Is this trespass?

Get a lock and get a life!

Call the police????? I would call that wasting police time.

You may not welcome her intrusion but it is hardly a crome and you may need her help one day.

We have a similar problem with a neighbour. We have put locks on the gates and cameras up. I do sympathise with you. It’s not a pleasant way to have to live. Those who make light of it have obviously never experienced it.

hhmm have to say some of us get a little silly about pets and do daft things.

The lock sounds the answer doesn't it ?

I see both points of view. It is unreasonable of her to come into your garden without permission, unless it is an emergency (we did this when looking for a lost child - not ours!)
It is also not something in itself to get too bothered about. However, I suspect that Carole has other reasons to be bothered about this neighbour, who has done this before. Wanting to take down a fence panel (to get into the next garden along?) may indicate distress, but my immediate thought was someone who is beginning to dement, or has some mental health problems.
Reading between the lines, it sounds as if the neighbour is fussy about her cats, but actually not that careful. Sadly, I have known quite a few people who act somewhat obsessively about their animals in this way, so I would be rather concerned. The collar suggested sounds like good idea, but I wonder if she would take notice of you? maybe another neighbour could suggest it?
The advice about a lock is also a good one, but depends on the layout of your house and garden - would be difficult for us.

I agree with you Carolebarrel. You have every right to feel annoyed that your neighbour came into your garden without permission and as for taking down a fence panel... unbelievable!! It shows a lack of respect for you and your property and the OP who made out you were being unreasonable is wrong.

I don't post that much, as I've seen enough that I feel are overly harsh and don't want to put myself in the firing line for a seemingly innocuous request for advice.

Well, I think she's out of order. I wouldn't dream of going into someone else's property unless I'd asked permission.
I'd be horrified to look up from my sitting room window and see anyone - neighbour or not - walking around my garden.
Perhaps if I'd seen my cat was trapped or in distress that might be different, but if I was just looking for her - no way!

Tell your neighbour about tracking devices for cats. There are various types, mainly ones that attach to collars, but even Hitech ones that allow you to tell the cat to COME HOME.

no law of Tresspass in Scotland ,as long as you dont cause damage and keep a discreet distance from peoples windows theres nothing to stop you looking for your cat in next doors garden..or walking accross a farm or estate

The last few comments have been positive and appreciated. Thank you. Grannybags, that is exactly what I told her, so hopefully it will be an end to it. A lock is going on the gate this weekend!

She must be worried about her cat if she wanted to take fence panels down to look in other gardens.

Tell her you're not happy for her to enter your garden while you're out but she's welcome to look for the cat while you're with her.

Like others have said - put a lock on the gate

Bluebelle is quite right, much better to have neighbours as friends. I am sure I read somewhere that "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar". It was probably on GN!

My advice ... make a friend of her, it doesn’t sound as if she’s nasty just because she’s looking for her cat, as others have said get a lock on your gate if it bothers you
Neighbours are better as friends than enemies

Ok ladies calm down! Gransnet is here to ask others' advice after all. Yes she admitted to coming into my garden. Yes she has done it before, yesterday actually, and wanted to take my fence panel down so that she could go through other gardens. However you are right, the police wouldn't be interested. It is alarming to come home and realise someone has been in your garden - not a sad post at all actually maryeliza54.

Our friends neighbour went into his garden whilst they were on holiday and chopped down 3 of his trees, at the stump.
Police not interested.

You would have to go through a civil court if there was no criminal damage involved.
Expensive!

Just because the bins have been moved doesn't actually mean your neighbour has entered your garden.

What should you do?
Maybe put a lock on your gate.

I wish my neighbours would come and take their cats away from my garden instead of letting them use it as a passage through and a place to poo.

What on earth do you think the police can do? They are stretched to the limit at the best of times and investigating a case of your neighbour searching for her cat in your garden would not be one of their priorities! It doesn’t make her a criminal,
I think ‘trespass’ may be a civil offence anyway.

Trespass is a civil wrong not a criminal offence. What a sad post

Did she touch anything? Tread on any plants? Break anything?

WHY is she a pain? Just because her cat goes into your garden?

Ring the police?! Ridiculous. The police are overstretched, without silly little things like this. You are massively over-reacting. Put a lock on the gate, and don't be so petty