Infuriating Neighbors--Want to Kick Butts
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 19, 2007 10:50pm CST
Okay I'm ticked off again...LOL--and this has to do with another one of my neighbors in my apartment building.
Today as I was going out I bumped into this neighbor who lives on the first floor...I'm on the second. The woman hardly speaks English, despite her living her for something like ten years, but I was able to get the gist of what she was asking, which was... if I had any more cats...I said no--I only have the two..It seems she is complaining that it stinks of cats...
Well, my attitude was, well, tootsie, don't look at me..it's not me lady--The main problem is that everyone in the building had known my mother and I had cats,--I'm talking about the time when my mother had created an over population of cat problem and yes, we did have a lot of cats then. It caused us eviction threats twice. Well second time round of the eviction threat, and prior to my mom's death, I managed to place the excessive cats into wonderful pet sanctuaries with great pet rescuers. I have been only down to two cats since Friday, May 19, 2006--uh, yes remember the exact date. The apartment no longer smells of cats...got rid of old furniture, repainted, scrubbed the place clean...and I've since have had people in my apartment and they say there's no odor anymore...it's all gone.
What infuriates me is this, like am I the only one with cats? Nope...the dipstick neighbor next door has a cat, and I think someone on the first floor has a cat as well. And get this...this woman has the nerve to complain about smells? Once a week she cleans her apartment out with what must be a ton of pine cleaner full strength and is enough to gag one...then today too, as she's asking me about the cats, I had to force myself not to throw up with the God awful smell of her horrible smelly cooking--she could win the prize for worse cook going--yeesh
Now I have no qualms if someone wants to investigate my apt...they could search every nook and cranny and all they'll see are two cats..I'm just so ticked off now though--Like why do we have to deal with such jerks that want to make trouble in our lives? You see, years ago, she was one of the conspirators who had made complaints about us years ago too about cat odor--but then it was justified cause yes, we did have a lot of cats, and it did smell. Now there is no justifiable reason for it, but my main concern is if she is going to take it upon herself to complain to the landlord--crap that's all I need, even though she would be in the wrong to do so.
14 people like this
25 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hehe..just might...don't know what the he!! she cooked today, but other times it's that cheap smelly fish..bakala --can smell that a block away..LOL
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Nah--I don't think that's it...she's not fond of cats to begin with...and she's such a clean neat freak she wouldn't dare have a cat in her apartment.
1 person likes this
@010878 (303)
• Indonesia
20 Jul 07
ow I get it ... she complained to the land lords so everyone could not see that actually she has a herds of cats hiding in her loft instead so she won't be judge of having lots of cats hmm ... very fishy.. well fish and cats don't belong together LOL
3 people like this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
20 Jul 07
You know, I probably would have come out and side just that. If she wants to complain about you, go right ahead. But then you were going to complain about her excessive use of cleaning products that fume up the apartment building. ha ha
And that if she wanted to police the cat odor, she best darn well look else where because she is barking up the wrong tree! ha ha ha ha ha
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hehe...barking up the wrong tree? how about meowing up the wrong tree..LOL
@AmbiePam (85492)
• United States
20 Jul 07
You said she doesn't sopeak English well. Does she understand enough that if you told her in no uncertain terms you were not the problem that she would understand it? I don't blame you for being upset. Even though your landlord wouldn't be able to find a thing wrong with your place, you don't want to deal with him/her. I'm afraid I would have a hard time not saying anything. Of course, how are you to know what she is understanding? That is just so rude. Some people just cannot think very broadly. It's just too bad they happen to be a lot of our neighbors.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I think she understands English better than she can speak it...I WAS trying to explain to her that I'm not the only one with a cat...that the neighbor next door to me has one...and she's not exactly a clean person, in fact she was being threatened with eviction as she's a hoarder of garbage in her apartment, and just happens to live over the one complaining about cat smell..Then there's a person on the first floor that has a cat,...they only just moved in not that long ago either...No doubt it could be their cat she smells...as it does seem strange that after more than a year, this yutz is now complaining about pet odors.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Well she definitely was in the wrong for acting that way towards you but I'm going to give you another possibility of what could be causing the smell and to be honest it could be considered partly your fault. There's a possibility that when you did have too many cats and they were causing a smell, the odor seeped into all of the other apartments as well. Now that you have reduced to two cats and thoroughly cleaned your apartment yours doesn't smell anymore but everyone else's still does. Cat smell gets into everything including walls and subfloors and everything else. The smell of your old cats could be lingering in the other apartments if they haven't taken the same measures you have. Probably they never really noticed it in their apartments before because the majority of the smell was coming from yours but now that yours is fine it's only theirs that smell.
If anything comes of it just tell your landlord that he/she is more than welcome to check out your apartment to see that the problem isn't coming from yours. If you're really worried that this lady will cause a problem be proactive and go to the landlord first. Just tell him/her that the neighbor complained and that you'd appreciate it if he/she would come to your apartment and see that the smell is not from you. Even say that you know you were a problem in the past and you just want to prove that you have made all the necessary changes so that you are not a problem again.
And the reason I have for saying this is because I had a similar problem only I was the pet free one. My landlady keeps the apartment below me for summer use and used to have a cat. The cat is indoor only and litter trained at home but apparently could never make the transition while they were here and my landlady wasn't very thorough about cleaning up after it. One particularly bad summer my apartment began to reek of cat smells after they had returned home. I went down to investigate and found piles of you know what all over the carpet and the smell of cat urine everywhere. I have know idea why she didn't even try to clean it up. Most of it was so dried in that I couldn't clean it up either so I just sprayed deodorizer like crazy down there for the next several months until the smell finally wore of a bit. But even now if I don't keep air fresheners going in my apartment it will start to get that cat smell again and she hasn't brought her cat with her in several years.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Thing is no one, but no one has complained of any odors, whether from my apartment or theirs of cat odor...even my super has been in my apartment and he notices the difference--Of course the jerk has a window that faces the back of the building and the yard there...where guess what? There are stray cats roaming around..And since the second eviction issue which ended last October part of the stipulation was that I was to have regular inspections by a representative of the landlords office to come in to inspect...and they have..and I got the a-okay..no smell---and the neighbor next door to me who has a dog is a virtual cleaning fanatic..now the dipstick though that I was talking about..my other next door neighbor with a cat is something else...and lives right over the woman who complained to me today...She has serious mental problems, was threatened with eviction herself as she is a hoarder...of trash...she had the dept. of health come in as it had been reported to the landlord that her apartment was not only a health hazard but a fire one too...she's the type that can never throw garbage out...now this was a few years ago, when they did this, but one time I was in her apartment again and it looks EXACTLY as it had prior to the dept of health coming in to take out all that garbage out...and she once told me, that she only cleans her cat's pan once a month!
Once a month? Even with just one cat if you don't keep the pan clean it will smell...I can't even go into her apartment anymore...not so much because of cat odor, but it just plain stinks..I get asthma attacks when I'm in her place--I had noticed that at various areas there was old cat puke she hadn't picked up...When she opens her door there is a very obvious smell coming out from her place.--So no doubt my "complainer" is smelling her apartment...not mine
1 person likes this
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I think it would take more than just her complaining and if your apartment is not smally then there is nothing anyone can do. If she chooses to complain it is up to the landlord to decide if it is justified and I am thinking it won't be anything to worry about. Some people just aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Oh how right you are....as you say, some people aren't happy unless they're complaining about something.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
20 Jul 07
It seems like sometimes you just can't win, pyewacket. Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to live our lives in such a way as to please everybody. You should have told her to mind her own business. That's what I would have done. Some people are not happy if they aren't meddling in everyone else's business. As long as you know your apartment is fine, I wouldn't lose any sleep over this woman.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Don't worry I won't loose sleep over this...I KNOW my apartment is fine...still like to kick her butt though...LOL
2 people like this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I don't know what the nationalities / races of the other people in the apartment are, but I'm thinking when she tries complaining & you cannot understand her, that's when you tell her that she is in the United States & English is spoken here. Then tell her you will give her an audience when she does make the effort to learn the language.
Well - like others said, you can give her hell for stinking up the place with her cooking. As for someone else's response of beating her to the punch, I'd say if you do beat her to the punch, have them check out her apartment for anything suspicious too.
2 people like this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
21 Jul 07
She probably needs to clean after cooking. I'm thinking after like you said about her cooking, she would need to clean out the place afterwards.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I can't imagine anything "suspicious" in her apartment though, being that she's such a clean freak...I'm clean too, and do daily cleaning in my apartment...but she seems the type that after she cleans her apartment, while do it over again the same day--LOL
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Some people are just a pain in the butt! I dont blame you one bit for being angry with this woman. Next time you see her tell her to mind her own business.LOL And say to her Oh by the way while we are talking about smells when you cook the smell is really bad.Hahahahah She how she reacts to that.LOL
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I was thinking (I do that from time to time...LOL)--whenever she cooks she keeps her door open..no doubt she can't stand the smell of her own cooking...hehe...if she happens to be near her door, I'll walk by her with my fingers pinched to my nose, to indicate how it stinks...LOL
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
20 Jul 07
You have the worst luck in that building!
How long have you lived there?
WOW! I can't believe the nerve of some people.
I feel for you babe!
2 people like this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
21 Jul 07
That is a VERY long time!!
I think I was typing my reply to this one while you were typing your new discussion about thinking of moving to the country LOL.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
I've lived here since..are you ready..1961..I was only five and a half years old then...
2 people like this
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
20 Jul 07
This is why I am glad I don't live in an apartment complex anymore. Never had problems with pets smells since the one I lived in never allowed pets, but did deal with neighbors that seemed to try everything under the sun to get someone evicted, not to mention some of the foulest odors would escape from some of the apartments. Smells that would make a person want to lose the contents of their stomach right where they stood. I am unsure if these were cooking smells, or some other thing, but I surely would hope it wasn't someone cooking than eating it afterwards.
I do agree that she has no reason to report you for anything since you have taken care of the problem already. Since there are others in the building(s) that do have pets (if indeed it is reported) the landlord should look at the others that have pets as well.
2 people like this
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
21 Jul 07
I like garlic to, but I believe I would be gagging a lot if that much of the smell came into my home. Not to mention that garlic smell mixing in with other smells omg that is horrible. I really feel for you.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Thank goodness the people that did live underneath me had moved sometime ago...talk about smells and their cooking smell would come into mine...one time they must have used 3 tons of garlic..now I don't mind the smell of it, but not THAT much...and then they would cook something that was really nauseating to smell....
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
23 Jul 07
You'll just have to get in first...invite the landlord over to inspect your place, saying she's whinging and at the same time, complain about the nauseating odours coming from her place.
It's such a shame to have to put up with crappy neighbours.
You could also keep a can of deodoriser in you bag and if she accosts you again, spray around her...lol.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
The super has been in my apartment numerous times to do repairs, and so have some of my friends...lets put it this way...they're not having masks on while in my place---LOL
@smileyDevil (271)
• India
21 Jul 07
hi pye,
dont know from which country you are from. but my frend, this problems of neighbours seem to be the same everywhere. the apartment culture has actually ruined the good social relationships which otherwise we all in this world we use to have. hatred seems to have creeped in. as some great person has said, it is true... relationships tend to crumble when the distance between people gets nearer and it tends to cement when the distance increases.
well, i too am going through the same problem plus something unique. i used to have a neighbour flicking milk packets and newspapers meant for me, kept by the vendor outside my door. my neighbour sweeps dirt and places it right beside my door. rubs dirt on my door mat.
and many more.
then I adopted a simple strategy. just smile at any of the members in her family, which otherwise i did not. started talking to them nicely. it was difficult at first, but then soon it was fine. offered them one milk packet along with the newspaper. this i did for a week.
and then i stopped. then later i realised that slowly the incidence of disappearences started stopping. i finally converted my neighbour from bad to good.
i just gave an example. and i know, it may not work everywhere. but then, my friend, you too can choose to adopt some strategy which could be of some help in the long run.
what i find with that neighbour of yours is that she is self centered and is craving for attention.
all the best.
mike
the lil smiley cute devil
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
Well I always "smile" at this neighbor too....I'm usually not one to argue with people unless of course really provoked and if things turn really nasty and vicious...then I do have to defend myself...I'll just wait and see if she says anything else to me in the near future and take it from there
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
20 Jul 07
you know,i really hate people like that.they're not happy until they get their way entirely-she probably hates cats-she sounds like a germphobe if she napalms her apartment with pine-sol.
if possible,i'd ask the landlord to check the apartment before she has a chance to start up again
to beat her to the punch.
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
22 Jul 07
well,y'know..she doesn't have time to worry about appearence when she's annoying the neighbors and sterilizing everything.she's got priorities LOL.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
News flash...she just napalmed her apartment with pine sol again today...gag! For someone who is so fastidious about cleaning, she always looks like a slob!
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
21 Jul 07
It is to bad you have to live in an appartment building. Just because a person does something wrong one time does not mean they always do it. I know you cleaned up your act (literly) all's you need to do it have your land lord come into the place and take a look and a sniff. I know if feels like you are always defending yourself and you should not have to.
If she does complain maybe you can complain about some of the other neighbors, but then again two wrongs do not make a right.
Good luck girl it does not appear you have an easy road ahead of you. All's it takes is one cat to piss in the hall way to make the place smell which you know that.
Good luck girlfriend.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
The super has been in my apartment a number of times since I cleaned up my act...so HE knows there aren't a ton of cats in here anymore and there's no smell..And I wouldn't be surprised if the newer neighbor downstairs that lives on the same floor as this pesky neighbor is the culprit--one time, very late at night, I was still awake...all of a sudden I hear a cat meowing...I got up from my computer and peeked out of the peephole..saw nothing but could hear the cat still meowing..then I opened the door...and maybe with hearing the door open, next thing you know this black cat comes practically charging into my apt...I quick slammed the door shut...for a moment I thought yikes was it my Pyewacket, as he is black too..but I had noticed in that split second that this cat was much heavier than my "lean"lanky looking Pye...then the neighbor next door opened her door and saw the cat near my door...she thought the same thing that my cat had gotten out...but then some guy from the first floor, the newer tenant scooped up the cat saying it was his cat...now I'm just betting that cat isn't fixed..and yes, all it takes is one cat, especially an unfixed male cat to spray around and making the place stink....So who knows..that cat must have been spraying around
1 person likes this
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
20 Jul 07
OMG! so much drama! your apt building sounds like u need to move hun! this is rediculous! And let her report you..you have nothing to hide and you fixed up the apt after you gave your other cats new homes..so they them see its not you..and then y ou can throw that back in theer faces,,some people just have some nerve!! but just ignore them and if u want to be really mean ,,u can make her the smelly place..go to a hunter store and get some Fox pee..yes thats what i said lol..and rub some on her door..just a little a bunch will make u gag ..its really bad and smelly..i know im childish..but only sometimes..people like that pi$$ me off and need dealt with! lol lol..keep me updated plz!!:)
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hehe--fox pee huh? Too bad there aren't any hunter stores around me though...LOL
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Oh, I am so sorry you are having to go through this. I hate neighbors and I rarely hate anyone :)
I used to be friends with my neighbors when I was raising my children, then I divorced my husband (he had a drinking problem) and my ex moved in with my next door neighbor, now you can imagine what kind of conflict this caused. Needless to say when he moved in with them I became the hated neighbor of the street and no one would talk to me, I hate neighbors, sticking their nose in where it does not need to be.
Be well, my friend!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hmmm...maybe should put the Law of Attraction into full speed ahead...make a lot of money and move to my own house where the nearest neighbor is twenty-five miles away..LOL
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
20 Jul 07
Oh heaven help anyone who tried to complain about my beloved felines!!! I have this view that my cats are far cleaner, quieter, better house-trained, and far less trouble, than most peoples' noisy, badly-behaved, brattish children!!! Luckily - my neighbours are great - none of them would complain - they all have cats or dogs themselves. And besides, we own this house, so who are they going to complain to? Seriously - try not to get too upset about it I'm sure something will work out. Good luck!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I know..cats..or pets in general are better behaved than most kids...Yeesh--even our super's kids are bratty and whiney..and very noisy!
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
21 Jul 07
I have some neighbors like that but mine has to deal with dogs, but I am the one doing the complaining to my landlord but for good reason. I have lived here for 4 years now and when I moved in here I had two dogs but had to get rid of them because my contract said no dogs but I could keep my cat. well in the past year everyone that has moved in the trailer park that I live in has moved in with a dog so now their dogs are coming into my yard and craping all over it, and I have complained to the landlord and he is just like well go and tell them to pick it up. but now becuse of so much trouble out of other neighbors he has told all of them that they have to get rid of the dogs now or move out.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
Well lets face it you have a very good reason for complaining and are justified, but I just bet your neighbors have it in for you now...just be careful...people can be very vindictive at times
1 person likes this
@shambuca (2524)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Well if she complains to the landlord and he comes to investigate- then he will see that there are only two cats and that your apt does not smell and then he can go tell her that its not you, that would be to your advantage, and she would shut her trap. Keep us posted if anything happens.
2 people like this
@kitty1234 (1476)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I like cats, too! But anyway, why not call the landlord and ask him to come over to fix something, let him in and he will see you have no cat odor..so when she calls and complains he will know she is a trouble maker! Of course you need to pick a da when she is cooking and make a joke like "Glad I;m not eaing hat it smells like the swamp"...just an idea, lol!!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
Well his royal highness the landlord NEVER fixes anything...LOL...but the super has been in my apartment numerous times...and since he does live in the building (the super) he KNOWS the stinks she creates with her cooking--LOL
1 person likes this
