We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat flap.

She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

 

[Hughsie]

We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat flap.

She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

I don't think people who would harm an animal are good people,
, or responsible as far as I am concerned. I do agree cats should not be allowed to roam around unsupervised, as they can harm our bird life, as well as perch themselves up on the bonnet 0f your car if it is in the open, therefore leaving a lot of scratches on the bonnet so yes let your cat out in your own yard, but make sure you supervise the animal.

 

[Liz]

I have a rescue cat who was a stray and am constantly on vigil should she get out. There are other cats in the neighbourhood who roam into our complex. I would hate someone writing this sort of thing to me if my beloved cat should accidentally get out. If you can talk to your neighbours fine but if you cannot just ring Council in Brisbane and they will send the owner a letter. My cat is my life and I really believe the Government should bring back registration of cats in Brisbane and surrounds. I don't mind paying an annual fee like dog owners do. The government said it was too difficult to police but if you are resonsible you would do anything for you pet. And accidents do happen.

 

[cat55]

I like cats. My daughter has 3. However they should be kept indoors or in a cat enclosure like a screened in veranda or similar. I don’t agree with cats being free to roam. My daughters cats are lead trained when they are outside. Cats can injure wildlife and quickly become feral. And feral cats need to be eradicated. So please, if you have a pet cat, treat it like a toddler, watch what they are up to and keep out of mischief!

 

[Ian1]

We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat flap.

She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

What ever is wrong with the apparently forgotten art of communication? Why must our first approach be via some sort of litigation? Isn’t this how wars start? What is wrong with popping into the neighbour’s, maybe sitting down with a cuppa, and amicably discussing the situation, and covering the alternatives, and arriving at a mutual agreement, a plan of attack to resolve this, before it gets out of hand??? The world is going crazy!

 

[Thecheesequeen]

Let’s not forget that both cats were outside. And that the person who received the complaint immediately closed her cat flap so that the cat couldn’t go out. Cats will happily live indoors if they’ve been raised that way. It’s harder to change their desire to be outside if they haven’t been used to being confined - doable, though,with persistence.

 

[BJM]

We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat flap.

She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

Rules are rules - cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours. It’s fair to everyone

 

[Macarj]

Cats should be in enclosed cat runs they shouldn't be able to get out this is why native animals are killed

 

[Lex]

We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat oDflap.
D
She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

We have had several cats and currently have two plus two dogs. Our cats have always been restricted to indoors (Cost of an outside enclosure was and is still prohibitive for us). I am a firm believer that cats MUST be restricted in their movements because they are a threat to wildlife. Don'e be mistaken in the belief that a well fed cat will not hunt. Cats are hunters by nature. Our domestic cat is actually one of the top hunter will a kill rate far exceeding most wild felines. Don't try and tell me that keeping them inside is cruel. If you keep them stimulated and entertained they are quite happy and content. Responsible pet ownership not only means looking after and caring for you pet but also ensuring it does not create problems for neighbours. Not everyone likes or believes in pet ownership.

 

[Jennylolo]

Let’s not forget that both cats were outside. And that the person who received the complaint immediately closed her cat flap so that the cat couldn’t go out. Cats will happily live indoors if they’ve been raised that way. It’s harder to change their desire to be outside if they haven’t been used to being confined - doable, though,with persistence.

exactly. If the cat going in next door picks a fight, then that "victim" is also outside and not inside an enclosed area. Both should have an outdoor enclosure accessed through a door/window and this would resolve the issue for both.

 

[gordon1940]

What ever is wrong with the apparently forgotten art of communication? Why must our first approach be via some sort of litigation? Isn’t this how wars start? What is wrong with popping into the neighbour’s, maybe sitting down with a cuppa, and amicably discussing the situation, and covering the alternatives, and arriving at a mutual agreement, a plan of attack to resolve this, before it gets out of hand??? The world is going crazy!

Well said.

 

[lozat54]

We've all had a neighbour we don't get along with. Maybe they're too noisy, or they have an unruly dog that bark s all night, or perhaps they're just really messy and their yard is always cluttered.

But most of us (hopefully) would never stoop so low as to threaten our neighbours – especially when it comes to their pets.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to one Brisbane woman recently, who received a threatening note from a neighbour after her cat got into a fight with their cat.

The whole ordeal started when the Brisbane woman's neighbour approached her over the weekend and told her that her cat was going into their property to 'pick a fight' .

To prevent her misbehaving cat from escaping, the 'mortified and apologetic' cat owner immediately covered the cat flap on the backdoor. She did this because she believed it was the right thing to do.

The owner of the cat, however, claimed to have received an 'abusive' remark from a neighbour, who scribbled the warning on the reverse of a council document on managing cat behaviour, the following day.

A photo of the note that one concerned cat owner received from her neighbour. Credit: Reddit.​

The note warned: 'Control your animals or they will disappear!'

The concerned cat owner posted a picture of the note on Reddit in the hopes of getting some advice on what to do.

The post quickly captured the attention of many users, receiving more than 800 comments. However, not all of them sided with the letter recipient, sparking a heated online argument between Brisbane dog and cat owners.

Residents who were adamantly opposed to allowing cats to wander free were 'implored' to borrow cat traps from their council so they could catch the animals and transport them to the pound.

One user commented: 'I don‘t mind the inconvenience of taking the cats I catch into the council. My neighbourhood benefits from every cat that is off the streets.'

Some people pointed out the reports about the typical number of wildlife killings caused by cats, before labelling felines as 'killers'.

The feud stirred a heated debate online. Credit. iStock.​

One comment read: 'Cats are killers, it‘s not the flavour of the month. There’s undisputed evidence that wildlife is suffering because of cat owners. You’re being willingly ignorant on an important topic.'

'"On average, cats kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, 1.09 million birds, 0.26 million frogs and 2.97 million invertebrates every 24 hours." This includes roaming pet cats,' another added, citing data from the Invasive Species Council.

Even though a tradesman mistakenly left the garage door open, some other commentators shamelessly blamed the owner for letting the cat escape.

One person said: 'Best bet is to keep your cat inside or enclosed outside. Doing the right thing from the start would have avoided the issues in the first place.'

'You own the cat and it is your responsibility to keep that cat on your own property … If I found a cat had done something to my bird I would see red. I can tell you that much,' one parrot owner argued.

Others expressed sympathy for the cat owner.

One supportive comment read: 'I think you’re doing the right thing. Sorry you had to deal with this, I would be mortified if I got that letter.'

'You’re doing really well and your neighbour should be keeping their cat indoors too? Accidents happen, what matters is the work you are doing.'

Others said that responsible cat ownership works both ways and that if a neighbour doesn't want their cat to be harmed by another cat, they should likewise keep their animal indoors.

Owners of cats must microchip, register, and provide a suitable enclosure, according to Brisbane City Council.

While it is unclear which local government district the resident belongs to, the cat's owner has said that she abides by these regulations.

The cat owner explained: 'She’s a rescue street cat and I’m doing everything in my power to keep her in, wanting suggestions on how to keep her in or if those digital barriers work.'

'My animals are f****** registered and fully insured and fed premium quality food so get off telling me I’m irresponsible when I’m literally trying to act as responsibly as possible here.'

According to the website, cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours.

The council also suggests that if an annoyance is made, the person who is bothered goes and chats with the cat owner before taking any further action.

'There are numerous ways a cat owner can safely contain a cat to their property and there are plenty of options that could be considered including but not limited to: Provide further stimulation, keeping the cat indoors, modifying existing fencing or (by) providing prefabricated cat runs,' a statement on the council website read.

Despite the argument, it appeared that the letter's recipient had the last word when she stated that she had purchased a digital fence as a 'backup solution' and had totally taken out the cat flap.

She shared: 'Obviously this was gonna bring out the cat haters and I should have expected as much. Thanks to everyone who gave constructive advice.'

We love our pets, and we want to make sure that they are always safe. That's why we're committed to keeping them safe, whether it's from hazards in the home or outside dangers.

While the other cat owner's concerns are valid, threatening another cat owner of causing harm to their pet is not a pleasant way to ensure your furry friend's safety. After all, it will be ironic that you're willing to hurt other animals if you are a pet lover yourself.

What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think the other cat owner went too far?

Perhaps getting advice from an expert, talking to council would have been a better option than relying on the opinions on Reddit!

 

[PepeLePew]

I don't have a cat but have had many in the past. They were always locked up at night and stayed within the confines of my yard during the day unless the then neighbour out the back enticed them into her home with food. At the present time there are 4 cats that roam my neighbourhood, one who was persistently going into my duck enclosure and annoying them until the ducks ganged up on it. I rang the Brisbane City Council about getting a cat trap and was told that they only give them to people who want to trap feral cats NOT domestic cats. I was told that it is illegal to trap pet cats and if they allowed people to do that then the shelters would be inundated with these animals and that they don't have the facilities to house them all.

 

[Ezzy]

Not the friendliest means of solving a dispute & the recipient of the note, though possibly correct in this situation, can only assume this was received from the neighbour in dispute.

l believe cats should be enclosed but until this becomes mandatory & with the cost, as stated by a reader is prohibitive to them, only those owners who are so inclined will keep their cats indoors or build an enclosure. My thought with keeping them indoors, though they may be happy, is is this like imprisonment?

My local Council makes cat traps available to people with one stipulation, 'lf you know who the owner is you must return the cat to its owner'.

 

[Nanna@Goulburn]

Rules are rules - cats can be outside as long as they are in an enclosed environment and don't bother their neighbours. It’s fair to everyone

I see cats all the time climbing in and out of the drain next to the footpath opposite my hoand I say to my husband how the cat will go home and be picked up and cuddled by it’s owner or their children. It could have been chasing rats or mice the thought makes me cringe