To think this is a bit odd/bordering on sinister.....

[Gossipmonster]

The kids and I have just got back from a weekend at my parents.

My very kind elderly next door neighbour fed my cat for me (he and his wife always do this for me while I am away) since Friday eve.

When we arrived home the cat was at the door to great us (bit odd in itself as she normally doesn't speak to us for days if we leave her) and my neighbour was upstairs in my sons attic room .

I think he does play with the cat for a bit as they are quite lonely and don't have a lot to do but AIBU to think this is a bit irregular?

I didn't say anything and just thanked him and took the keys back - he did look a bit embarrassed and now I am sat here feeling a bit icky .

Hmm, it does seem a bit odd, he was probably just being nosy. I wouldn't ask him again unless he will have the cat at his house but that could be awkward to arrange without telling him why.

I can hand on heart say that i don't go snooping around if i'm in another persons house cleaning/feeding animals etc.

Personally, if i'm leaving my animals to be fed by a neighbour, i will shut all upstairs doors (and tell them i've done it) so that there is no possibility of the animal going into those rooms and therefore no excuse for anyone to be going in.

I'd be uncomfy about finding him up there OP. It makes me wonder where else he's been while you've been away ...

Odd behaviour!

Is there any possibility he is suffering from early dementia? Just trying to give the benefit of the doubt here.

It is a bit strange.

I'm not sure how I'd feel about it really. Certainly wouldn't ask him to cat sit again.

I wouldn't torture yourself with wondering what he was doing OP. It could well have been simple snooping, although that's still not great! Lesson learned and all that.

If it took him a while then I think its dodgy.
Have you looked in the room

WTF?!

If you were going to go for a nosy round your neighbors' house you'd do it on the first day and then your curiosity would be satisfied after that surely?

Older gents always seem to stand creepily close to people in fact my grannies do it too I wouldn't think too much of that, creeping about your house especially dc bedrooms is odd though I'd have to find out wtf he was doing.

I can't imagine nosying in other peoples houses even viewing houses to rent bothered me!

Does seem a bit odd. Trust whatever you feel about him/ the situation. Personally i would find someone else to feed the cat.

I once was left feeding a rabbit, and one time when I went in, I could have sworn I heard footsteps upstairs. I went up to check, but would have been really embarrassed to be caught. I don't think I would have said if they had caught me because I would have felt it sounded like an excuse if that makes sense.

I think older folk do tend to say things like "you look nice/pretty/special" without any extra meaning to it.

It is a bit odd, but there are any number of innocent reasons (innocent doesn't mean socially appropriate mind you). As a pp said he may well have just been looking at what children are into these days.

Similarly he may have thought he was being charming when he complimented you. Elderly people can sometimes not be very aware of personal space if their hearing or eyesight is not as good as it was and they 'lean in'.

If it makes you uncomfortable then you should stop asking him, but on the face of it he might just be reminiscing and interested in your young and happening family.

If he is elderly, its not surprising he took a little while to get downstairs

Older gents always seem to stand creepily close to people No they don't! Surely 'older gents' are just 'younger gents' who are now further along in their lives.

Just because someone is old doesn't make them harmless or innocent!

Most people would know it was wrong to go upstairs to have a nose around someone's house.

Even people who do it know that they shouldn't be doing it.

I wouldn't let this man have access to my house again under any circumstances.

Especially in light of the other incidents. How many warnings do you need?!

How did it all happen OP? Can you talk us through it?
Agree with the other poster it could have taking him a while to physically get down the stairs but I was getting at whether he was trying to buy time Iyswim.

Do you think he was interfering with the cat?!

I saw his wife outside who waved hello and said he was inside feeding the cat the kids and I made two or three trips to and from the car each getting the stuff in.

I then went into the kitchen expecting to see him there and he wasn't then the kids piled upstairs DS1 (who has the loft room) went first and said he nearly crapped himself as him went up the second flight of stairs neighbour was coming down .

Could he maybe have not seen the cat at the door and went to search the house for it?

Or something?

How old is your DS1 please OP?

(family here interested and asking questions!)

Nearly 16

Have often been a cat feeder and have never snooped in any rooms or drawers. However, turning up to feed one cat one morning another cat had got in and I had to hunt to house for it to get it out. It was upstairs under neighbour's bed. Felt terrible being up there but told her and she was fine.

Ewwww, I would think it a little odd, but maybe checking on the house to see if all was ok in a protecting way. Thinking he's keeping house and cat safe?

Nice to have a neighbour who looks after the cat.