Cats - Noise Nuisance

Lass

I had plans to pop in and see her and suggest that, while I try different things with the cats, perhaps earplugs would give her the rest she needs in the meantime. To be honest, I'm so dismayed at her behaviour, I'm inclined not to do this now.

BitterAndTwisted - I hear what you're saying, but to be frank, the last thing I feel like doing is spending my hard-earned time off with her being personable and friendly when I really can't feel that way towards her right now. She admitted at the mediation that she doesn't like cats.

FireFox - yes, you're right, I need to stop stressing and whingeing on here and make some calls - my vet, SSPCA, Environmental Health and perhaps CAB - have I missed anyone out?

I really feel now that, even if by some miracle I could alter the cats behaviour, she'll find something else to complain about. My other neighbour who I was talking to earlier says she's complained to every neighbour in the stair, about something or other - I am led to understand that she was the very first person to move into this entire street once the properties were built, and has the attitude of being Queen of the Road. This does not remove the fact that she shouldn't be disturbed by her neighbours, or the stress I am feeling about where this will all end, but it has served to take me slightly off the defensive and on to the offensive, iyswim. Thank you to everyone for your input, it has been helpful and supportive.

Lass x

Fire_Fox

Don't telephone or you will get a verbal response which isn't worth the paper it's written on! E-mail or snail mail so you get a written response from the SSPCA or vet which you can use in mediation. Don't worry about 'whinging' as (a) we think you have every right to and (b) it helps you look at this in a different light and de-stress a little.

Don't get mad, get even! The silly old trout is tripping herself up with her own fantasies and lies, I bet the mediation people secretly think she is a loon. If she starts complaining about something else get an ASBO out on her.

supersaver66

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Don't telephone or you will get a verbal response which isn't worth the paper it's written on! E-mail or snail mail so you get a written response from the SSPCA or vet which you can use in mediation. Don't worry about 'whinging' as (a) we think you have every right to and (b) it helps you look at this in a different light and de-stress a little.

Don't get mad, get even! The silly old trout is tripping herself up with her own fantasies and lies, I bet the mediation people secretly think she is a loon. If she starts complaining about something else get an ASBO out on her.

lol thats so funny!! Yeah I can imagine that people think shes a little cuckoo anyway

I think you have been nothing but nice, I would love a neighbour like you! You do however have every right to feel this way but I would just ignore any future correspondence regarding this, its not worth the upset.

Lass

:rotfl: Thank you Fire Fox, that was a much needed laugh!

I emailed both the SSPCA and the local Anti-Social Behaviour Department this morning. My vet doesn't appear to have email contact, so I'll need to give them a call, but they are a great practice so I'm happy to ask them to send me something in writing and think they will probably do so.

As my kids weren't here last night, I kept the kitties confined to the hallway and the kids rooms. I was woken and got up from sleep to find out what all the noise was at around 1.30am, having a panic that it was my neighbour banging to shush my cats before I remembered they weren't in the livingroom. However, for whatever reason, the people above me were hammering on their livingroom window and shouting - I dare say she'll have heard this, so for once the disruption won't be laid at my door!

Thanks again folks, will keep you up to date with replies I get from the experts.

Lass x

Katie-Kat-Kins

Lass wrote: »

I really feel now that, even if by some miracle I could alter the cats behaviour, she'll find something else to complain about.

I think this is dead right!

I'd buy some of the wax ear plugs (they are the ones my friend uses too), and print out some information about a white noise machine or noise blocking headphones and pop a little letter through her door. Keep a copy of what you sent and do it in a nicey nicey way.

I genuinely believe that the only way to deal with this woman is to take the wind out of her sails by being as nice as pie. You can also keep the copy of the letter as evidence of how nice and helpful and reasonable you are being for next time you speak to the council noise people.

In the meantime keep a diary just in case things escalate, note things like noise from other neighbours just in case she tries to blame you. Also note days when you do things differently so that you can tally these with her diary and so on.

Best of luck.

Lass

Thanks KatP for your advice. I'm not sure I could be any nicer with her if I tried! In our mediation 'agreement' we said that after a few days of trying something new with the kitties, we'd talk and see what the outcome was. So I'll head down to see her and mention the ear plugs as at least a 'temporary' position. I don't think I mentioned it before, but she has said that in the evening she watches tv with the sound off and subtitles on, so if she's so used to such quiet, I'm not surprised this is setting her off.

I am keeping a diary of what I'm doing with the cats, and when - actually my son got up the other night at around 2am and logged that one of my cats was sleeping and the other cat was making an incredible noise... eating haha! Bless him, he thought it was funny!

I received an acknowledgement from the Antisocial behaviour folks just advising they'd passed my query to the local Community Safety Officer so we'll see what he has to say. Still waiting to hear from SSPCA, once they've stopped laughing they might get back to me.

Lass x

Katie-Kat-Kins

Buy them for her as a gift, they aren't expensive. Then she has no excuse for not trying them. Print out info on white noise machines and noise blocking headphones, you need to really give her no reason not to try these things as they are the obvious answer. If she doesn't give them a fair go then next time you get a visit you can say not only that you have tried to stop the cats disturbing her but also that you have offered suggestions that will prevent the noise from disturbing her but she "can't be bothered" to try them out. This will make it dead clear who the problem is!

To be honest though I wonder if she has some medical problem if she is so sensitive to noise that she listens to the TV with the sound off. Either that or she is just bonkers!

rita-rabbit

She should move out to a smaller flat or try sleeping tablets or Vallium - annoying person! My cats are large & one is fat (I have tried to give her less food but she does beg & beg) & they get into major playing/running/jumping sessions at night - that is their natural behaviour. For goodness sake - make a stand or she will never stop - you have rights too.