next door's cat

[southeastastra]

the cat next door keeps coming in to my house, it never did before and looks really fed up. the couple next door split about a year ago and so the owner's in and out.

i dont know what to do for him, i have no experience of cats, but he seems really fed up. he looks like hes on his last legs.

Are you wanting to keep him out - or look after him?

look after him, he's a lovely cat - i can't work out what's wrong with him, i'm so ignorant of cats, how long do they live for?

he really doesn't seem well

how long they live really varies. I guess probably from 8 years is old age - although they can make it to 20! One thing I would say is that if a cat is not well or even depressed they start to look a bit ropey pretty quickly - and can perk up just as fast. Do you see your neighbour - could you tell them the cat is coming in - explain you don't mind but ask if it is ok etc, do you know its name?

Can you leave the owner a note to say you're worried and think the cat may need vetinary attention? You could say you're happy to help, if you are. Vets can be expensive so it's worth checking whether the owner has insurance. If you can't get an answer you could try taking him to a subsidised/free RSPCA or Cats Protection League vet. Do you feed him? Is he eating ok?

My cat lives to be 21 or 22, so they can live a long time.

Can you not mention something to the owner?

lived, not lives

i know the owner really looks after him and takes him to the vet, im just wondering why he keeps coming in, last night he was laying down looking like he was on deaths door, then he disappeared. this morning he was back in. its just out of character, he normally runs a mile when he sees my 4 year old.

i know the owner feeds him, but he always wants to eat when he comes in, ive got him some cat crunch things which he gobbles up.

i will try to speak to the owner, but its very hard to catch him in. thanks for your answer - having a cat/dog week!

Can the cat get into the house next door when the owner is out? If he can't then it's probably the weather that's getting him down - he's probably looking for a cool, shady place to get out of the heat. He might appreciate a bowl of water as well.

hi yes he's got a catflap, and i do give him water. Ive just missed the owner again - maybe hes just lonely

Important you speak to the owner - especially if you are feeding him.
When we had cats, one of ours was being regularly fed by a neighbour. He would come home and not touch his food. We spent a fortune at the vets, worrying about his lack of appetite yet unexpected weight gain...
If you can’t catch your neighbour, I would drop a note through the door explainng your concerns and that you have been feeding him. Some cats are on special diets too so need to check.
I know you have been looking after him which is lovely, just think you need to stop all food and drink apart from water (esp in this heat) until you know more.

ok but im not feeding him loads just about a handful of cat biscuits a day, i wouldn't feed him anymore, just in case he's on a special diet or something. he seems to be getting skinnier, he used to be quite big, i can really feel his backbone. i hope i can catch neighbour today thanks for answers

If the owner is out a lot is the cat lonely? My cats love food but they really just like to know we are there. They also don't like the change in routine,perhaps he is missing the fuss the other person used to give and needs a bit of attention.