Hello - I have a dilemma and would like to talk through it with someone more knowledgeable, if possible!
We have three cats who have access to our garden when we are at home - two of them have never left the garden but one of them often hops next door as their grass is often longer (and greener, perhaps, given as it's 'on the other side' . . . .
. . .) They only go into the garden when there is someone in - when the weather is okay, the doors are open all the time so they can come and go as they please. We live in a very cat-loving neighbourhood - most of the houses in the street have at least one cat - but this has never seemed to cause any problems and even means that we all look out for each other's moggies, many of whom are frequent visitors to our garden.
However, recently, following the death of one of their cats, our other next door neighbour has adopted a couple of young cats (7 months, I think) from the RSPCA. They are fairly timid but sit on the fence post between our gardens and stare rather nervously at our three. I think they were adopted about 3-4 weeks ago. I spoke to my neighbour (a very nice chap but who has very firm opinions, a sense that he is always right and, to be honest, is the sort of person I would like to stay on the right side of) on Saturday and asked how they were settling in and he told me that they were pretty stressed out (they have an older, more established cat who is not taking the change very happily) and that the vet thinks they have cat flu.
Alarm bells started ringing as although I haven't ever had experience of cat flu, I thought that a) it was a communicable condition that required keeping affected animals away from others and b) it wasn't very nice. Given that these kittens were still roaming about the neighbourhood, I thought that he must be exaggerating the symptoms, or something.
However, yesterday afternoon, I saw one of the kittens on the fence post and went over to say hello. It's eyes were a bit runny and it sounded snuffly and actually coughed. At least, it made a really funny noise that may have been a sneeze or a cough - certainly not a noise I've heard a cat make before. I immediately scooted my three indoors and they spent the rest of the day staring forlornly out of the french doors.
The thing is, I am really cross that these kittens are spending all day outside when they are clearly unwell, and potentially putting other cats in the area at risk of catching whatever it is that they have. I am also really annoyed that my three are unable to go out in their garden - I am keeping them in because I don't want them catching anything!
I know that you will probably advise me to have a quiet word with my neighbour but although he can be very charming and our families have established a friendship since they moved here about a year ago, I don't want to spark any problems between us. It's hard to describe; he's a nice chap but as I said before, so certain that he is in the right all the time that I don't think he would take kindly to any perceived criticism. I am a little surprised that they are allowing the kittens out but then I am not an expert and maybe they don't appreciate that there might be risk to other cats. I don''t think that they are being cruel or neglecting their cats (they are 'cat people' and did all they could for their previous cat, including chemo, etc) but . . . .well, I think they are being a bit inconsiderate.
There, rant over.
Hope everyone's well . . . . .
