to not want the neighbours to feed my cat

[SirSugar]

I have a pedigree cat, all cream fluffy and well looked after. Recently I guessed that he is probably getting fed elsewhere as hes putting on weight. I try to keep him just below 4 kilos as it causes problems with the flea/parasite treatment if he goes over.

This morning the slightly bonkers husband of my neighbours knocks on the door and asks if the cat is mine, what sex is it and if it is chipped. He tells me they were thinking he looked stray and were going to contact RSPCA. He hardly looks stray and is chipped. Anyway, he then tells me that they give him tuna and chicken and fish and he loves sitting on his favourite cushion in their house and ALL cats have two homes you know. Thank fuck I had him chipped as I am now envisioning them saying hes their cat.

I'm usually very free with letting out the cat but have now decided to keep him in for a couple of days and decide on the best routine for letting him out.

I was a bit shocked with the neighbours revelations so need to do something there and feel the need to tell them not to feed him, if they will listen.

AIBU

A lot of cats are greedy and a bit cheeky and will gladly go where there is food.

easiest way to solve it is to pop round the neighbours house and explain that the vet has
Diagnosed the cat with an allergy and so it must only eat prescription food.

That will stop them feeding it and if you stress how expensive said food is will also discourage cat napping.

What breed is the cat btw?
Some cats are clearly pedigree and others it's harder to tell. Wondering if they really did
think it might be stray.

Cats are a PITA. If someone lets them into their home they will keep going back and will often move from one house to another if they know they are going to get food. Just tell your neighbour that the cat is well cared for and not to feed it. They are just being kind.

Be afraid! Our cat (just a moggy) was fed by neighbours when we went on holiday. Neighbours are cat lovers. They have continued to feed our cat and now the cat prefers them! He's old, the children p@ss him off. Neighbours are 60+ and have no kids and feed him marvellous M&S food, chicken and tuna. Not sure what to do now, so my advice would be to ask neighbours not to feed your cat any more before it all gets awkward and weird

I had a horrible feeling you were my next door neighbour there for a moment as one of their cats has decided that we are some of his parents now (he's a real Six Dinner Sid)....

YANBU - I'd definitely just nicely say to them that he's got to only eat the food you provide for his flea treatments (and maybe also for another interesting medical reason like he craps all over naice cushions when he eats tuna/chicken/fish).

Can you give them the details of where you got him from so they can get one of their own and its attendant medical problems?

Birman, very distinct lovely cream fluffy fur with tabby point markings and huge blue eyes. Always looks well fed and clean.

YANBU. I had the same problem with my neighbours and one of my cats (who is sadly no longer with us). My neighbour is elderly and I suspect has dementia. Despite me telling her many times that he had a sensitive stomach and couldn't eat 'normal' cat food, she decided that I was starving him and would feed him 3 times a day on top of what I was feeding him because he was nagging her for it (yes because he was a greedy bugger and would eat all day if he could have). I was dreading the day she called the RSPCA claiming I was neglecting him, fortunately it never happened.

The irony is that when we went on holiday last year he become very ill and moved into her house as he just wanted constant company. When I finally tracked him down (only recently moved to the area so she didn't know he belonged to me), he had lost half his body weight but she hadn't thought to take him to a vet (in fact she offered him to her granddaughter as a christmas present!).

Will have to go and tell them tomorrow DP can do it

hockey

I always board him back at the breeders when we go away so I don't have to worry about him.

Will definately go down the special diet route.

I don't like keeping him in all the time as hes very energetic; if I walk round the block he will run along with me so may take him for a walk myself and give him treat when we get home.

I have 2 Birmans. Quite clearly a pedigree cat.

BUT Yabu for letting the cat out.
Birmans are indoor cats!

They are bred to be indoor cats and as such have no sense of danger and are too trusting for their own good.

I'm willing to bet the breeder of the cat told you not to let it out.

On top of that the average weight of a birman is 4_6 kg with males being at the higher end of the scale so by keeping him under 4kg you ARE under feeding him.

What you explain to the neighbours is that if your cat falls ill as a result of them feeding it, then they will have to meet the vet's bill for the subsequent treatment.