# Somebody trying to poison our cats?



## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Hello all!

As you know, when we first arrived here, to this new house, we let our cats out for the first in their lives, they were too scared to get out of the house as they were not used to it. However, the next day, we had problem with the next door neighbour, he was mad and started shouting and insulting us saying that if he ever see the cats in his garden he will kill them or poison them. 

Since then, about a year ago, the cats never left the house again, we were too scared to let them out just in case.

Last month we decided to use some chicken wire to fence the back of the house, that way, they would never be able to jump into the next door neighbours anymore. 

It has worked, as now they spend all day out and about, coming back when they had enough, usually we call them and they come back home before dark. 

However, yesterday we found a big piece of meet in our back garden and we thought maybe another cat brought it as our cats are indoors all night long. 

Today, again, we found a big piece of fish in our back garden. 

We don't have neighbours at each side of our house and only one, at the back. So we don't know whether to talk to them to see if they are having any problems with our cats, as far as we know, they don't go to their garden at all. 

We kept both chunks of meat and fish in plastic bags, we don't know whether we will use them in the future, we think the neighbours are not happy and they are trying to poison them. 

Or maybe we are just being paranoid?? We think we should wait another day or two and see if more meat or fish appears in our back garden. 

Any tips or ideas? Should we involve the police? 

Ta!


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## xgarb (May 6, 2011)

Maybe set up a hidden camera to see if it's being thrown over from the back? Or put a really obvious camera up to try and stop them.


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## Katiebelle2882 (Dec 17, 2012)

I'd say hidden camera as well. That is REALLY messed up. Perhaps you can bring the meat/fish somewhere to get it tested?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Keep the meat and fish in the freezer and ask your vet for advice???


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## titania (Jan 3, 2013)

Lolito said:


> ...........
> However, yesterday we found a big piece of meet in our back garden and we thought maybe another cat brought it as our cats are indoors all night long.
> 
> Today, again, we found a big piece of fish in our back garden.
> ...


Just my imagination, but some DIYer here could probably improve on it:

Wire a smoke alarm to a wide angle detector of movements, coupled with a huge light. It would need to be aimed particularly well in the direction where you think the flying meat and fish come from. When they throw anything, the alarm goes off as well as the light. Mind you, a bat or owl could set it off. :bounce:

Short of that, doubtful if the police would do anything. Are you renting or have you bought? Is moving possible? I would hate having such neighbours. You have all my sympathy.


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## wiggytheone (Dec 3, 2012)

Lolito said:


> Hello all!
> 
> As you know, when we first arrived here, to this new house, we let our cats out for the first in their lives, they were too scared to get out of the house as they were not used to it. However, the next day, we had problem with the next door neighbour, he was mad and started shouting and insulting us saying that if he ever see the cats in his garden he will kill them or poison them.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear about your problem, but I find it astonishing that your neighbour is having a problem with your cats. We have two cats and all our Spanish neighbours know them around here and have no problem with them. 

You need to understand from your neighbour what the real problem is, because in our experience Spanish people (assuming that your neighbour is Spanish) do not get wound up as a rule over things like cats. 

Now if your neighbour has birds I can understand he might have concern, but to try and poison your cats, I'm not sure. 

It probably would have been better to have spoken to your neighbour the day he was shouting and insulting you as the problem would have been resolved then. Leaving issues unresolved for a year is not in my experience a good idea. 

However if he is throwing poisoned food over your fence and you cant communicate with him, then you the police is your only answer. 

Firstly though I would have the meat / fish tested for poison.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

Maybe you could call the group SOS Veneno and ask their advice. The telephone number is here: Qué puedes hacer - VenenoNO. I don't know anything about them personally -- just found them by Googling.

Also, if another cat might have entered your property, is it possible that your cats can still get out and annoy the neighbor? Could you improve the fencing?


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Cook the food & invite the fellow around for supper.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

We went to see them yesterday to speak to them, and although we knew they were at home, they didn't open the door. 

Today we haven't found anything. 

We couldn't resolve things this time last year with them, as they were very unreasonable, they kept shouting to us, etc, and that was the first day we moved into this rented property. I think what made me angry at first was the way they talked to us, not manners at all, to be the first time we actually spoke, he could have tried to be more sensitive and nice. 

They are not Spanish, I think they are French.

The fencing is very good at the back, they tried a few times, but now they know they can't get out they are not trying anymore. However, sometimes they go for hours, and we don't know whether they go using the front of our house and then they go all the way back to the neighbours house, I would be surprise if they do that, as mostly they go the other way, but you can never tell with cats. 

We'll wait a few more days, maybe it was another cat that brought the food to our garden, it could be possible, but I suppose we'll never know!


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Cats don't bring snacks round for other cats.

Freeze any food you find and I'd certainly look at installing a security camera 4 Wireless Infrared Spy Camera CCTV AV IR USB Laptop PC | eBay sort of thing.


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## wiggytheone (Dec 3, 2012)

Lolito said:


> We went to see them yesterday to speak to them, and although we knew they were at home, they didn't open the door.
> 
> Today we haven't found anything.
> 
> ...


Well done on trying to talk to them, at least now you know exactly where you stand, and it can never be said you haven't tried. 
If you are renting then ask the owners to sort this out, as they have let you rent a property living next door to an obvious cat / animal hater. 
Regarding the cat / animal hater I would now tell him I'm going to denounce him or at least go to your local police station and report him as it is then on record should it go further. However as mentioned it really is not your problem as you are renting (apart from your cats being in danger). 

It would be sweet to think that another cat is bringing food into your garden, but I doubt it

Just as a matter of interest do they have any animals.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

wiggytheone said:


> Well done on trying to talk to them, at least now you know exactly where you stand, and it can never be said you haven't tried.
> If you are renting then ask the owners to sort this out, as they have let you rent a property living next door to an obvious cat / animal hater.
> Regarding the cat / animal hater I would now tell him I'm going to denounce him or at least go to your local police station and report him as it is then on record should it go further. However as mentioned it really is not your problem as you are renting (apart from your cats being in danger).
> 
> ...


/

If the answer is yes, then politely show him the pieces you found(but don't give him them) and make him aware that, in the future, in the "spirit if good neighbours", you'll return his property, in the same manner it was delivered to you. Smile and leave.

The calm, controlled expression of intent can be more scary than shouting and insults:ranger:


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Nope, they don't have animals, apart from them two, he and she. lol! Another day no meat/fish found. .....

However, this morning... we had an encounter with yet another neighbour, he wanted to know if we had cats... because he's got a parrot at home and he does not want our cats to 'eat' or 'kill' the parrot. 

He said, that over Xmas he kept seeing an 'orange tiger' cat...!? I told him we have not orange cats or tiger cats, my cats only go out like 2 or 3 hours a day, during the day, never out at night time and besides, over Xmas, we were away. 

I asked him if he leaves his doors and windows opened when he let his parrot out of his cage, and he said 'NO WAYYYYYYYYY he would escapeee' - so then I asked him how a cat would eat or kill his parrots if everytime he is out of the cage, all the doors and windows are closed? HE said that the cat was actually outside his house looking inside at the parrot. 

I was very polite and said that he can't go round the village telling people to keep their cats indoors so he can let his parrot out of his cage. 

Does not look like he understood a word I said. But he apologised to me and I said very clearly that our cats got collars and are never out before midday or after 5pm... as long as he remembers that....

He lives 5 houses down, so I don't think he would be throwing food round the fence from such a distance....

Some people are a bit thick... this is a little village, lots of cats and dogs owners, plus all those wild cats everywhere... if you don't want cats, them move to an 8th floor flat in the middle of some city and leave us all animal lovers in peace!! Lol!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

not sure if you saw this Lolito??

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/134310-could-i-fined.html


eventually both mayor & the ayuntamiento said that I was at liberty to let my cats out whenever & wherever I want - & if anyone _was _to poison them, then they would have the force of the law brought down upon them


it seems to have blown over atm - there are cats out in the urb again, anyway

one of my kittens follwed me in through the gate from the street the other day - I left the house door to the interior of the urb open for him & called him, but he was clearly out of his comfort zone in the urb & was next seen scratching at my window on the street side of the house!


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Oh dear 6k sounds like a lot of money. 

Here the Policia Municipal once told me that on friday evenings, they go round the village and take any dogs or cats they bump into to the local kennels. Not sure why, and why on Fridays. 

Maybe it is such a small village that the police invent their own laws to pass the time. They also told us that if our neighbours don't like cats, we should keep them inside, and I remember telling them that we don't like the neighbours and they should be kept inside too. 

We have just renewed for another year, so I will have to put up with anything that happens in the next 12 months, but I can't wait to move to another place!! First thing on viewing a house would be to ask the neighbourhood about cats!


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