Some people are just awful human beings!

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid, our outdoor cats got themselves covered with oil by sitting under cars. Cats can get over, under and around fences that you would think they couldn't. Your cat may have entered your neighbor's property on its own.

You know your (declawed) cat got out of your house. You know you have an unpleasant neighbor who is cruel to his own pets. But you have no idea what happened to your cat.

Make sure your cat stays indoors and keep an eye on the neighbor.

[Anonymous]

Try Dawn for the motor oil. If that doesn't work I would go to Trak Auto and ask for a cleaner there. My dad used to use something with the consistency of pudding (it was in a tub) when he worked on our car and it took oil right off. I have two cats that try to get out all the time. Make sure they are collared and chipped.

[Anonymous]

The cat was under a car(gease from the car got on the cat)...most likely hiding from a dog or something. Cats can easily get over a fence(even without claws!) or through a crack in the fence.
Did you declaw your cat?

[Anonymous]

Call your vet and ask for recommendations for something to remove the oil. Something non-toxic.

[Anonymous]

Dawned on me that you let a declawed cat out.

???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dawned on me that you let a declawed cat out.

???

Read the OP

[Anonymous]

Apologies^^

[Anonymous]

I don't know about your neighbors, but I do know that it will be really bad for your cat's health if she licks her fur with the oil in it. I would suggest shaving her immediately so that she doesn't ingest oil. It is not ideal, but at least it is warm.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you declawed the cat, I have to tell you that a lot of people think you are a horrible person as well. If you rescued her and she was already declawed then you are off the hook.

[Anonymous]

You better back up on this. You have no proof that neighbors even knew your cat was in their yard.

[Anonymous]

Op here.

Thanks to those who were helpful. I never even thought of Dawn dish detergent.
I ended up taking her to the vet. Between the substance on her fur and her behavior, I didn't want to take any chances. The vet tech managed to get everything off her. Whatever it was (the vet tech thinks oil as well), it was a straight line down her spine all the way to her skin. She's a ragdoll cat so just running under a car wouldn't have penetrated the thickness of her fur to her skin unless oil were literally running out of the car. There's no way to know for sure but it sure does seem like someone did this intentionally.

For those who misread, I don't LET my cat out. She got out somehow. Indoor/outdoor cats usually end up as dead cats. I'd rather not put my kids through that.

She's a rescue. She came to me without her front claws. She does have back ones though.

As far as animal control, they said as long as their dog is getting water twice a day there's nothing they can do. I think that's bullshit as well but that's what they told me when I called last summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you believe your property was held by this neighbor and not returned (and pets are property under the law) call the police. It doesn't matter whether he got the oil on the cat or she rolled in the oil. Get beyond the cruelty issues and think of the cat as property, like a lawn mower (I'm not suggesting that the cat is mere property, I'm just saying this is how the law views it). How did she get over the fence onto his property? It seems to me he put her inside the fence, and held her there -- your property. Under the law, that is illegal. You can call the police and state that your neighbor did that.

Is there a possibility he or his kids broke in and removed your cat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god. I am so sorry, OP. Your poor cat, and poor you. I hope you're renting and can move.

I wish.
I own this house and they own theirs as well. They have not been the kindest people since they moved here. I try to be polite and stay to myself, my children are respectful but no amount of effort has made a difference. If I find out that they hurt my cat I will become the worst neighbor they've ever imagined. I'm counting on their 3 kids to spill those beans. Kids can't keep secrets.


They no longer have the golden retriever. They replaced it with a smaller dog to which they lock in the back yard during the day all summer in 100+ degree heat and no water. It cries at the door for hours on end. Even the people behind them have complained. Animal control won't do anything. I feel for the dog.

Contact some local rescues.

+1 I would do it for you if I knew where you lived. This breaks my heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Dawn for the motor oil. If that doesn't work I would go to Trak Auto and ask for a cleaner there. My dad used to use something with the consistency of pudding (it was in a tub) when he worked on our car and it took oil right off. I have two cats that try to get out all the time. Make sure they are collared and chipped.

I was about to say use the blue dawn dish liquid. It's what they use on wildlife after oil spills. It works amazingly well on grease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you believe your property was held by this neighbor and not returned (and pets are property under the law) call the police. It doesn't matter whether he got the oil on the cat or she rolled in the oil. Get beyond the cruelty issues and think of the cat as property, like a lawn mower (I'm not suggesting that the cat is mere property, I'm just saying this is how the law views it). How did she get over the fence onto his property? It seems to me he put her inside the fence, and held her there -- your property. Under the law, that is illegal. You can call the police and state that your neighbor did that.

Is there a possibility he or his kids broke in and removed your cat?

As much as I don't appreciate these people, to be fair I believe one of my kids may have accidentally left her out. I'm also certain after this scare and the hour long lecture from me they'll be a little more mindful where miss kitty is.

My neighbors are creepy people. I won't deny that. They know every little thing we've done to the inside of our house somehow and they've never been inside. I hate living next to them in the summer time. When they have their windows open you can hear all their domestic battles including their command of every expletive when disciplining their children. I do try to be polite and mind my own business but it's getting increasingly difficult.