What to do with elderly neighbours hungry cat?

[LittleMissMe99]

So, my elderly neighbour has a cat. She is 93 and has been in hospital for a week. She told me previously her daughter in law hates cats, but would feed her if anything happened. Anyway, it's been a week (I've not heard how she is) and the little cat keeps running in our house starving. It's not being fed I don't think. She's a small thin cat anyway, but even thinner now. My husband decided to feed her. Which would be fine, except my youngest daughter (aged 8) is deathly afraid of cats. So she can't live here! The minute we open the door she runs in, and has now discovered the small window for my dryer. So I can't put that on without her appearing. She's a beautiful, affectionate little cat (2 years old maybe?) But my daughter won't come downstairs in case she's here. I'm not sure what to do, as I suspect the neighbour won't come out of hospital. I read about spraying her with water, but it feels cruel. Suggestions please?

Don’t feed her in your house. Pop round and put food in the neighbors garden.

Yes, feed her outside but if she is an affectionate cat more exposure to her might be good for your daughter and help her get over her fear.

I wouldn’t stop feeding her but you can feed her outside. If she runs in she’ll follow you back out again if she sees you carrying the food bowl. Do you have a number for neighbours? If the neighbour isn’t coming home hopefully a family member would take responsibility for having the cat re homed but if they don’t you could contact a charity to arrange that. Poor little thing . Is there no chance dd might get over her fear?

You can't ignore a suffering animal regardless of your daughter's fears. That said, cats are very good at claiming starvation and it's just as likely cat is lonely and looking for company. Also of course it can be dangerous to feed other people's pets when you don't know if they have any medical requirements.

Have you seen the daughter at all? How about visiting your elderly neighbour in hospital (which would be a kindness in itself) and offering to feed cat?

Call the local shelter/animal rescue and report that the owner’s in hospital, no one’s taking care of her and have them come collect her.

Some animal homes organise short-term fostering of cats and dogs for people who've gone into hospital. It's worth getting in touch with your local cat shelter if you have one.

(Just to add I'm currently fostering an elderly cat who had 'someone coming into feed him' for a month. Poor cat was very neglected - he's very underweight, his coat was dull and matted, some untreated health conditions. A lot of care from me and several vet trips later, he's vastly improved.)

Our relatives are all hundreds (or even thousands) of miles away, and this is one of the reasons we recently signed up to the Cat Protection League Cat Guardian scheme, just in case anything happened to us and the cats had to be rehomed - now, admittedly, we're not 93, and it's really in case we died, but I'm sure they will be able to give you very good advice on what to do in this situation. It's a free service, funded by donations, ; have a look at www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/cat-into-our-care

It's a shame your daughter is afraid of cats, they're such little characters.

Well, your daughter can't go through life scared of cats (and I say that with an 8 yo who is just getting over a fear of dogs).

In your position (not knowing anything about your lifestyle/six months of the year spent on research trips in the Serengeti) I'd start encouraging your daughter down when the cat has been fed and is lolling around peacefully, so that she can feel how soft the cat's fur is etc. etc. Explain that the cat was starving to death, and that kindness to animals is very important and that we all have a responsibility to help a creature in need etc. etc. etc.

Sounds like an ideal little friend to help your daughter get it together about cats, and maybe a future furry family member!

I'd contact a rehoming / fostering place. It's far too cold for a housecat to manage outdoors.........sad for your neighbour but the cats needs trump her wants.

Seems like an ideal opportunity to sort out your dd's phobia...

Your daughter can't go through life being that scared of cats.
Now would be an ideal time to help her overcome her fear whilst also helping an animal in need.

Perhaps your daughter could learn to like it, they aren't scary really

I am looking at my cute furball laying next to me as I am writing this and I can’t think of any reason to let such poor little creature suffer. I agree with PP to use this as an opportunity to help your DD overcome her fears of cats. If you don’t want to do that, at least feed the cat outside in the garden.

Please don’t spray her with water 😿

@crosspelican

That is a lovely post

@Honeybee85

Your cat is beautiful is she a silver tabby 😻😻

As pp have said, this is the universe giving you the chance to cure your daughter’s cat phobia.

Please feed the cat
Call a rescue centre
Work with your dd fear of cats

Phone cats protection
Feed the cat
Is there something you could set up as a shelter? We had snow yesterday. Poor cat

Please Leave a bowl of water outside and keep feeding her. Please don't spray her with water. She isn't doing anything wrong as she is hungry and use to regular meals. She is probably feeling a little confused as her human mum has all of a sudden gone. Can you phone the hospital and mention this to them and see if the mum will be coming home? They may tell you in a round about way if she is lot isn't and then the cat is classed as homeless and a shelter would take her in.

My son was deathly afraid of dogs till we got a puppy. Help the cat and help your daughter

Is this poor creature locked out of her house or does she have a car door ?

Do you have keys to get into your NDN house ?

Maybe the daughter -in-law agreed to feed the cat but it's either way down her priority list or not on her radar . The end result is the same , the cat is on her own.

If you "adopt" her , you'd need to find out if your NDN is coming home at all. I don't think the DIL would fight you for the cat.

YY to let her in, your DD can learn from a friendly cat and consider (at the age of 8 she will be aware ) what will happen if the cat is outside and starving

Try the Cinnamon Trust cinnamon.org.uk/

The National Charity for the elderly, the terminally ill and their pets

Whereabouts are you?

car door ?

Cat door (obvs)