A question for all cat owners (it’s not about poo)

[Giraffesandbottoms]

On the thread re feeding horses, a poster said that all cat owners accept if their cat is an outdoor pet, if it approaches someone it’s fine to pet them. Is this true? I’m now extremely curious about this - it would never occur to me to just pet a random cat I saw. Would you not mind as the owner if everyone was petting your cat? is it "fair game" if it is let out?

Those of you radom cat strokers who have Twitter need to follow @thecatreviewer - you can post pictures and reviews of those chance meetings

Of course I pet random cats when instructed. I have been well trained.

I accept the possibility of a bite or scratch as my own fault nd certainly wouldn't attempt to pick up a random cat.

Horses/dogs different. They belong to other people and are not capable of making their own decisions.

Ah vince I remember sitting on that bench in south bank and he came and sat on my knee he was lovely it was very sad when he was run over yes pet a cat ( if they are friendly and let you)🐈‍⬛😀

My cat is a total hussy. She would be offended if you didn’t make a fuss of her. I’ve seen her run towards people meowping and throw herself upside down at their feet in pursuit of a stroke when she’s been in the mood for attention.

Neighbour of ours have specifically asked the home owners (10 houses in our cul de sac) not to engage / touch / feed etc their 2 cats.

We have no problem with this - as our dogs don’t like cats at all.

But…neighbours have an issue with their cats being scared by our dogs when they enter our garden repeatedly fouling in it. Apparently we should keep our dogs in, when they are doing their business in my flower beds / veg beds!

I’m a cat owner, my cat was given lots of fuss by the neighbours, she was super friendly and social.
I’ve always held out my hand out and made silly noises to any cat I see, if they are sociable they’ll come to me for attention.
I wouldn’t approach a cat without warning as they can be very nervous and I wouldn’t want to upset them. I think it’s important to be considerate and cautious towards them as they are still someone pets and you can’t just go bounding up to them.

As an utter cat obsessive I love just seeing a cat in the street, but my day is made when one will come over for a tickle. I will sit on the ground and tickle and chat to them for a good ten minutes! I adore cats and love affectionate ones. Some are much kmore affectionate than my own cat! My own cat isn't too keen on people tbh so rarely gets a stranger tickle.

I have two cats and one is super friendly and one is timid but super friendly once he knows you and feels safe. I'd be gutted if strangers didn't let them! They adore attention and I can't give them it 24:7!

I know my cat will only approach someone if they feel like being petted, whereas my dog will respond to anyone. So no, I dont mind people petting her. She knows people are only here to do her bidding, so it is just confirming what she knows.

I don’t mind people stroking my cats, although they are unlikely to go up to strangers.

I DID take exception to some children trying to stuff one of my previous cats into a doll’s buggy!

@lilmishap

I was pissed off when Aggie went missing for a fortnight and when she returned she was frantic really quite stressed out and didn't leave the house for a couple months after. 2 days after she returned a FB post on our local page had a picture of her and claimed they'd 'rescued' her as a stray, she was so 'mistreated' she hadn't eaten for a few days but she'd been cured 'by love and strokes' and then gone missing through a window.

No you stole my cat and she didn't eat because she wanted to come home but you'd locked in your house Mary,

It's a double edged sword

Once was followed by my cat when I went to a friends round the corner. She waited outside (friend is allergic). Came trotting home with me when I returned. Later that night saw a picture on the local FB of my cat, with a post about the 'very hungry but friendly cat - does anyone know her'. Little booger had blagged a free meal while waiting for me. If I had not logged on, I would never have known!

I saw a random cat today and it scampered off when I said hello. I was devastated.

Our cat loves a fuss from anyone who will pet him. He is best friends with a cat from next door but one on the left and a dog from next door on the right. He is always going round their houses to play - if their back door is closed he will yowl until it is opened for him. He also likes to hang around on the street when school children are coming home and demands that they make a fuss of him, but if its raining then he goes next door because they have a big bay window that he can sit in to watch the children go home. Our previous cat was a regular at the pub, unbeknown to us. She loved crisps and used to go round there whenever she wanted a snack. She knew there would be no shortage of cat feeders amongst the clientele. We had absolutely no idea until we caught her in the act one day!

One of mine actively yells at people until they pay attention.

Pet away! (What damage do you think it can do? If the cat doesn't like it, it's the human that's going to come away lacerated).

God these cats sound cute

My cat wandered too far once in seek of fussing whilst we were at work and was gone for a couple of days. Thanks to social media his steps were retraced - the local children’s centre, then a primary school, and then a secondary school where he attended classes in both Spanish and Science before helping the caretaker with his jobs for the afternoon. The DC were worried he’d take the train to university next, but thankfully he considered his education complete. He’s more of an entrepreneur, really. Aren’t they all?

@tunnocksreturns2019

My cat wandered too far once in seek of fussing whilst we were at work and was gone for a couple of days. Thanks to social media his steps were retraced - the local children’s centre, then a primary school, and then a secondary school where he attended classes in both Spanish and Science before helping the caretaker with his jobs for the afternoon. The DC were worried he’d take the train to university next, but thankfully he considered his education complete. He’s more of an entrepreneur, really. Aren’t they all?

Brilliant

A cat once followed us home
It was quite a while for a cat
So I kept it in as didn't want it getting lost
The owner got him the next day but we got to keep him for 24 Hours
He was one of the sweetest cats I've ever met! So so so friendly! Purred and settled on your knee so happily for a stroke and cuddle
Couldn't get enough of you and the feeling was mutual

@BanjoVio

I saw a random cat today and it scampered off when I said hello. I was devastated.

Ha, that happens to me a lot! I must give off bad cat vibes. I am more a dog person, to be fair.

I take my cat out on a lead, and people like to talk to her -although she isn't very sociable.
There aren;t very many outdoor cats near me - If I see one I'll call and say hello to it, although generally they glare at me and run.
Squirrels in the park are a lot more receptive.

My cat waits at the lane for school children to pat him, and observe his roly polys daily.

He also is apparently known to the amazon delivery man, who asked me yesterday where he was hiding as he usually jumps out the Bush and miaows at him .

No issue with him soliciting pats and tickles, it makes me smile and hopefully others too. I think he is also a good judge of character, he doesn't let everyone and anyone tickle him. He has always loved children and has been known to follow them to the park and require to be collected though which is a bit of a worry at times!

Haha love your cat's adventures , Tunnockreturns! Lol

I used to live on a route to school, my then cat Charlie would go out to meet the children, I had the occasional interaction with a parent to say, "yes it's OK to stroke him, he likes his neck tickled"

My current cat does a full on tart roll on her back, offering her belly to be rubbed. She also lets herself into more than one neighbour's houses and will snuggle up and fall asleep on them if they let her.

In fact I think getting a strange hoomin to pet you is an event in the Kitty Olympics along with hunting small rodents, sitting in smallest box, stopping hoomins work / look at a screen.

If your vet is comfortable with it I'd do it.

My 19 year old girl had two operations to remove teeth under anesthesia. She was fine.

We had to draw the line at removing a large cancerous lump on her stomach as it was too major and the vet did not recommend.

I do the pspspspsps and the slow blink.
I do “pshwshwshwshw” but didn’t know about slow blink! what’s that?

My son has started copying the pshwshwshwshw - he’s only 2.5. And we have our own cat at home!