Do I do something with this cat??

[rageface]

Sorry, not really AIBU, but needed some replies sooner rather than later.

I haven’t seen my neighbour for days, not actually sure when I did see him last. Have knocked his door twice over the weekend regarding something else, and no reply.

His cat has been in the communal close on and off over these few days and I’m feeling increasingly sorry for him.

Can I give him milk?? I know it probably best not to feed him, but is a little bowl of milk okay?? (Only have semi skimmed).

Sorry, if this seems ridiculous, but I don’t know what to do for the best. I know cats can fend for themselves, but last time the neighbour went away, I know he left the cat with a family member.

Hi OP feed kitty and notify cats protection if no response to your note.

Unfortunately cats do not and can not find for themselves unlike some has suggested. That is why We have so many straysbwho suffer as not many people are as kind as you.

The best thing is to call your local CP branch once no answer and they will take kitty in.

Luisa27, yes a different situation, but could end up the same result if the cat starts associating the OP with food (whether she wants a cat or not!). It's not don't feed at all ever, which as others have pointed out can lead to starvation in plain sight, just don't feed unless and until you know the full situation. And in this case, I wouldn't feed until the note had gone unanswered.

I'd feed the cat.
My NDN went on holiday and left the cat. No cat flap. Someone called every few days to put food down - outside where any other cat or rats could get it.
It sat outside our door meowing most of the fortnight and I took pity on it.

Feeding the cat for a few days until OP catches up with her neighbour is unlikely to cause long term problems, especially if she puts a note through the door first.

Well, my fish fingers weren’t wasted. He practically licked the tub clean. Hasn’t touched the water, I don’t think

Aw well done rage. My 2 cats rarely drink water so I wouldn't worry about that too much. What are you going to do now?

I wouldn't worry about causing a problem by feeding the cat if the poor thing is shut out and starving . I think problems only arise when people feed cats when they don't know who they belong to or don't know if they are lost/stray. One of mine is VERY good at putting on The Sad Face - she also loves being outside. A very sweet old lady started feeding her, thinking she was a stray, which meant eventually my cat didn't come in at all. I had to put signs up and posted on our local lost and found pets page asking people NOT to feed her. After a couple of days she was back eating me out of house and home .

You've a big heart OP ....well done! 💐

Some cats are lactose intolerant i asked our vet as DH has a late night cereal habit and had taken to sharing his left over milk with the cat. Vet said if it doesn't upset his stomach (we have a litter tray so would know) it's fine occasionally. However the cat will love tuna. The note is a good idea

Just saw the update, fish fingers lucky cat!! It's gotten to the point with ours that if I'm roasting a chicken he'll sit by the oven and meow because he knows once I've carved, and it's cooled I'll pick the scraps from the carcass and he'll have roast chicken for dinner too. When I was a student a local resident moved and just left their cat behind, we had their number and text to say the cat was wandering when were they coming back, does he need feeding and they replied not coming back , keep him! We did for a few weeks but were all going home for summer, luckily one of my housemates's grans had a cat that passed away and was happy to adopt him, so he moved to the other side of the country. Do any other neighbours know when the cat owner is coming back?

@rageface Hasn’t touched the water, I don’t think

Do you have a water butt? Or basically any container that that has old standing water in it? Lots of cats don't like fresh water, and will prefer rainwater.

My cat was drinking out of a tub that was practically green recently. She bypassed the fresh rainwater for it.

Good on you for taking care - one meal does not a new pet cat make, while you wait to see what's going on, and she was clearly hungry. (Mine is never hungry on bin day. We suspect she has a all-night feast of rotting leftovers the night before

I don’t have anything like that. But hopefully he’s getting water somewhere when he’s out gallivanting. I’m not really sure how often he’s getting out the close, as there’s a front door and back door to it.

Can I buy anything he can drink from the pet shop?

Put a note through the door last night, so we’ll see if I hear anything. 🤞🤞

Oh, sorry for making you worry! Just put tap water out - the chloriney bit will dissipate soon enough. And if he's thirsty he'll drink anything. I was just saying cats can be stubborn buggers if they think there's a better offer coming!

You're doing a grand job

I would get a bag of Purina 1 biscuits (Bright blue bag) the one for sensitive stomachs and put out water for him/her..
OP you are very kind

Okay, will get some purina biscuits and safe tuna today. It was tap water, but it was boiled and cooled. Is that any better??

I bet it’s hard to believe I’ve actually raised a thriving 13 yo 😂

If it helps, I managed to keep my horses alive on my own from age 11 but a teeny cat terrified me

Seriously don't worry @rageface - cats happily eat rotting food and drink out of filthy puddles. Sometimes especially when you buy a stock of something they previously liked in direct preference to anything we lavish on them.

What you are doing is just fine for him.

Oh well done @rageface !
Good karma will be on it’s way to you 😇
Lucky little cat having fish fingers - yes purina is our go-to staple too -and tap water is fine.
Any news on your neighbour?

Yes - as pp said - just leave a bowl of tap water down for him rage - it’s fine

Mine will only drink running tap water unless desperate, drinks bath water and loves the water in the tuna tin, so when you get a tin of tuna in spring water leave the water in, mine has it refilled with water. Nothing like fishy water. 😂 But they will drink any old dirty water they find in puddles etc, its just boring old clean water they aren't keen on, it needs Volvic, Touch of Muddy Puddle / Touch of Used Bath Water.

😂😂😂

Touch of Used Bath Water Gads

I’m at work, so won’t hear from the neighbour til later, if ever

It gets worse, some cats like toilet water, nothing like Eau de Toilette. 😱

Stagnant pond water, manky water that's been sitting in a dish under a flower pot ... anything that's got a bit of added flavour.

Clean water is a last resort ... unless it's in a trickle from a tap because then it's FUN.

I can't believe the stories here of people who go away and just leave their cat to fend for itself. What kind of massive dripping dick does that??

Fish fingers sounds like a great meal instead of milk!

You've done well, OP.