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Original poster

Neighbour feeding cat deliberately

30 replies

Chellabella · 25/08/2022 20:02

Our neighbour keeps feeding our cat despite a really polite request not to do so. It’s got to the point where he feeds him morning, noon and night in addition to giving him milk. The milk in itself has caused terrible diarrhoea and the over feeding has caused sickness.

Hes now regulated some kind of feeding schedule and our cat never wants to be at our house and is howling ALL of the time to get out on the front to get fed by the neighbour. I’ve had him for 15 years and this has been going on for about 6 months now.

Its clearly deliberate. He’s retired and is a people watcher so knows exactly when I leave the house. For example if I pop to the shops for 10 minutes, by the time I am back the food bowls are outside his house so he knows when to do it so I don’t see!

To top it off he has an indoor house cat, so has his own pet, I have no idea why he’s got a fetish for overfeeding mine!

Anyone had a similar experience and advice for not making things awkward? Tried the paper collar it doesn’t stay on for 5 minutes.

OP posts:
WombatStewForTea · 25/08/2022 20:03

Cat proof your garden so the cat can't get out? Not sure what you can do if you've already spoken to him

GoneWithTheWine1 · 25/08/2022 20:04

Knock on his door and tell him to pack it in.

He's clearly trying to steal your cat.

Lasttraintolondon · 25/08/2022 20:04

I feel for you, if your attempts to speak to him have failed, why not get some cat fencing to keep the cat in your garden and stop him doing it? Not ideal but certainly a solution.

Suzi888 · 25/08/2022 20:05

Tell him he’s making your cat sick and if he carries on you’ll be sending him the vet bills.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 25/08/2022 20:05

Write a letter (keep a copy) letting him know that you are aware he is feeding your cat, that it's making the cat ill and that you know he doesn't want that. Assure him that the cat is well fed, has a diet that is suitable for his needs and that if neighbour continues to feed him to the point of illness you will be sending him the vets bills.

dundies · 25/08/2022 20:06

I would take and throw away any bowls he put out. What an arse

XenoBitch · 25/08/2022 20:06

Tell your neighbour that their well meaning behaviour is literally killing your cat. They are ill and keep needing the vets. I know it is an exaggeration, but if they are an animal lover, then they might stop and think.

IncompleteSenten · 25/08/2022 20:07

I agree that making sure your cat can't leave your property is best. Either cat proof fencing or an enclosed cat run.

Also write to him saying he is causing your cat to be very ill and if he doesn't stop you'll report him to the RSPCA

newtb · 25/08/2022 20:12

Sadly I've had a cat taken by someone else in this way. Both times the cat was run over and killed. Hope this doesn't happen to your cat.

Firty · 25/08/2022 20:12

Go round and shout at him that he’s making your cat ill. Repeat every time he does it.

watcherintherye · 25/08/2022 20:17

Solicitor’s letter? My Mum was once shocked to receive one asking her to ‘desist from alienating the affections’ of the next door cat, which she had sometimes allowed in to our house (no feeding) as it would sit on our doorstep meowing to be let in. She did stop letting it in and we had to endure the cat’s pitiful pleading for several months, before we moved. (Not because of the cat, I should add!)

lll3333 · 25/08/2022 20:20

I don't know how you over feed a cat. All of mine eat until they're content & then walk away. I couldn't feed mine double if I wanted to. I guess you have to just shut your cat indoors?

mountainsunsets · 25/08/2022 20:21

I feel I say it all the time on cat threads, but unfortunately this is one of the risks you take when you allow your cats out to roam. You can't control what other people do to them and it's not illegal to feed a roaming cat.

You either need to keep your cat on your property (you could build a catio or cat-proof the garden) or accept that this is one of the risks you take when you let him out. Even if the neighbour stops doing it, what's to stop your cat finding someone else to plead hunger to?

coffeeisthebest · 25/08/2022 20:24

You need to keep telling him to stop, it sounds like the cat is really suffering due to milk. Tell him to stop right now. Why do people do this?

Itstrueiagree · 25/08/2022 20:41

To the poster who said you don't know how you can overfeed a cat. Have you never seen programmes where cats are overweight from overfeeding?

RincewindsHat · 25/08/2022 21:54

Take the food bowls away and keep them. Every time.

Shut your cat in while you're out of the house.

BungleandGeorge · 25/08/2022 22:15

Cat proof your garden

ginswinger · 25/08/2022 22:45

Our cat was also being overfed by our lovely, newly widowed neighbour. I popped over with some cat treats and gently explained that the vet was testing for diabetes due to his weight. I suggested she feed him the cat treats but no more than one a day. We are back to being friends again and my cat is no longer dragging his fat tummy over the fence.

Leafy3 · 25/08/2022 22:48

Cease & desist solicitor letter.

Make sure it includes the fact that he's effectively poisoning your cat.

If you can get record video or photo evidence do so and include reference to it in the letter, threatening legal action.

HarrietSchulenberg · 25/08/2022 23:09

Post his bowls of food and milk through his letterbox with a sample of what it makes your poor cat produce.

VeryQuaintIrene · 25/08/2022 23:16

Some cats are greedy buggers with no off-switch.

stayathomer · 26/08/2022 06:51

how did this start though? Cats turn up at your house acting like they’re starving. We live in an area with tons of cats and have cats ourselves and it’s what they do. They sit outside looking in and try to dart in and get food. We resisted feeding then ended up having to because it was all the time and they only left after you fed them. As for people saying cat proof, it’s not possible, one of our cats is regularly on the roof! Op just tell your neighbour about the milk thing and either keep the cat in or unfortunately you have to accept you’re sharing a cat

mountainsunsets · 26/08/2022 06:58

stayathomer · 26/08/2022 06:51

how did this start though? Cats turn up at your house acting like they’re starving. We live in an area with tons of cats and have cats ourselves and it’s what they do. They sit outside looking in and try to dart in and get food. We resisted feeding then ended up having to because it was all the time and they only left after you fed them. As for people saying cat proof, it’s not possible, one of our cats is regularly on the roof! Op just tell your neighbour about the milk thing and either keep the cat in or unfortunately you have to accept you’re sharing a cat

You can cat proof the roof as well, but it's not cheap. You just need to build the fencing on the inside of your property and have it fitted along your exterior walls so the cat can't jump up there.

Original poster
Chellabella · 26/08/2022 07:31

It started by him going out onto the front as cats do, but possibly was shut out there one day while we were at work etc and the guy has clearly took that as a chance to feed him.

The principle for me is, you’ve been politely asked not to do so and you continue right in front of us. It’s just a lack of respect. He’s our pet and well cared for. Thanks for all the suggestions I will try and keep him inside, just struggle to fathom human behaviour at times!

OP posts: