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The UK law concerning fences, walls and gates

https://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/g ... and-gates/

This link may prove useful to those whose neighbours think it is acceptable to put up carpet grippers to injure animals as mine have.

An interesting summary!

Regarding your neighbour - is this adjacent to a highway (little excuse there, it seems) or on a fence separating your properties? Is the fence yours or your neighbour's? I'm assuming they are aggressive about spike removal. If they are unco-operative & you can afford it, I'd put up my own, higher, fence. Your cats would then be much less likely to injure themselves as, if climbing fences, they'd most likely drop down from the top. Still a problem from the other direction, though.

The RSPCA might be helpful in the matter of liability if a cat injures itself on such spikes. Worth enquiring, I think. Also, ask your local council, there might be bye-laws involved.

There are plastic anti-burglar spikes which would be nothing like as dangerous as metal carpet grippers. These would solve the problem of intruders & probably deter your cats from using the fence: These are short & solid & will be painful to any human attempting to grip & climb a fence. It depends upon their purpose: are they trying to make themselves secure or are they trying to keep cats out? If the latter, you might even be able to get the RSPCA to send an inspector to look at the situation & speak to the neighbours.

I do have sympathy. Bullying neighbours are an awful thing to encounter.

Thanks for posting this, but really sorry to hear about your experiences with your neighbour. They might be willing to change them to the type Catotum recommended, but otherwise cat-proofing the boundary from your side may be a better option. If your neighbour's are really against your cats going into their garden, they may be happy to see this done. I used Purrfect Fencing, which was brilliant and has kept our little escapologist in for the last year. https://purrfectfence.co.uk/ I particularly like the spring loaded arm to stop really determined houdinis.

Others have used Securacat https://www.secur-a-cat.com/

Or Protectapet https://protectapet.com/shop/cat-produc ... WMQAvD_BwE

Some have made up their own version of the last two from builder's merchants, to varying degrees of success. While my garden does slightly resemble Colditz, it's the best thing I ever did, and if ever I move my main consideration will be whether I can do it to my next garden too.