Neighbours and our cat

[84wood]

I’d really like some perspective here.

For background - we live in a nice area and our neighbours are very elderly. We’ve been here 5 years and in that time they’ve watched us constantly. For example, they’ve tried to stop us obtaining planning permission and when we did, tried to get involved with our project. They’ve stood outside our house watching the work or discussing it with other people. I’ve distanced myself as I don’t want to get involved with people like that.

Yesterday, my elderly cat got out at later lunchtime and they took him in. They decided about 3 hours later to take the cat to the vet. There was nothing wrong with him and he’s totally traumatised. He is thin because he’s elderly but has a beautiful fur coat. He’s obviously someone’s pet.

We discovered this because when I got home my cat wasn’t there and there had been a message on the close group chat about a young cat earlier and wondered if it was him. My DH asked and yes they had got my cat in their house and decided to take him off to the vet.

I’m so upset that in effect they caught him, trapped him and made that decision. I really love this cat and he’s nearly 17 years old. Were my neighbours unreasonable?

Did your cat go into their house or did they catch it? If we have our side door open, cats sometimes come into our house.

My cat finds going to the vet deeply upsetting (so much so that the vet will come out to the car to see her rather than bring her in!) so I absolutely understand your anger.

I also find it hard to believe they don’t know it’s your cat. They are very focused on tori house and I am sure have seen your car sitting in the window.

I have lived in my street for two years. I know who has a cat and what that cat looks like. And I am not a nosey neighbour - I just see them sitting int eh windows as I walk passed!!

speak to them - check what if any treatment the vet gave your cat - tell them this is not to happen again and ask them not to allow the cat into their house.

hope he is recovered

I used to have a very elderly cat, who died at the grand old age of 23. For the last few years of his life he was incredibly scraggy. He ate like a king and was convinced he still ruled the road (he did ). Because he was scraggy we had a constant battle with very well-intentioned people convinced he was starving. He was repeatedly kidnapped and taken to vets (yes he was chipped and they would let me know), to people's homes (once 45 minutes drive away and I frantically rushed to pick him up after midnight after a very long day) and l even had the RSPCA called out on me. Fortunately I had lovely neighbours and whenever they saw anyone stroking him they would explain that he was fed and loved, he was just old. Hope your DCat recovers from his shock (tuna sounds like a great idea).

I just don't understand people who just take people's cats like OP's neighbours did. It's such a shame that more owners are going to choose to keep thier cats in as a result of busybodies with nothing better to do or people who want to 'rescue' a cat without the expense.

I struggle to believe the neighbours didn't know the cat was OP's, especially as they watch OP's house. I don't have much to do with one set of neighbours, but I know what thier indoor cat looks like because I have seen it in the window sunning itself when I have walked past thier house.

If they haven't ever seen the cat and it turns up in their house then a trip to the vet to check for a chip is entirely sensible-and what I MIGHT do with a thin, scraggy cat if I didn't know that's how old cats often look.

Is this the first time your cat has got out, or will he have been in neighbours' garden before? If your cat is an outdoor cat, they will have seen him before, and possibly were just being malicious in taking him to vet. All you can do is put a collar on him, with an engraved tag with phone no. or address. My 2 cat siblings roam all over the place, they're only 9 though.

They must have known this was your cat. I don’t think I this was an innocent mistake but two grudge holders with time on their hands!

Once again- what has their age got to do with this story?

I’m a bit baffled by the idea that you’d take a strange cat to the vet unless it was obviously distressed or injured.

They have no problem watching your house but fail to notice your cat? And can talk to everyone passing about your project but not ask if anyone knows who the cat belongs to?