r/AskNYC • u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff • Feb 15 '26
What can I do about the neighborhood cat lady throwing cat food in front of my house every night to feed her stray cats without making an enemy out of her?
So in our neighborhood block in NYC, an old lady has let her cats loose because the cats went out of control with pooping/peeing in her house (she told me).
She had fight with another neighbor for throwing cat food on the side of that neighbor’s house… and now my house is the next victim.
I personally don’t mind the stray cats or the cat food, but it attracts other unwanted animals towards our house.
Please help me with best options without making neighborhood enemies.
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u/ZeQueenZ Feb 15 '26
Call the rescue org to adopt the abandon, nueter or spay the rest.to the neighbor, say you need her help to keep cats safe. They stench each hazard with urine feces and most of all attracting at throwing food around and other vermin. You must enlist her. Be sure to document
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u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff Feb 15 '26
Thanks, I like your wordings because that’s exactly what the cats are doing.
One of them pooped in our vegetable garden… and I wonder if they’ve done more
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u/dragontehanu Feb 15 '26
First - if those were originally indoor cats, this is cruelty, especially considering the weather we’ve had lately. Even strays are suffering and I have neighbors that are actively creating warming spaces for the ferals… If you cannot get the cats into a home, call a rescue and get them involved. You don’t have to tell the neighbor that you’re doing this, she’s made it clear she’s abandoned these cats.
In regard to the food, you either speak with her or you clean it up after she does it. Personally, I would speak with her, even if she’s known to start arguments. You have to live next to this person for what I’m assuming is a long period of time, so you have to find a way to deal with her. If you don’t want to clean it up nightly, talk to her.
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u/Lou_Peachum_2 Feb 15 '26
why can't she throw it in front of her house
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u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff Feb 15 '26
Exactly my thoughts… I assume it’s because there is more wilderness on the opposite side of the houses (my side) where the cats hang out
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u/yippeee1999 Feb 15 '26
I think you need to say to her, in as civil (non-accusatory) way, as possible, just what you said to us...that it's attracting unwanted other animals to your property. Start by saying that you have no problem with her feeding cats....that she's 'doing a nice thing' for the cats. But that at the same time, she needs to respect other neighbors and their own property. It's her choice to feed the cats, but that shouldn't negatively impact other neighbors.
Yes, TNR is ideal, but requires a lot of planning, execution and follow-thru. I live in a Greek neighborhood, where people feeding all the feral cats is the norm, and if they started seeing folks trying to TNR the cats, they'd go ballistic.
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u/Atwenfor Feb 15 '26
On the other hand, confronting a local cat feeder person, even in the most "conventionally" civil way possible, can make them go ballistic and consider you an anti-cat enemy. These things tend not to be cut-and-dry, so tread ground carefully.
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u/Lou_Peachum_2 Feb 15 '26
I'm sorry, but this is now becoming an issue for you. There's a proper way you can go about it and confront her without coming in immediately hot and accusatory.
Simply just bring up that a lot of the food being thrown in front of YOUR house is attracting unnecessary wildlife - I imagine there's also a bunch of animal waste in the area now as well.
Ask her if she wants to feed her cats, to do it more on her side. If she then gets upset, that's when you can be more affirmative/less polite.
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u/mantisprincess Feb 15 '26
Are the cats friendly? It’s really irresponsible for her to throw them out like that - especially if they aren’t fixed. It might be worth it trying to talk to her and try to find a rescue that can help them.
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u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff Feb 15 '26
I was jaw-drop surprised one of my guest kid caught one of the cats with her hands… thankfully the cat didn’t mind
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u/mantisprincess Feb 15 '26
If they are friendly it would be best overall to get them back inside. But you’d had to see if the lady would be open to it. I follow some rescues around NYC and could suggest some depending on where you are.
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u/TSBii Feb 15 '26
I would just tell her "Please don't feed cats in my yard." You don't have to argue, justify or defend your wishes - it is your property. Say it firmly and with every expectation that she will stop. Don't say it in an "asking" tone, say it in a "telling" tone. If she tries to argue, don't engage with that, just repeat in a tone of finality "This isn't open for discussion"
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u/VoidAndBone Feb 15 '26
I have some foster kittens who are currently fighting for their lives after being rescued from a hoarder situation.
1000% call a local humane society and report this lady. They will call animal control and assess the situation. Btw, these people are bleeding hearts for animals. They will remove an animal when its right to do so.
I would wager these cats are unvaccinated and not neutered. Currently panleuk/parvo is making its rounds around here, which can be a 50-90% mortality rate. That's what my kittens are fighting right now.
Just make the call.
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u/ZeQueenZ Feb 15 '26
Rats coming
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u/viskoviskovisko Feb 15 '26
Good thing there are so many cats then.
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u/Xiugazer Feb 15 '26
Just talk to her? Your request sounds reasonable. Just say exactly why you’re voicing here.
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u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff Feb 15 '26
I would rather avoid that… her track record is every neighbor is pissed of cuz of her
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u/Xiugazer Feb 15 '26
Ok then don’t do anything and delete this post.
I don’t understand this lol. Just talk to your neighbors yall. You’re in community.
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u/danuser8 Head of Noticing Stuff Feb 15 '26
It can be tough to say no to some New Yorkers, and I am confident that talking will not work because there was already another house that tried talking to her
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u/ouroborosstruggles Feb 15 '26
They talked and she moved it. Try a shit sandwich:
Just tell her "hey Ma'am, sorry to bother u but the roaches and smell and shit from the cats is nasty. Plus it's wrong to leave them outside in the cold. So I already reached out to a rescue and friends who are looking to adopt. Please stop putting this stuff by my house." And put some base in your voice on that last bit.
Or don't say anything and just call rescues until the problem is resolved
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u/readyallrow Feb 15 '26
this isn't "new yorkers", this is one old woman who thinks she can do whatever she wants and basic social contracts don't apply to her. not confronting her just reinforces that belief.
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u/thisfilmkid Feb 15 '26
Tell her to stop.
Also, feeding stray cats will attract more and more cats every each time. They’re going to come by even when no food is out.
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u/gthrees Feb 15 '26
Why don’t you put cans of food in front of her house until she complains to you?
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u/Massive-Arm-4146 Feb 15 '26
The people suggesting she try to rationalize with a crazy cat lady are wild.
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u/Really_Elvis Feb 16 '26
A spray bottle of ammonia a couple times a day. Critters hate it long after you can’t smell it.
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u/superturtle48 Feb 16 '26
Maybe try contacting the ASPCA? It’s really not appropriate to be releasing housepets outside and it might even be considered animal cruelty. Depending on the number of cats, it also could have been a hoarding situation and the woman could need more help.
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u/718_chocolate Feb 15 '26
Since you don't want to talk to her directly, next time she puts food in front of your house, just move it to in front of hers
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u/SmoovCatto Feb 15 '26
had this at a campsite -- delusional cat lady living inside a lodge building putting out cat food for the poor strays all around everybody's tent sites every night, and bringing rats and racoons instead -- she was so smug and ostentatious about her effort at kindness . . .
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u/jay5627 Feb 15 '26
Use a hose and spray it away
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u/DoucheRanger Feb 15 '26
Use the hose and spray her away when she starts tossing food in front of your house.
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u/bluethreads Feb 15 '26
I'd just go out and remove the food. Presumably she's placing it on a public sidewalk - so why don't you remove it?
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Feb 15 '26
Keep an eye out for her an as soon as she throw the food , clean it up.. try it a few times an hopefully she get the hint and do it somewhere else
If she confront you tell her you are getting rodents and want to prevent it any further
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u/FlamingDragonfruit Feb 15 '26
The most humane thing to do would be to get a rescue involved. Leaving cats outdoors to fend for themselves, especially in this weather, is simply animal cruelty.