Don't shoot the neighbour's cat

I happened to mention in homemaker an incident years ago when a neighbour's three cats annoyed just about everyone in the street with constant messing in gardens, sleeping on and scratching cars and generally making nuisances of themselves. The owner was one of those precious folk who would take no criticism and offer no solutions to the problems her creatures caused

Another neighbour finally solved things - by shooting a cat with an air rifle! There was a lot of fuss and a court case. But the cats troubled no one again.

Rows between neighbours aren't a new thing. Over the years there have been many tales of battles over boundary fences, strips of land, hedges, drives and, of course, pets. Sadly, the solicitors seem to be the people who win in most of these battles.
Millions and millions of pounds must have been spent - and wasted - on legal fees after things have got out of hand and ended up in the courts.

So what's the best way to deal with problems next door? How do we stop little things blowing up into major issues?

Learning to compromise is a start and realising that there will be times when our neighbours will upset us - and we'll really annoy them! Family rows are an accepted thing. But if we can't always get on with our partners or our family, how can we expect ourselves always to get on with our neighbours?

I'd like to stress that I have lovely, lovely neighbours and we all seem to rub along well. But many people do have worries.

Perhaps Relate should offer counselling . . .