I’ve lived in the same apartment building for 3 years, and I can only name one of my neighbors. It took nearly 3 years for someone to take the leap and introduce herself to me, and I’ve only encountered her one time. I can’t blame my neighbors for being reserved though, as I’m exactly the same way. And I would much rather keep to myself than interact with people who will only cause me stress.
One man recently shared a story on Reddit detailing how terrible his animal-hating neighbor in the 1980s was. But instead of letting her behavior go unchecked, he decided to get sweet, petty revenge. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies from readers.
After this man's cats suddenly became ill, his neighbor was heard bragging about how she was behind it
Image credits: Dietmar Ludmann (not the actual photo)
So he decided it was time to get revenge on the animal hater
Image credits: kues1 (not the actual photo)
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: GenXJoe
Disputes between neighbors are extremely common
Nowadays, it’s common for people to not know their neighbors’ names, wait to enter the corridor until it sounds like everyone’s gone and exchange nothing more than a pleasant smile with neighbors.
But I often assume that it wasn’t always like this. In the ‘80s, for example, I would imagine that all of the kids in any particular neighborhood played outside together, and their parents would enjoy nice dinners or a glass of wine together on their patios.
Apparently, however, this wasn’t the case for everyone. The author of this story has made it very clear that we shouldn’t romanticize the past, because having a conflict with a neighbor is a tale as old as time.
According to a study funded by Homes.com, 36% of people admit they’ve engaged in full-blown arguments with at least one of their neighbors.
And a survey from Top Rail Fence found that nearly half of Americans interact with their neighbors only once a month or less. 65% of people also admit that they sometimes hide from neighbors to avoid encountering them. And only 17% of Americans say they would feel comfortable leaving a house key with one of their neighbors.
When it comes to what neighbors are often arguing about, NBC News reports that parking, animal noise, general noise and garbage tend to be the biggest points of tension.
But a 2024 survey from Redfin found that 18.7% of people have gotten into an argument with a neighbor over politics. Men are over twice as likely as women to fight with neighbors about politics, though, and Gen Z is the generation most eager to engage in these heated debates.
As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze can be lethal to a cat
Another important aspect of this story is the fact that the woman poisoned her neighbor’s cats. Not to mention the fact that this is undeniably inhumane, it’s also illegal to show cruelty to animals.
Sadly, there are over 401,500 cases of pet poisoning reported in the United States each year. Of course, the vast majority of these are unintentional. If a dog gets into the medicine cabinet or a cat starts experimenting with lawn and garden products, they might quickly end up in the hospital. But it’s not unheard of for neighbors to poison pets that they’re not fans of either.
Antifreeze, in particular, is extremely dangerous to pets. The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals notes on their site that a single teaspoon of antifreeze can end a cat's life, and it takes just a few tablespoons to take out a medium-sized dog. What makes it even more dangerous, however, is that it has a sweet taste that animals are often drawn to.
Poisoning from antifreeze will work extremely quickly if untreated. Cats Protection explains that within 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion, cats might start drooling saliva, looking depressed, vomiting, refusing to eat, appearing uncoordinated or being extremely thirsty.
If the cat fails to get treatment within 12 hours, they might start to show signs of kidney disease. And within 24 hours, their kidneys will fail, and they might not survive. It’s crucial that they receive medical attention as soon as possible.
While the author of this story acknowledged that people nowadays might not approve of his petty revenge, the ‘80s were a different time. And many readers agreed that he made the right choice!
Readers applauded the man for his brilliant revenge, and he joined in on the conversation to share more details
