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Original poster

Can I knock on their door?

23 replies

Alisvolatpropiis · 01/12/2013 11:18

Neighbours who live directly across the shared back lane from me are feeding my cat. This is irritating enough in itself but twice now they've removed his collar which clearly states my address.

Can I knock on their door and ask them to stop? He is well fed and well looked after. They are essentially just stealing my cat. It is driving me up the wall.

OP posts:
deepfriedsage · 01/12/2013 11:20

The vet can chip the cat.

littlewhitebag · 01/12/2013 11:20

If you are certain they are feeding I'm then i think there is no problem with asking them to stop. Say that you don't want him to become fat and unwell so for his sake it would be best if they didn't feed him.

AgentZigzag · 01/12/2013 11:25

I would talk to them about it, but try not to go in with any definite ideas about what's going on, it's possible they're not actually trying to steal him and he's just lost his collars.

How do you know they're feeding him? Is that what he's telling you? Because he could be messing with you to get your attention Wink

PuntCuffin · 01/12/2013 11:26

Of course you can ask. It doesn't mean they'll stop though. My neighbours keep feeding my cat even though I have told them he has allergies, needs a special diet etc. They backed off a bit in the summer when he got really scabby and itchy from it.

There was a thread here that I was reading only yesterday where someone had been fighting for 3 years to get their neighbours to stop feeding their cat. Sad

Nanny0gg · 01/12/2013 11:27

I agree with deepfriedsage. Get him chipped first. Then have the conversation.

Hayleychopper · 01/12/2013 11:34

I have a similar problem in reverse, 2 cats keep coming in my house and stealing my cats food. I finally found out who owns them, after several months of trying, and he has basically said that he cant do anything to stop them. Every time I open the door to let my cats in these other 2 just barge in and get to the food bowls first and by the time I manage to get them out most of the food is gone.

I have 3 cats and cant afford to keep feeding these other 2, the owner doesn't give a shit and never lets his cats in.

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 01/12/2013 11:37

Hayley might a chip reading cat flap be the answer?

deepfriedsage · 01/12/2013 11:39

Get a cat flap fitted which only allows your cats in, Hayley.

Hayleychopper · 01/12/2013 11:41

Yes, I have thought about that but one of my cats is kind enough to bring me lots of presents, mice, shrews, bats etc and mostly still alive and I dread having said presents running around the house. Plus we have a metal door so not easy to fit a cat flap.

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 01/12/2013 11:42

:( I'd get the cat chipped then go and talk to them. If you can't get through to them, ask your vet to write to them telling them how ill your cat will get if they continue with this.

Hayleychopper · 01/12/2013 11:45

His cats are chipped but they are still registered to CPL, he has never bothered to update the details, thats why it took so long to find out who owned them. I have given him details of how to register them to his address.

toboldlygo · 01/12/2013 11:52

Not sure how having the cat microchipped will help - the people feeding it don't know it's there and it's not proof of ownership. Knocking on the door and politely asking them to stop would be a lot more effective.

Hayleychopper · 01/12/2013 11:57

Sorry Alis for hijacking your thread.

If I was you I would just go and ask them to stop, say that your cat needs a special diet and they are making him ill. Could you keep him in for a while, I know its not ideal but it might help them get the message.

MammaTJ · 01/12/2013 12:04

I had this a long time ago. My cat would go to this persons house, it started because I was on holiday and he wanted company. They would feed him, so he kept going back.

They reported me to the RSPCA and they investigated and found he was being looked after well.

Then they reported to the local crazy cat lady cat rescue. She just took him. I eventually found him and she said 'I thought he looked well cared for for a stray', then tried to charge me for the tests she had had done. I told her to go whistle, she should not have taken MY can in the firt place. Then the woman who had reported me twice rang me and asked me to stop him going to her house. Hmm

I told her I would have a word with him but he probably wouldn't listen! He had a cat flap, he always had food, btu he fancied her food more! She wouldn't believe he was well fed! I told her to just stop feeding him!

Quoteunquote · 01/12/2013 12:10

Give them a copy of six dinner sid

and a polite note asking them to resist feeding the cat.

FryOneFatManic · 01/12/2013 12:14

I think the suggestion about getting a chip for the cat is if the neighbour is trying to steal the cat, the chip will be proof of ownership.

Original poster
Alisvolatpropiis · 01/12/2013 13:26

I think we did have the cats (there are two but one is v much an outdoors cat, always has been) chipped when they were v young, but that would have been three years ago now. I will have to check with the vet.

What do I do if these people have had him chipped? Apart from go absolutely bonkers?

OP posts:
trashcanjunkie · 01/12/2013 13:49

can't manage to link this, but search on here for the catgate thread. Nip this in the bud quickly!

toboldlygo · 01/12/2013 17:23

Chips aren't proof of ownership - www.petlog.org.uk/compulsory-microchipping-frequently-asked-questions/

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 01/12/2013 17:29

What do I do if these people have had him chipped? Apart from go absolutely bonkers?

Vets check for existing information before they chip an animal, so if you did have him/them chipped when they were young then they couldn't be chipped again.

Hayley you'll have to take your cat food and water up out of the way and only feed when it's just yours indoors.
If there's no food down the intruders can't steal it.

TallGiraffe · 01/12/2013 17:37

Put a new collar on that says "please don't feed me - I am on a special diet due to an expensive medical condition"

That should put them off!

JennyOnAPlate · 01/12/2013 19:10

hayley let the cats in first, then get the food out surely?

Jengnr · 01/12/2013 20:20

Keep your cats in. Problems solved all round.

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