Totally with you, same issue
Back in 2020 we had a young female cat start visiting us. Beautiful little thing. First she visited us when it was cold or wet outside. She didn't seem like a stray, so we didn't feed her, although she could not help herself stealing bits or bobs from our cat when we were not watching.
Then she started to having sleepovers during winter, we figured i worked nights at home anyway so bit of mutual company would not hurt.
At some point we have noticed some issues with the cat : worms, ear infection, flees. Basically standard package for a cat that spends its time outside and not being treated. This carried on for a few months, cat kept on coming in but we could not calculate what house she comes from. Too many blocks around and this cat, like many other cats in our neighbourhood, uses garden fences to walk round 'their kingdom'. Finally we saw something that did put our minds at ease , she looked like she visited a vet clinic with neck being shaved abit, spotted 'antifleed' back etc.
In 2021 it was a toughie. We noticed she significantly lost weight, did not touch any food, didn't drink. But instead of seeking comfort at her own home , she stayed with us for days, sleeping all the time. I was besides myself with worry. I have had enough , I figured her owners registered her at local vet clinic , called them asking for advice, provided pics the cat so they can confirm she is their client. Compliance rules, understandably, dictate vet clinic is not allowed to provide owners contact details without their permission. I asked the clinic to contact the owners on my behalf passing my contact details and address so we could communicate properly. Perhaps they were out of town, hence why i heard noone knocking on our door looking for a cat, or missing cat posters stuck around our village....
Vet clinic told me to contact RSPCA, and RSPCA told me the only thing they can do is pick her up, scan her chip, if there is one and find her owners, alternatively rehome her . I did not want for that poor thing to be taken away at all, especially in her condition. So I brought her to the vet clinic asking to check what's wrong with her, notify her owners, and I would gladly pay the fees without any compensation, I wanted to make sure cat gets better.
The next day I receive a phone call notifying the cat was picked up by her owners, that nothing was wrong with her at all (I doubt they even checked since i was not the owner requesting for help). Owner asked to pass on we don't feed the cat or let her in. Cat was back at our place the same day....not eating anything again, just sleeping it off
Because we have our own cat who goes outside ,our windows or garden doors are always open when we are home. So cat in question has free access and exit at any point, again we don't feed her , she 'steals' when she feels like it, she goes out before nights fall. So whether she depends nights home or any other home, I have no idea.
Recently we had another blow , but this time ftom cats owners.
Around 6pm I was walking my partner to the car before he leaves for work, he starts the cars, starts pulling back to the road, cat in question appears out of nowhere and follows the car, which means she could potentially get into an accident. To keep the cat out of the harms way, I grab the cat and put her down on the floor in the hall , front door is open , car pulls away and disappears 3 seconds later and cat comes outside again and disappears as well.
Apparently one of our neighbours saw me manhandling the cat inside the house and keeping her indoors ever since....wow!
Hour later cats owners turn up, asking where the cat is. I was glad to finally meet them face to face, considering their ignorance and lack of gratitude. Also I wanted to talk to them about cats bad ear, since vet in 2021 claimed it to be fine....fine , my foot. Poor cat can't even touch the ear now without screaming the house down
I explained cats not in our house, explained what happened and instead of gratitude or at least some kind of constructive conversation amongst neighbours, like normal people, I got laughed at , intimidated , called crazy and insane. Both husband and wife screamed their lungs out , making a scene...at least neighbours had a show.
Funny thing is , when they were having a go at me, cat in question attempted to come in again.
Literally walked past them....obviously I shut the door . Instead of going to her owners , cat started running away from them, they were chasing her around the street ....cat got away.