Neighbours and our cat

[Greedyfly]

I have recently moved into my house and we have a year old Kitty, male and neutured. He has just started going outside and is enjoying being in the yard and climbing on the ajoining wall between us and our neighbours. They have flower beds in there yard and I believe my kitty maybe being curious and wandering around in them. I have noticed a couple of times they have been scaring him off the wall and today he has come inside with a weepy eye and he stinks of citronella. I have been outside and they have put citron crystals along the wall, I assume to keep him out. I believe they have recently got a kitten themselves, so they obviously dont hate cats. My question is shall I go around there and ask if he is causing trouble? I dont want them scaring him or him getting hurt in anyway. But also I dont want him digging around in there flowers etc... If they had a problem I would have hoped they would come around here and ask what to do. I wouldnt mind if they just sprayed him with water etc... Also I have bathed his eye, I assume he has got citronella in it - will this be very harmful? or shall I keep bathing it and see? (was going to leave it till tomorrow then take him to vets if worse) Thanks

[Nosha123]

poor little thing.... and why the hell would he stink of citronella if he had simply walked through their garden.. frankly he wouldnt.. so have they chucked it at him? If so then any vet treatment should be met by them!

Cats are meant to be deterred by citrus smells.... though it may not work in all instances...

What would you do to their kitten should it eventually come into your garden eh? Which it will - just out of curiosity!!! How would they feel if you did the same back...

Some people really make me cross with their ignorance...

OK... if your cat doesnt have a litter tray.. you could have a patch in the garden with bark chips or sand or something for him to use as his toilet... (though this wont stop foxes or other cats using it too!)
Bathe his eye with water.... and check over his fur - as he will try to wash it off himself and could ingest it...
Then I would go round and ask them whether they have recently bought any cat deterrent liquids - as he came home stinking with a weeping eye....

There isnt much you can do to stop a cat going in there garden.. as they will find out too with their kitten....

[madmaggot]

Most cats will not trespass on another cat's territory so I expect as your kittens get older just the fact of them living there will prevent each one wandering into the other's garden.

[lucca]

Not nice of your neighbours to do this. Cats will go exploring - it's part of their nature. I have to disagree about cats/kittens not trespassing on each other's territory i've found that they'll always have a go - in fact, at the moment, next door's male cat comes prowling around every day (plus has a mighty spray!) and my girl cat gives him what for.

[ummmm]

I disagree as well. My cat brings his mates in the house and there's always one of them waiting in our garden for him to come out...

[Greedyfly]

Kitty's eye is fine now, he seems to have completely ignored the citrus smell and just sits around it on the wall - obviously doesnt bother him. He does have a little box in the house but I assume now hes going out that he is realising that he can do his business outside too. Thanks for your replys.