Neighbour feeding my cat

[Ilovetoast12]

I keep overhearing my neighbour calling my cat and offering him whatever she's eating (just now it was fish and chips). AIBU to think she's a little off feeding someone else's cat or is it a really nice thing to do? I guess I'm a little worried he'll change his allegiances and not come home if he's getting fed elsewhere.

[Wolfiefan]

Tell her the cat is on a special diet for health reasons?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

You sure it's not the cat begging?

My old neighbours used to have huge family barbeques all through summer and my cat would sit with them and wait patiently for her portion.

I could hear them shout to eat other, "Could you get Edwina a sausage.'

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

YANBU!

Can cats even eat chips & batter?

A polite word or note may be in order. A cat who has been left home alone for days (or occasionally a week) and is visibly hungry & thirsty is another matter (neighbours I'm looking at you!).

A well cared for cat - no.

[tabulahrasa]

Go round, ask if they've seen your cat eating anything in their garden or in the street, because it has a load of food allergies and even though you've got it on the special food you keep having to rush it to the vet's after its come from somewhere near her house...

In all honesty though, cats will quite often eat at a few houses and still come home, they don't really just stay at yours for food.

[RustyPaperclip]

As those on the Litter Tray may have read, my recently departed Siamese cat ran off with our neighbours takeaway fish and chips we had our door open, heard a scream, raced to the door to see our boy run away with the bag, closely followed by our other cat and with our neighbour trailing behind! We never did find the remains but we did offer to buy him replacement takeaway.

Sorry, that isn't much help, I just wanted to share!

[Timeforabiscuit]

Just mention to the neighbours not to feed the cat, though a lovely way of sounding out who might look out for your cat if you're away.

[Ilovetoast12]

Thanks everyone for replying

King - I didn't think he was begging but mayyybe he is, except this evening when she's called for him, he's been in the house with me.

Santa - thank you I might just do that. My other half thinks I'm overreacting but I find it quite odd. I purposely don't feed him human food so he won't beg and for health reasons.

Now when I think about it, sometimes when I feed him his evening meal, he takes one look at it, turns his nose up and goes out! Definitely sounds like he's eating elsewhere.

[Ilovetoast12]

Tabularassa - it's a relief to know he'll still come back even if he eats elsewhere, thank you.

Rusty - Lovely story about the fish and chips

Time - Great idea!

[Ilovetoast12]

Wolfiefan - good idea, thank you.

Sexlubeandafishslice - great link! Thank you

[MidniteScribbler]

If you let your cat out to roam, then you can't really complain about someone giving it some food. If you are going to be precious about your cat, why are you letting it wander all over the suburb?

[Beepbopboop]

Yanbu. Human food is unhealthy for cats so they should really not be feeding it. And it could have health conditions that require a special diet. Has your cat put on weight?
Give your cat dreamies and tuna as a treat and it'll never leave you!

[Jayrose]

This happened to us but it was more difficult as our neighbours are great friends and also look after our cat & dog when we go away. It was starting to become awkward as our cat preferred to stay at their place (no dog annoying him) and we would have to go over and apply flea treatment every so often. They also use to let us know when he wasn't well and we would have to go over and get him to take him to the vet. My DH was getting very annoyed but I was trying to keep the peace as they clearly loved our cat.
It all came to a head when the vet suggested we put the cat on a diet (since it was getting fat) so we told the neighbours that we have to feed him special cat food from now on and they stopped feeding him.
The cat came back and they've now got a puppy

[AerithEarling]

I agree with saying the cat is on a special diet.
A previous neighbour of mine when we fell out tried to feed my cat and call her constantly, she was really obsessed with my cat obviously trying to steal her but my cat is rude and doesn't like or trust anyone but me so she used to ignore her and run away 😂

[Iknownuffink]

If you treasure your cat, keep it indoors. Cats seek out the best food sources.

Cats allowed to roam meet up with all manner of life threatening hazards.

FYI, I have never ever lost a cat.

[trufflesnout]

I don't think OP is suggesting that it's up to her cat not to scoff food it comes across, more that grown adults who should know better shouldn't be offering food to pets who aren't theirs

Tell them something like the cat became unwell and is now on a vet-recc'd diet, you know the cat sometime ate at theirs but this now has to stop for the cats wellbeing.

See also: feeding random horses. Yes, a carrot really can fuck it up.

Do people also do this to dogs too!?

[sizeofalentil]

Don't tell them it has food allergies - she'll think you're a loon and do it more.

I'd say she's diabetic or has kidney problems so can't have human food because of salt, fat, additives.

[SoupDragon]

FYI, I have never ever lost a cat.

Neither have I and I've not shut mine in.

I wrote "special diet - do not feed" on a load of cheap cat collars when FatCat was on a weight loss diet. He did eventually lose the weight so I assume it worked even though he removed them at least once a week and did a damned fine impersonation of a starving kitty.