concern for cats

[julie65]

hi all, i noticed last week that my neighbour was doing a lot of work on his fence which runs at the bottom of my garden, i didnt take much notice except for last night while i was tidying my own garden i saw that he has put barbed wire around the whole of the garden fence( fair enough its his garden) but what im concerned about his my cat came home with cuts all over his paws and im putting it down to this barbed wire.

i know he detests cats (fair enough) but am i wrong in thinking this is cruel and a very dangerous thing to do? seeings how we have a lot of cats around here.

im worried a poor unsuspecting animal is going to jump on the fence and get seriously hurt.

what should i do?

thanks in advance.

[horselady]

Have a quick word with your Council, I'm sure that he is not allowed to do that. I remember some daft case not long ago when a burglar got injured by barbed wire on a householders fence and it said then that it is illegal. Couldn't care less about burglars myself, got to look after pussy cats though.

[julie65]

thank you for the help, im trying to get lots of advice together to see if i can get something done.

the man who owns the house actually works for the council and i think a hater of cats.

thing is we also get foxes jumping that fence i kow because they come into my garden and i feed them! im wracking my brains as to which dept of thw council to contact, what with this i can feel myself getting more and more angrier when i look out of the window!

its not as though any one could actually get access to his garden to rob him!? hes the only one that is completly blocked off so he must have done it to stop the cats wandering, the word cruel ****** comes to mind. there must be a kinder to way to keep the cats off his garden.

thanks a lot, now im wittering lol.

julie x

[ugly_bob]

I find my dog keep the cats from the garden. Foxes too.

[LaLaLand2006]

I just found this http://www.askthe.police.uk/Content/Q78.htm

The key section seems to be:

Using barbed/razor wire and broken glass in order to stop people getting in to your home is not advisable. You are making yourself liable to civil action as you owe a duty of care to ensure that visitors to your property are reasonably safe. As absurd as it may seem you also owe a lower duty of care to trespassers.

Do you feel you could talk to him face to face to explain your concerns. s this site suggests, maybe he could plant a hawthorne bush or other prickly plan instead (which cats can negotiate better than evil barbed wire). You could even say you'd contribute to this if you feel able to....

Poor puss, hope he's OK now.

[julie65]

hi again, thanks for the advice, im still trying to work out where i go from here, i dont think said neighbour would be interested in my cat or anyone elses but i will try later when i know he is at home, thanks lala smudge is fine, sore paws and a bit of lost fur but i doubt he will be crossing into this mans garden again! i just hope other cats dont either it looks like colditz out there.

[Simeon]

Accidently on purpose cut yourself on his barbed wire and threaten legal action. He will soon get rid of it then.

[felinechums]

I agree with Simeon, but don't stop at the threat - take an action against him. That will stop his antisocial ways.

[julie65]

hi, the problem is who do i report him too??? i have made a report to the rspca just to ask for advice but as i re read it it sounds like im just complaining because he put barbed wire up and i dont like it! i wish i knew who to call or to contact, no one seems interested, i can see a cat being maimed or having his fur ripped out on this wire it looks so barbaric, there are so many cats around here ( i know because i go out and clean cat poo up every day) its just where he has positioned it its so obvious its to deter cats, he spends 24/7 in that garden and i know he takes pride in it, but its lethal and its worrying me, ive gone out and pressed it down so its not directly on the top of the fence, but when he sees it i suppose he will put it back on top again, who can i report this too??

[LaLaLand2006]

Until someone is hurt, he's not actually doing anything legally wrong, although morally this is a different matter, and even then it's a grey area. Maybe you could try clipping the barbs off the wire in the dead of night! I'm not trying to trivialise your concerns at all, I'd feel completely the same way. But if he's not actually doing anything legally wrong, and you don't feel you can talk to him about it, I'm not sure what your options are. Maybe if you speak to him and he expresses an opinion that he intends to hurt cats, or isn't bothered if he does, then maybe the RSPCA might take things a little more seriously.

[julie65]

yes you are right i know he isnt really doing anything wrong and i cant prove that he is, i just think he`s cruel to do it but thats my opinion. my huband just came home and literally pressed it right down further than i can reach anyway lol. im going to have to leave things as they are and just casually mention that my cat was injured without shouting etc, if it does happen again i will be getting some legal advice, i`ll take the cat to the vets get a report and go from there.

[Fire Bird]

I am personally not a cat lover, but I would never harm a cat, in fact only the other day did an emergency stop for one.

But I will hose them down, and lob things at them (not literally) if they are in my garden.

I prefer to see wild birds in my garden.

I think cats are too easy pets to own, as half the time their owners do not know where they are.

[julie65]

well ive had great news from the rspca! they say they are trying hard to get something done about neighbours that are doing this sort of thing and they agree with me it is wrong. anyway had a really long chat about this and they are sending round an rspca officer around to see it for themselves, apparantly the rspca are unindated with complaints about this sort of thing.

firebird yes i love birds too, infact i adore all animals, i own 3 rabbits a cat and some fish infact, i do everything possible to ensure my cat is looked after, he has a collar and a bell on to stop him catching birds, he is wormed and has reg vaccinations and he is inside during the night,and has access to his own house during the day so he isnt just left, he also has a heart problems immune system problems, so no i dont agree cats are any easier to look after than any pet really.