Irritating neighbour feeding and taking our cat in

[Batistuta]

Just wondered if any cat owners have come across the strange behaviour of a neighbour practically trying to steal your cat. We have a young couple who live near us and they’ve started taking in our cat, well kitten as she’s just under a year old, and according to another neighbour who we know who lives opposite them they keep her in for long periods and have even left her locked in their house whilst they go out! I’m finding it very irritating and a little bit weird as nobody would do this if it was a dog. I’ve been round and had words but they’re choosing to ignore as she still goes missing for long periods and is no longer interested in the food we give her. I know this is all pathetic to some degree as there’s far worse things going on in the world but she’s part of our family now and even my little boy is starting to miss her.

Can you cat proof your garden?

Yeah, one of our cats has basically found a new owner (we have, or had, two cats). She was disappearing for days at a time and we figured she must be getting fed somewhere else. Then just before Christmas someone from Age Concern came round and said she was working with an elderly lady who lives in a house backing onto our garden, and the lady takes our cat in and feeds her and calls her Pussy . The lady was apparently worried because she was going away for a few days and wanted to make sure "Pussy" would be fed. My husband (I was out at the time) said that yes, she was our cat, so of course she would be fed, and frankly we would rather this other lady didn't. However we do realise that cats to a certain extent choose their own owners, and there isn't a lot we can do. She (the cat) comes by occasionally these days. However at least we still have one loyal cat (currently on my lap watching the tv intently)

Cats can be fickle wee buggers, so this would really piss me off.

Our cat goes next door occasionally, they love having him in to baby but he's always either put back out when they know its his usual feeding time/ our bedtime.

Locking her in or feeding her isn't ok, not sure there's much you can do but have words again.

This is very common op,the car is a very fickle creature!
My friend had exactly this and out a note tucked into his collar asking the neighbour to stop feeding the cat(poached chicken and fish,according to another neighbour).the cheeky did put another one in the collar saying it wasn't my friend's decision it was down to the cat!!!!she didn't want to know when the cat needed a vet though.
Your only choice is to keep your car in really.
Or slip a vet bill through the door and ask for half the money.
I hope you manage to sort it out,they have no right to lock your cat in .

Thanks for the responses guys. I’m gearing myself up to go round again but I’m worried I’m going to lose my temper this time as I struggled previously in keeping things nice. Unfortunately we can’t cat proof the garden and we tried keeping her in for a few days a while ago but she was completely miserable and sat by the door crying. I wouldn’t dream of doing this to another persons pet, sure stroking them if you came across them on the street is fine etc but feeding and taking them in is not on. According to the law they are, for want of a better word, your property and it can be classed as theft if someone keeps them in but I can’t be bothered going down that route for now. Anyway, let’s see what they say this time round! Thanks once again.

Suggesting sharing the vet bills is a great idea!

Is she chipped?

Is your cat chipped? If not, do it straightaway.

My cat has only left me twice, once for a week, and the second time for three months. I was a wreck. Genuinely looked into a GPS chip for him. There would be no stopping me going into somebody's house to take my cat back.

Yes I may pop round with the next veterinary bill to see if they want to go halves with us!

Yep she’s chipped. We have two cats, both of them have been done however the male is quite loyal whereas the female one isn’t.

You can’t legally own a cat. One of mine always moves in next door when I go on holiday. The other 2 are just happy that someone is filling the food bowl up twice a day. She always comes home when I get back though although keeps up her daily visits to the neighbours for her smoked salmon and poached chicken treats! Fickle creatures I’m afraid

Of course you can legally own a cat

Nope you really can’t. That’s why you don’t have to call the police if you have run one over and why you can’t be prosecuted for it shitting in your neighbours garden

There is a collar you can buy which says DO NOT FEED THIS CAT. (I saw one on another cat)

I would go round and again say this is your cat, and she is chipped, the chip is registered to you, and please do not feed her at all ever, and do not take her in to their house.
Then point out the list of costs for her, monthly insurance, annual vets's bills, worming, flea treatment etc. If they keep her in and feed her, you will start sending them a share of those bills.

Japanese - I think you are confusing the issue of ownership with a cat's 'right to roam'. Cats are still property.

Nope. You can be held legally responsible for their welfare but not own them.

Oh FFS i do own my cats. I paid to adopt them and pay the bills.
Microchip.
Try and cat proof or build a run.
Tell them your cat needs special food?

Japanesejazz cats are absolutely classed as property so yes you can own a cat.

Japanesejazz is right. No one can legally own a cat. Which is good in some respects because, unlike a dog, you can’t be held legally accountable for any damage they may cause. But it also means that they can go wherever they want and you just have to suck it up.

Yes. One of our cats rehomed himself round the corner. We tried numerous times to stop him but in the end gave in to his obvious want to be with another family. His brother stayed with us.

The people over the road then started feeding brother for some reason - they even chased away other cats that tried to eat the food they put out for him.

We got another cat and they started feeding him too! Cat 2 actually goes j to their house, cat 1 won't. They both still come to us for food and fuss, so it doesn't hugely bother me. It does amuse me somewhat and I do wonder how many cats I'd have to get before they'd stop feeding them!

I have no idea why people do it. I love cats, always make a fuss of any I come across but wouldn't feed another cat unless it was obviously a stray. (And then I'd get it checked for a microchip)

The people over the road have their own cat. I think mine must pretend we never feed them!

Some fools a few doors from us nicked our long slim pedigree first cross, and then companied to all and sundry that she was too thin and they had no choice. In fact we'd seen the vet about her slim physique and he said it was normal for her heritage. She was eating wet food twice a day plus science diet always available. They kept her anyway-in any case she didnt return.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9968640/How-the-law-views-cats.html

Japanesejazz

We had a similar problem except whatever they fed the cat made him very ill. I don't think he's been back to visit since.

My neighbor did this with my old lady cat. Took her in bought food, cat tray etc even put her in Facebook as a stray kitten !!! She’s nearly 15 and a bit scraggy but definitely owned. My dh was fuming someone was trying to steal his cat. Anyway silly neighbor didn’t believe me when I told her that old cat wouldn’t use a litter tray and continued to cat nab her until my lovely old lady took not one but two massive craps on her sofa and carpet funny enough she’s not cat nabbed her since.

One of my cats decided he didn't like the company of toddler DC and effectively moved next door. Neighbour grew so attached to him that we left him there when we moved. Personally I think it would be better to accept the situation rather than fall out with your neighbours. It's the cat's choice.