all hell has broke lose, at my new residence..

[Flamingo]

There have been lawsuits over pets in neighbor's yards which get to actual hearings. There was a large matter in the Philadelphia area last fall about two neighbors where a cat kept going over to the neighbor's fenced in yard and climbing their tree, digging in their garden, etc. It caused huge issues between the neighbors because the cat just would not stay out of the neighbor's yard when let out. The last straw came when they had to get the fire company to get the cat out of the tree cause it could not get down and they sued the neighbor's with the offending cat. Some people just don't like barking dogs and roaming cats.

[JRScott]

I would let your landlord know about this guy. It is quite likely the fellow has run off a number of tenants. The landlord might be able to assist.

Sorry you are going through this and I hope it all works out for the better in the end.

[blankslate]

I wonder if the old guy has a war brewing with the landlord and runs off tenants as revenge. I had an toxic old lady neighbor at my last place that hated everyone. She hated her own son who lived right across the street from her. She'd get drunk and throw her wine bottles at his house. She screamed about my dog pooping in my own yard. Her cat used my yard as a litter box regularly and I didn't see her coming over to clean it up. I didn't complain about it either.

I hope you do keep in mind the idea of building an enclosure. It really did help us out a lot. My mother had nine cats and that outdoor enclosure was a life saver. If it's made with basic beams and chicken wire you don't need a permit since it is not a permanent structure. You can get creative and have a tree in the middle of it for them too since you live in a wooded area.

I hope things are looking up for you and the kitties.

[fltoo]

Hmmm, I know I am talking to the choir because most people here are very internet savvy. But, be very careful if you decide to give a stranger on a public forum personal info like a phone or address.

Sorry if that seems silly, but always worth repeating.

[Mi Bankruptcy]

You said you let the cats out at night? Can he describe your cats? Tell him your cats are indoor cats and you have no idea what in the world he is talking about.It could be someone else's cats, If he can describe your cats...it's most likely because he seen them sleeping in the window. Do you actually know they went in his yard?

Tell us a little more about the animal control visit. You want to make this a he said...she said situation. If he harasses you again about the fence tell him to notify the landlord and send him a certified letter providing him the landlord information. If he harasses you again about the fence call the cops and file a complaint.

[kenshirley]

Here when we gave up our home it was hard to find a nice rental that would take my cat.
We finally got one but they charged us an extra $250 pet deposit. At least it's refundable.
But we can only have one pet, small at that and it must be approved by the owner in advance.
Such is life for those of us that no longer own.

[mgmadara]

If it were me I would keep the cats inside and stay put, as long as no ordinances are being broken by the number of cats in your household. The cats will get used to staying inside and it is safer for them, anyway. Please don't let this get in the way of your fresh start. I think moving back to your house would be a huge mistake. Think of the reasons you moved out in the first place. Also, it's not easy to find a landlord that will accept 6 pets and if you find that you can't stay in your house after all you might have problems finding another place to live.

Also, there are a lot of people that don't want their neighbor's animals in their yard, including me. I have 5 cats myself, but they never go out. There are several neighborhood cats that are always relieving themselves in our flowerbeds and it is extremely annoying. I just grin and bear it though and I would never harm the cats that do it.