Cat-astrophe in the suburbs: Neighbour’s furious note sparks community uproar
- Replies 32
In every neighbourhood, there's always that one grumpy neighbour.
But what happens when their grumpiness sparks a community uproar?
This is the story of a disgruntled neighbour, a couple of wandering cats, and a furious note that has set the cat among the pigeons, so to speak.
The saga began with a simple but stern note from a Moreton Bay local who had enough of their neighbours’ cats using their property as a personal litter box.
The note read, 'Dear neighbour. If you have a cat that likes to roam, please keep it inside.’
‘There have been two cats on our property recently (one black, one grey), and they have been defecating where our children play.’
‘Today, there was a poo on our stairs. If this continues, we will be getting a trap from the council and taking the cat(s) to the pound. Thanks.'
The note, while direct, was not without merit.
The Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Law mandates that all domestic animals, including cats, be kept on their own property and prevented from wandering or escaping.
The council even provides cat traps at no charge for residents experiencing problems with wandering or nuisance cats on private property.
The note quickly gained traction, with many locals rallying behind the frustrated neighbour.
'The letter is respectful, and the cat owner should be as well,' one local said.
Another added, 'I think this letter is polite and non-offensive, and if I were them, I'd be beyond frustrated that I had to clean up after someone else's pet. Imagine if someone came and s*t in your yard every day?'
Another declared: 'Animal or not, and it's disgusting. I have a cat; she's an indoor cat. I'd be horrified if someone else had to clean up after her!'
'Legally, they need to be kept on the owner's property, or they can be captured and taken to the pound,’ another commented.
'This person didn't need to write a letter. They could've just gotten traps off the council.'
Another declared, 'All cat owners should keep their cats inside or in their own yard.’
'I'm tired of having cats roam in our garden. It's the ruling anyway, but it's not followed by most cat owners.’
'Dogs are to be inside their own yard and on leads, so why can't cat owners follow the council's ruling?'
Another agreed and said, 'If cats keep coming onto your property and are seen like this person says, then they are doing the right thing, first letting people know in the area that their cats are out and be if they catch any, then you will know where to find them! Kudos to the writer of the letter.’
'Cats (and I can't stress this enough) are an invasive species. Keeping your cats indoors is the best for their safety and the safety of all our native mammals, reptiles and birds.’
'What people don't realise is that cats have very potent gram-negative bacteria in their saliva, so even the native animals that manage to escape will die of resulting infections if they were so much as scratched by the cat.’
'As someone who has experience in a wildlife ward, any reptile/bird/native mammal that comes in for a cat attack is promptly treated with antibiotics, and this treatment usually needs to go for around a month.'
Wandering cats are not just a nuisance for homeowners but also a significant threat to Australia's native wildlife.
Recent research published in the book Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer found that every feral cat kills more than 740 local wildlife creatures each year.
Even domesticated cats are not innocent, with each one killing about 75 animals annually.
Nationwide, three million mammals, two million reptiles, and a million marsupials are dying every day from feral and pet cat attacks.
Kristina Vesk, CEO of Cat Protection, emphasised that cat owners have a responsibility to protect local wildlife by keeping their cats indoors.
'It's not hard to keep a cat indoors. When they're in foster care, they spend all their time indoors—the key to having a happy and healthy indoor cat is providing them with lots of enrichment.'
The feline expert encouraged owners to install indoor climbing spaces and window boxes to keep their cats feeling fulfilled.
'Cats can't take all the blame [for declining wildlife], but what owners can do is play their part in protecting the environment—it's based on being a good neighbour,' she said.
Keeping our cats happy and entertained is easier said than done.
In a previous story, a Senior Research Fellow from La Trobe University shared several ways to help meet our cats’ needs that will contribute to their well-being. You can read more about it here.
Have you had similar experiences in your neighbourhood? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
But what happens when their grumpiness sparks a community uproar?
This is the story of a disgruntled neighbour, a couple of wandering cats, and a furious note that has set the cat among the pigeons, so to speak.
The saga began with a simple but stern note from a Moreton Bay local who had enough of their neighbours’ cats using their property as a personal litter box.
The note read, 'Dear neighbour. If you have a cat that likes to roam, please keep it inside.’
A grumpy neighbour wrote a note about cats roaming around their property. Credit: Facebook
‘There have been two cats on our property recently (one black, one grey), and they have been defecating where our children play.’
‘Today, there was a poo on our stairs. If this continues, we will be getting a trap from the council and taking the cat(s) to the pound. Thanks.'
The note, while direct, was not without merit.
The Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Law mandates that all domestic animals, including cats, be kept on their own property and prevented from wandering or escaping.
The council even provides cat traps at no charge for residents experiencing problems with wandering or nuisance cats on private property.
The note quickly gained traction, with many locals rallying behind the frustrated neighbour.
'The letter is respectful, and the cat owner should be as well,' one local said.
Another added, 'I think this letter is polite and non-offensive, and if I were them, I'd be beyond frustrated that I had to clean up after someone else's pet. Imagine if someone came and s*t in your yard every day?'
Another declared: 'Animal or not, and it's disgusting. I have a cat; she's an indoor cat. I'd be horrified if someone else had to clean up after her!'
'Legally, they need to be kept on the owner's property, or they can be captured and taken to the pound,’ another commented.
'This person didn't need to write a letter. They could've just gotten traps off the council.'
Another declared, 'All cat owners should keep their cats inside or in their own yard.’
'I'm tired of having cats roam in our garden. It's the ruling anyway, but it's not followed by most cat owners.’
'Dogs are to be inside their own yard and on leads, so why can't cat owners follow the council's ruling?'
Another agreed and said, 'If cats keep coming onto your property and are seen like this person says, then they are doing the right thing, first letting people know in the area that their cats are out and be if they catch any, then you will know where to find them! Kudos to the writer of the letter.’
'Cats (and I can't stress this enough) are an invasive species. Keeping your cats indoors is the best for their safety and the safety of all our native mammals, reptiles and birds.’
'What people don't realise is that cats have very potent gram-negative bacteria in their saliva, so even the native animals that manage to escape will die of resulting infections if they were so much as scratched by the cat.’
'As someone who has experience in a wildlife ward, any reptile/bird/native mammal that comes in for a cat attack is promptly treated with antibiotics, and this treatment usually needs to go for around a month.'
Wandering cats are not just a nuisance for homeowners but also a significant threat to Australia's native wildlife.
Recent research published in the book Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer found that every feral cat kills more than 740 local wildlife creatures each year.
Even domesticated cats are not innocent, with each one killing about 75 animals annually.
Nationwide, three million mammals, two million reptiles, and a million marsupials are dying every day from feral and pet cat attacks.
Kristina Vesk, CEO of Cat Protection, emphasised that cat owners have a responsibility to protect local wildlife by keeping their cats indoors.
'It's not hard to keep a cat indoors. When they're in foster care, they spend all their time indoors—the key to having a happy and healthy indoor cat is providing them with lots of enrichment.'
The feline expert encouraged owners to install indoor climbing spaces and window boxes to keep their cats feeling fulfilled.
'Cats can't take all the blame [for declining wildlife], but what owners can do is play their part in protecting the environment—it's based on being a good neighbour,' she said.
Keeping our cats happy and entertained is easier said than done.
In a previous story, a Senior Research Fellow from La Trobe University shared several ways to help meet our cats’ needs that will contribute to their well-being. You can read more about it here.
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Could be worse it could be youths running amok in your garden destroying everything or house or stealing your car etc.so stop whining about a bit of poop.
