not everyone does and their excrement can cause untold health problems, so I wouldn’t be particularly enamoured with one visiting my garden leaving deposits – that said – I’d confront you directly if I had a problem and not leave a cowardly note.

T Beme ● 5533d

I would happily speak to the letter writer if I knew who they were!, I know my immediate neighbours on a hello, how are you basis and any topics of conversation with them have never been about my cats. I would just like to confirm if it my cat or not who has been in their garden. If he has, I would happily provide them with cat detterent materials to be used their garden, if I knew who they were!

Miriam Kerketta ● 5533d

How horrid!Anyhow, how can anyone prevent a cat from visiting the neighbours? It's what they do.I have a great greetings card - but no potential recipient yet - which says "dogs have owners - cats have staff" Seems bang on to me.

Sara Nathan ● 5533d

Yes that's what I would use - the deterrent formulas and those sonic thingys.

T Beme ● 5533d

It's a coward who would do this sort of thing.  I doubt if the person lives on York Rd.  Alas there are some sick people out there who get a kick out of this vile action.  A lot of animals have better habits than humans (you just have to look behind the trees by the playground in Springfield Gdns (a human toilet))

Nicola Howard ● 5533d

Miriam - It may be worth getting on to the RSPCA about this - there may be other people in the area who have had similar letters. I know from past experience that they tend to take this sort of threat quite seriously.  You probably find the problem is being caused by an unneutered male - do you know if there are any strays in the area?

Nina Battleday ● 5532d

A word of caution. I had a cat in the long distant past which was poisoned by a neighbour.  This neighbour also decided he did not like plants and decided to do the same to all my plants along my fence adjoining his property.  Needless to say both the cat and my plants all died. When this gentlemen passed away, my plants flourished.  I agree this needs to be reported to ther RSPCA.

Dee Cook ● 5532d

Dee, that was no gentleman.  How horrid for you, the cat and plants.Dee and Miriam are right.  If the mailer didn't possibly intend harm then they may have been braver and signed the letter.I would contact all known cat owners in the area and possibly even knock on doors politely explaining the letter you received, see what reaction you get and I would contact the RSPCA.    You could even put a friendly letter through all doors in the area of some sort.  You must be a little shaken.

Angela White ● 5532d

Thanks for the advice, I think a little letter drop is a great idea, I'll write up something small and simple today. If I do it as a 'please be aware' to the cat owner's maybe it make the threat writer think twice about their actions. The poison element is a real factor, I know a lady who's home back's on to the Friary estate and her neighbour poisoned her cats. Like I wrote before, if my cat has gone to the toilet in their garden, I would happily provide them with cat detterent products to use in their garden. I'll also photocopy the letter and send a copy on to the RSPCA for their records.

Miriam Kerketta ● 5532d

As recommended, i did do a letter drop on my street asking the writer to come forward, funnily enough nobody did, spineless. I spoke with a neighbour today who said there is someone on the street also complaining of the sound of children playing in the street which included her grandson when he visits, crazy. The children on this street are nice kind kids and do not make tons of noise when they are playing outside. What next, will this person complain of people walking past their house on the pavement (!)

Miriam Kerketta ● 5524d

It may not be the same person - why do you think it is?We are all unreasonable about different things so someone wound up about cats may not even notice children playing and vice versa.

Sara Nathan ● 5524d

Well done for doing the letter drop.  Not sure what it contained, but the person probably now knows you're on the case and may refrain from doing any harm but I'd still watch your cat.  Let's hope it's nothing serious, just hot air.  Spineless, yes.

Angela White ● 5524d

Miriam - I still think it should be reported to the RSPCA.  They are legally empowered to deal with these things and if this is the same person who is also complaining about children it may build up a case against him or her.  I know from previous experience that the RSPCA has taken action in this sort of case and they have been very effective.

Nina Battleday ● 5524d

I agree with Nina.

Angela White ● 5524d

The wording in my letter I delivered to my street was professional, simmply asking to person to come forward to allow me to help them by providing cat detterent materials if it is my cat who visits their garden, and that I cannot help them if I do not know who they are!.A lot of people have lived on this street for 20 years +, and this complaining of life on the street appears to be something new, hence the question if all the complaining is coming from the same person. I've photocopied the letter and I'll forward a copy with a cover note to the RSPCA for their records. Thanks for all the advice.

Miriam Kerketta ● 5524d