[rebecca.smiles]

I have already posted here bout losing a chicken to marek's, and another suddenly, and the one i am looking to rehome i discovered has sour crop (this has come on very quickly, she has a lot of fluid in her crop).

My vet asked if there was 'anything, odd or unusual about the environment they are in?' with a sly look in her eye.

I had my beautiful Olga died just sunday - i went into the coop at 6am and she was in the nest box, early to lay, i thought. she may be ill or just laying so i will give her 20 mins and check on her again. she was dead.

the day before she had laid, was bouistrous and active and vocal as ever. 10 hours later, dead.

I said my neighbour won't stop feeding them, and sometimes things she shouldn't. I asked her to feed them nothing for 7 days while i wormed them and expalined why. i had to tell her 3 days running not to feed them and re-explain. a couple of weeks later I told her just one handful per day of corn, in the evening - they must eat pellets first.

My vet said if there was anything 'wrong' with her she would not have been laying, and asked if my neighbour was feeding her all this, was it possible she could have given her something knowing it was toxic?

I had to say it - for years i have thought my neighbour might have been responisble for the sudden kidney failure of my cat, who had 'eaten something poisonous' according to another vet. And I have posted on here before that she won't stop feeding my chickens and even feeds them mayonaise and cheese when she thinks i won't know. she also feeds them corn, a handful at a time, several times a day (throwing it over the fence instead of going round like she usually does).

The vet seems to think that the sour crop my also be brought on by the random things she feeds her (lots of white bread, for example). I'm treating her for sour crop for 5days, and want a new home for her asap before anything worse happens to her.

And today my cat comes in with an injury to her back leg (she wont let me look, there is a lot of blood). i could hear it happen in the hall outside - her yelp, but couldn't see or hear any other cats around (athough there are ones living her that try to pick fights) this is all too much!!!

I felt like a freak saying to family i though she might hurt my animals but the vet needed no prompting from me to suggest it herself! she thinks i should get my animals as far from her as soon as poss and even asked about what i might do to protect my cats!!!

I just can't believe this!

[curries]

What about putting a CCTV camera up and say that you have done it for another reason so that she knows it's there to try and deter her, sounds awful.

[myfanwe]

I would try putting up a surveillance camera. You can buy small ones fairly cheaply from places like radio shack (if you have them in the UK) and set them up quite easily. Just tell the neighbour it's there because you think a dog/fox/hoodlum attacked your cat. Hopefully she will stop harming your animals, or you will catch her on film.

So sorry that this is happening.

[rebecca.smiles]

That's not a bad idea. I hadn't thought of that.

I'm wondering if I should report her to someone, although at mo i have no proof as such (other than her feeding them dairy when i said not to).

has anyone else experienced this? (i hope not, its blooming crazy)

[Caramelle]

How odd!! Gosh, I really feel sorry for you, that's quite horrid. I don't know what I'd do!
But don't fret yourself about being suspicious, you have every right to be. Think the advice above is good, try setting up a surveillance camera and blame it on some fox sightings or summat like that. Best of luck with it all!!!

[henamoured]

That's really awful.
Just the fact that you've asked her repeatedly not to feed the chooks and she's continued is pretty terrible. I'd be furious with her.

Is she able to understand that she is making your animals suffer (if not actually killing them)?

Suggestion of installing a big obvious CCTV camera I think is excellent. You could also mention that you suspect your cat has been deliberately injured so you've mentioned it to your neighbourhood bobby! Should make her think twice.

[Helenaj]

Have a chat with the RSPCA about your suspicions - they must have come across this type of case in the past. They might even install a camera for you.

People on here care so much for their animals and then you have to deal with maniacs like that. I can't believe some people - they need locking up.

[Honeysuckle]

I would certainly go down the CCTV route.  Make sure it's close enough that you can see what she is feeding the chooks though.  Is there a way in which you could leave your house but get back in without being seen?  You could then lay in wait, watching her on the CCTV and run out there to see for yourself what she's feeding them (if you can't make it out on the CCTV).
Some people are sick, so sick.   

[ANHBUC]

You could mention to your neighbour that the vet is going to do an autopsy on your next hen that dies to find out the reason.  This might deter her from poisoning them.   OR It might be an idea to be honest and tell her your vets suspicions.  If she realises she could be responsible she might be genuinely horrified.  If that does not work let her know that if you find your pets have been intentionally injured/killed you intend to seek legal advice on prosecution and financial recompence.

[brick22]

All the above advice is great, I think mentioning to her what your vet has suggested & saying you are in contact with the RSPCA and/or local police is a very good idea, if she is doing something it may make her stop.

Have any of the other neighbours had problems with pets dying suddenly or getting injured?

[bantam novice]

Oh how horrible.  It sounds as if you really need to find out for certain what has been going on.   The CCTV sounds good as do the other suggestions.   It may be worth contacting RSPCA and Local Police anyway to find out if there is anything definite they can contribute or suggest.

How is your cat now?

Good luck and keep us posted.

[joyfull]

I would be honest (upto a point) and say your vet thinks your pets have been poisoned so you have fitted cctv so that whoever is doing this will be recorded doing so and reported to the police for animal cruelty.
No need to say you think it is her but suggest that she would be best not feeding them anything as you wouldn't want the police to suspect her when they view the recordings.

[Raven81]

What sort of area do you live in? if you see what I mean. I used to live in a city centre and one of my neighbours poisoned my cat and she had to be put down as they said she'd never recover so I know how you feel. Unfortunately as we all had small houses and gardens it was difficult to keep our pets away from them. When I got a new cat she was fortunately already an indoor cat and I moved shortly after- even now she rarely goes out but that is her choice.
I think Joyfull's idea is brilliant.

[rebecca.smiles]

ANHBUC - I agree she might be genuinely horrified - I wonder if this isn't mental probs, as she knows full well I have asked her not to - its as if she can't help herself. But even my bloke and best mate think she seems a bit, well, odd/dodgy.

I'm actually going to re home vanya with someone (as soon as i have finished treatin gthe sour crop, and have access to a car) as i can't take the strain (pathetic i know). this is my first two months of chicken keeping and its all gone to pot. I was blaming myself for not knowing how to look after them but the vet says i'm very well informed about what is safe for them to eat, illness etc (all thanks go to this forum!).

the CCTV idea is good, and so is the RSPCA and police. so I might re-think giving her away.
we have a big garden though, lots of high bushes and trees and her garden runs alongside, so i'm not sure we could get a position where she couldn't avoid being seen.

food for thought...

[rebecca.smiles]

Joyfull - thats kind of what i planned to say, but its a good idea about asking not to feed them so police don't suspect her. I think she would probably guess i thought it was her anyway, but once these things are out in the open, well, who knows what that might inspire (if only open hostility between us). I can't prove anything so i don't want to point the finger.

I live in quite a rough area; if it isn't nailed down you are giving it away. I'm still bemused my chicken coop is still there. But no other animals have died (although my neighbours never let their new ferets out, and they always used to, there seems to be a story behind that, so i wil enquire further next time i see them).

I'll mention all the above, put in cctv and see what happens - thanks guys!