Would you mind if strangers stroked and petted your cat?

[lookingforwardtoautumn2]

I go for a lot of walks and love cats, so when I see one I can’t resist calling them over and giving them a fuss (if they come to me that is).

But is this something that would annoy the owners? I don’t feed them.

I love it when random strangers tell my cats they’re lovely.

Owners have no say, it's up to the cat.

One of mine is a right floozy. He's got a little fan club of kids who come round looking for him. He loves the attention

The cat will decide who to grace with the priveledge of a fuss. One of mine will either roll over for anyone passing or ignore them completely.....

I don’t mind in the least - but he’s a bugger, and he bites, so you might!

If you're sticking your arm through their cat flap or going onto their property it's unacceptable.

If the cat is in the street it's between you and the cat. If the owner doesn't like it they can keep their cat inside.

When it comes to cats, owners get no say in this. One of our cats isn’t particularly friendly, only likes small amounts of fuss from us , he’ll scratch or bite if we stroke him too much. BUT for strangers, even our vet, he performs like the friendliest cat that ever lived. They can fuss him as much as they like, rub his belly, pick him up without a problem, whereas we’d be in danger of losing a couple of fingers if we did it. 😂 I’m just glad he enjoys fuss from some people. Little weirdo that he is. 😂

I love it, but I'm somewhat embarrassed when he won't give them the time of day! He's very particular about who he'll talk to.

I always stroke a random cat if it lets me, I like cats and as I no longer have one of my own, it's nice to have the opportunity to make a fuss of one. I'd never pick one up though.

All the cats I've had in the past would never let anyone near them, let alone stroke them. I was actually quite pleased about that though, there was no way anyone would be able to take them or do anything horrible to them.

My friendly cat once went off with a bunch of Jehovah Witnesses who were knocking on doors. They had children with them, and she took a particular shine to a little girl who stroked her. She disappeared with them, trotting along with her new friend, going door to door, and we were panic stricken because we thought that we’d never see her again. Thankfully she turned up later that same evening.

You'd be hard pushed to avoid it with mine, absolute floozy that she is.

Unless you have a dog, then she'll try to beat it up. All 2.8kg of her.

I can't resist a cat.

I always give it the option though. I'll only pet if it comes over to me willingly.

A cat would never be truly converted by JWs. Thank goodness.

A cat would never be converted at all. I'm surprised the cat didn't return in the evening with a whole new slew of former JWs now devoted to a cat worship cult.

I mean, if someone presented a cat with the Risen Christ, it would give him an unimpressed look, turn away and start licking its nether regions.

Not at all! They shouldn’t pick them up though. Mine are very affectionate but do not like being picked up.

Not at all, but mine wouldn't let a stranger stroke them. They get admired a lot from passers by when they are sat in the window , and I like that.

As PPs have said - the cat chooses. And if it’s gentle affection in a public space then I can’t see the issue.

Oh @HappyByTheRiver that's hilarious!!

OP, I think everyone has said it. You must stroke the cat if the cat wants a stroke, it's the law.

As long as my cat is ok with it then so am I. I don’t think that you’d get near him though. Most loving cat with us, but not keen on strangers. Unlike my old cat who was a massive tart.

No not at all. But if she starts rolling around on her back and flipping back and forth looking all cute, move away quickly!
I pretty much pet every cat I see 😸

Aw I haven’t got a cat atm but think it’s lovely when people fuss cats they don’t know.
Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Especially knowing how some people are cruel to animals. Also, cats are very fussy about who is allowed to fuss them.

One of mine hides in the bushes and glares at passers-by (and their dogs) from her secret vantage point. One would run a mile rather than go near a stranger, and the third would roll around on the ground and rub himself round their legs. If anyone tried to pick him up though, their next stop would be the NHS walk-in centre.😂

Everyone on my street knows my Emmeline and loves her, and it's great!

My cat literally sits outside the front of my house, on the pavement, waiting for passers by to make a fuss of him / hard staring at dogs without flinching or moving. He is quite famous locally.

I would be very suspicious of anyone who didn’t fuss a cat who clearly wanted a fuss.
What other weirdness are they hiding?