How can people stand to live packed like sardines in the city?

[BGcoop]

I went to visit my cousin this week who lives in a fairly tight suburb type area. Homes were built in the 60s mostly about 1000sq feet, lot sizes were small, single car garage if any detached behind the house-basically a driveway width between each house, but that was normal then.
While I was there, the neighbor kid just came over and started playing with the toys in my cousin’s yard, then the neighbor walked by and just interrupted our conversation with one of her own. Lastly, I was there meeting a stray cat that has taken up residence on my cousin’s porch- she is such a sweet thing but suuuuuper skinny. My cousin initially called the humane society and they came to look at the cat, they said they couldn’t take her because it looks like she is still nursing a litter somewhere, but took the description incase there are any matches to missing cats. So my cousin has been feeding this cat, talked to her vet about it, made it an outdoor shelter since it got cold and wet in the last few days, got it dewormer, NAMED it.....basically she and her boys have fallen in love and plan to keep her as an indoor(spayed) pet once she is done nursing as long as no one claims her.
So now this neighbor suddenly decides to make a Facebook post looking for the owner and claiming to have done all the stuff for the cat my cousin actually did and now there are people offering to take the cat! My cousin has no problems giving the cat back to its original owner if they can be found, but doesn’t want to just give her away to anyone. (Don’t get me wrong, cousin is a bit upset about the whole cat thing but for the most part gets along with neighbor ok.) I just keep thinking that I could never ever ever live in an area where people are so close that they can so easily be “up in your business” uninvited like that!

 

[cavemanrich]

Your cousin just has a BAD NEIGHBOR ISSUE. That has nothing to do with the proximity of people and distance they live apart. I live in a METRO area, and have GREAT NEIGHBORS.
Thank your cousin for rescuing that cat. She does not need to give the cat up to someone willing to adopt it. I'm 99.44% sure it is a feral. BTW,, all those you see in my Avatar are feral rescues.
I don't know the circumstance of your cousins relation with her neighbor. If it was me,,,,,,, I would tel the lil $%^& to stay the 7734 out of my yard, unless invited.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[BGcoop]

Your cousin just has a BAD NEIGHBOR ISSUE...., I'm 99.44% sure it is a feral.

Lol. I guess it’s true that good fences make good neighbors.

initially we figured the cat was feral too, but she is sooo sweet. She allows the kids to pick her up, she tries to come inside(cousin has other animals and doesn’t want to share any illnesses until the cat can be fully checked out- plus cat can’t stay inside if she is still nursing somewhere) she meows at people when she wants things- From what I’ve experienced these are all signs a cat has been around humans, at least for a little while, as a kitten maybe?

 

[cavemanrich]

Over the years I had multiple cats. Some feral, and some that were disposed of, into my backyard for whatever reason. ,, I keep them all outdoors, and provide access to my garage for night-time. Food and water both inside garage, and outdoor. Yes, we do spend a good chunk of change $$$ on cat food!!! But you only live once. My cats do not bother my chickens BTW.
I open port door every morning, and close at night. I also remove outdoor food for the night. I do not want to attract wild animals. (skunks, opossum, raccoons, Etc.)
All my cats are fixed, and Ear Tipped. That is an indication that animal control can recognize it as a TNR animal. TNR= Trap,, Neuter,,Return. A successful program in our Chicago Area.

 

[BDutch]

I suppose you’re cousin explained to the neighbour they will keep the cat if the original owner doesn’t show. And ask if the neighbour wil say so on her fb page. Probably the neighbour did it with good intentions. Maybe just a problem of not communicating very well.

IMO you don’t need fences if you get along with you’re neighbours and there are no dogs or other animals you have to keep inside/outside. If there is a misunderstanding or irritation speak about it. Solve it! .

I live in an urban setting with reasonable backyards 300-400 m2 . There are fences around most of the backyards in this neighbourhood, often because people have dogs or they don’t want any strangers coming in the backyard too easily. And not bc we don’t like or trust the neighbours.

Our garden is only partially fenced, because we like a free view to the street and the green area behind our garden. We have great neighbours who take care of our chickens if we are on a holiday. And we help each other with all kind of things if convenient. Our neighbours don’t mind if our tiny chickens come to visit they’re garden. They make my neighbours smile .

We have many cats (4 neighbour cats) who visit our garden. And one cat even likes to stay in the chicken run. sHe sneaks in if the chickens free range..

 

[BGcoop]

Oh the neighbor was fully aware she intends to keep the cat, posted story anyway. I’m sure there probably were good intentions behind it(My cousin had intended to make a post-showing just the cat’s face so any claimants would have to give identifying marks, but hadn’t gotten to that before the neighbor made the post- and in her post she showed the whole body)
I’m glad most people that live that close to their neighbors are comfortable with it, I just felt so claustrophobic there, with feeling like there was no privacy, no way to get away. I actually grew up only a couple of blocks from there but at the time there were 6 open lots surrounding my parent’s house so I guess I never learned to live so close to other people. I guess I never learned how to be friendly!

 

[nao57]

This is how people really act!

This is why I want OUT OF the city also!

Its not just one city.

My brother was telling me this one WHOLE class at his university was busted for cheating. And they were all in on it together. He goes to school near downtown.

In another state, I knew a guy who taught school in Compton, CA two decades ago. I seriously have no idea how he even came out alive.

The people who live near me also make it so EVERYTHING has to be locked up.

My brother steals my food if I leave it unlocked, so he can have more beer money with his own pay check. And this isn't the only trouble maker.

Basically when people grow up with communal property issues where they can borrow too much there is going to be huge problems. People think its OK to take advantage so much that they start to not believe in personal property and ownership. (This is also one reason I don't want to live with certain government structures but I won't get into that here.)

Can you imagine how crazy it is to live in areas where people don't WANT to believe in property ownership? IF you don't believe that something belongs to so and so down the street or next door, then if you take it from them its not stealing.

That's how they think.

And this is why it creates huge poverty strain.