Can't sleep thinking about neighbour's cat...

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DP thinks I'm being ridiculous.

This cat never seems to be in during the day, but she's super affectionate and loving (never seen a friendlier cat). She desperately runs to me every time I open the door for cuddles.
I know that she never seems to be let in during the day/evening as she is always in sight in our garden! Even during heavy rain showers when the owners are home, she's there.
I've found it a bit questionable that a cat who is so loving and affectionate is out constantly anyway.

She's been trying more and more to get into our house so she's certainly not not wanting to be indoors.

Anyway, I just had to open the front door quickly (11.30pm) and she sprinted into our house - drenched and freezing from rain and wind, even though we know they're home.
I gave her a cuddle but had to put her back outside and now I can't sleep because I just feel horrendous about it. She doesn't seem to find shelter in the rain/wind either as she's constantly waiting so close to our front door. Just can't stop thinking about her being wet and freezing out there.

DP said I'm being ridiculous about it and overly concerned. Maybe I'm being soft.

Is it acceptable for an owner to leave a cat out through all terrain when it seems desperate to be inside? I don't even know what protocol is with cats really as a dog owner.

I would have a chat with your neighbours. My cat sits outside in all weathers & often comes in absolutely drenched demanding to be towel dried but has a cat flap & can come & go as he wants (daft little thing)

I’d let her in. Basically she knows her owners won’t let her in and has given up crying at her own door.

Why would you do that rather than ask your neighbours?

Lots of people on here have said their cat is the same despite being loved and well cared for.

Why would you assume it's your right to bring her into your house?

Do you want the cat? If so, get a cat!

Or, if you ask your neighbours they may say that actually they don't want her any more.

We have two cats. The dick cat, and then our other cat who is twice the size. She is definitely getting fed elsewhere.

There was a cat at my previous house who was always in my house, ignoring my two who were determined to terrorise him.
Turns out he was petrified of their dogs who also ate all of his food.
He used to come in the cat flap and spend the day at my house while my cats hissed and fussed, he was such a lovely, friendly boy.
I asked the owners if I could have him because he was always here and they said yes. Sadly he was run over 6 months later.

If you see the cat sitting outside your neighbour's door can you knock on their door go back in your house and then when they answer they will just see their cat and he can then go in.

This is an assumption, and a foolish one at that. My cat can get in and out of my house 24/7 through the cat flap that she uses multiple times every day.

She also likes to sit on the front doorstep yowling dramatically, pretending she can't get in. Eventually she gets bored and toddles off to sleep in a bush - or lets herself in, through the cat flap.

If someone took her in based on that they wbu, massively so - she isn't neglected, she's well fed, flead, wormed, insured, has many perks at home etc. She's just a cat being a cat.

Karma would sort it though - unless there are two perfectly clean litter trays available (which she won't ever use because she goes out, but insists on having) at all times, she'll deliberately piss in their house, even if they have a catflap.

Because she's a contrary bugger.

Or - she cries at the owners door, they open it and she refuses to come in. Or has free access and doesn't want to go in. Or the owners are fed up of letting her in/out every twenty seconds so they're making her use the cat flap, which she's choosing to ignore 😉

Another one here who's cat loves watching the rain from the garden Admittedly she will shelter under something (eg garden bench) to do so but the minute she hears rain she's out like a shot! During the summer she only ever came in to eat her food. The rest of the time she was curled up either in my or my neighbour's garden sleeping. At night she'd be off on an adventure!
And she loves wondering into people's houses to the point I had to break in to one of my neighbour's a couple of years ago because she'd wondered into their house unbeknownst to them and they had consequently gone off on holiday that same day. All windows shut obviously and as not pet owners, no catflap! Now the weather has gone cooler she's not out quite so much but still a fair bit. And we have a catflap so she can come in whenever she chooses!

Having said all that though, if the cat genuinely seems unhappy at being out and is as you say soaking wet, I would probably be the same as you and be considering letting her stay the night.

oh gosh...I'd have probably kept her in; especially if it was chucking it down/cold! Poor little thing. Definitely have a chat with the neighbour about her.

We have a cat flap and two of ours will still decide to don’t under the garden bench in the rain. They can also get into the shed which has four! Cat beds plus food and water but again will sit in the rain.

I didn’t know you met one of my cats haha at our old house she was all.

meow meow “opens door” meow meow “you coming in??” Looks at me “closed door” meow meow.

It's potentially concerning but not necessarily neglected. I used to have a cat that loved being outside, especially in the rain, the heavier the better. They also loved being dried off and warmed up before they went straight back out in it.

The cat may just prefer to be outside in all weather's but being affectionate demand fuss when it sees you.

Speak to the neighbours first.

You can always get an outdoor cat shelter for your garden.

Is it otherwise well fed and in good condition?

This would worry me to.

Either go and chat with the neighbours. They may not be letting it in, or there may be another reason and the cat doesn’t want to be in their home, new cat, dog or baby etc.

I would make a water proof shelter in my garden for the cat, and I would place it where I could see it easily from the house. If the cat can’t get into it’s own home, now that the weather is getting colder, it would likely spend a lot of time there, and that would let you know how much time it is spending out doors. (There are very good videos online that people make for stray cats in cold climates).

If it seems thin, I would also feed it. Does it have a collar so you know for sure it is the neighbours cat?

Personally I would let it in, but I don’t have other pets at the moment. Your husband is wrong not to care. It’s a fellow creature and may need help. Thank you for caring.

Just wanted to add that I had a cat who decided to spend the summer out of doors, just wouldn’t stay in. Turns out she had a thyroid problem and once she had surgery reverted back to normal.

We have a cat like that too. She belongs to our neighbors but is scared of their kids - I just think she likes peace & quiet 😆
She spends all her time in our garden so I've put her a little shelter out (old hooded cat litter box with a blanket in) - she loves it
I've also told the neighbors where she is & if they're worried where she is, to check with me incase she's in our back garden

We have a cat flap and leave a window open all day and night for our 3 cats. The older female is always next door and she feeds her sometimes too, our younger ones are about 1 and always in and out and often come in drenched too - I'd definitely check with the neighbours but I'm sure if she looks well kempt that she's fine

How’s the cat doing, OP? Have you managed to talk to your neighbour about it yet? Hope the little kitty cat is safe and warm ❤️