Neighbour keeps leaving their cat alone for over a week

[Heatherland77]

I am absolutely fed up with a neighbour of mine who keeps going away and leaving his cat alone with just a bowl of biscuits, sometimes for longer than a week. I have previously helped him out and checked on the cat but he's now just taking the piss.
The cat is a bit dim. She hangs around howling and is constantly getting under my feet whenever I come out of my front door. She steals my cats' food any chance she gets. One of my cats has thyroid medication on their food and this could kill a healthy cat. I have previously warned my neighbour about this problem.
My neighbour is now away from home more and more and this cat is becoming a real issue. She's becoming aggressive and territorial, pooing in my garden and fighting my younger cat, to the point that he doesn't want to go out because it's just hassle for him. When he does go out, this dim cat will sniff him and then swipe him.
My neighbour texted me the day before going away for a week's holiday, asking if I could 'just pop my head in' to see if his cat was okay/had enough food.
I said no.
The reason is that I thought asking me the day before he goes away was taking the piss!
I have previously spoken to him about using the local cattery and that he'd need to book a few months in advance to get a place.
He managed to book a holiday months in advance so why not a cattery?!?!
Plus, the RSPCA strongly advises that a cat should not be left alone longer than 24 hours. Cats do get lonely. I have said all of this to him and he ignores it.
I'm at a loss as to what to do, as this neighbour is clearly going to carry on doing what he wants. I think it's selfish and irresponsible. He also has a dog who he takes everywhere and is treated like royalty. I feel sorry for this cat who is clearly pissed off with this bum deal.
Can I contact the RSPCA and get advice from them?

I would report the cat as abandoned. She sounds miserable, the poor thing.

Of course you can contact the rspca for advice. Cat isn’t dim - it’s desperate for a home and affection.

When I clicked on this, i assumed you jmeant that NDN had gone away and you/someone else was coming in to feed the cat and you felt a week was to long. I was going to tell you that actually, at my local vets, all the nurses/reception staff do cat sitting of this sort and that it's considered completely normal to leave the cat for up to 2 weeks or so at a time.

But just leaving the cat with a bowl of food is neglect. I'd actually consider just taking the cat to a shelter as one that's been abandoned - if you can do this without providing your own info? You could try reporting it but it's unlikely that the RSPCA would do anything.

We leave my cats when we go away, but I have someone go round to feed, change litter etc. At least twice a day. Sometimes more!

To just leave them like this to their own devices isn't fair on you or the cat!

Please don't call this poor, neglected cat 'dim'. My heart breaks for animals like this and your neighbour is a disgrace and everything I hate about the human race. The little cat is clearly lonely and sad and looking for attention and help. Please help the kitty in the absence of your horrible neighbour, at least until you get further advice/help for him/her. No animal deserves this kind of treatment 😡

Please report to the RSPCA if you haven't seen anyone visiting to feed the cat.

The poor creature is far from dim, it's seeking out a reliable source of food and Human contact, having been totally abandoned multiple times!
Report him to the RSPCA and at least put fresh water and food out for the cat in its own garden.

I'm all for this cat, believe me. It's the neighbour I'm angry with. He's using me as a free service and I've finally said no. He has three cars and is always away. Enough is enough. If he doesn't want to pay for proper cat care, he doesn't deserve to have a cat.

Take it to the RSPCA and say you think it's been abandoned and its hanging around your garden bothering your cats

That cat deserves to be rescued, but the first thing any rescue would do is get it scanned, so you risk it being taken straight back to the owner.

I'm thinking I'll write an actual letter to my neighbour and state clearly the facts around her behaviour and the risk involved if she steals food. I can also include the RSPCA advice and then he knows my position.
I think he is being far too casual towards this cat's welfare. We have foxes and feral cats in the area who are constantly fighting with domestic cats and she needs to have consistent attention, paid for properly!

I wouldn't bother with rhe letter. He won't care.

Best thing to do is to give it to a rescue saying it's been abandoned. He doesn't need to know it was you.
Someone did this to my very not abandoned cat who was outside my house ! And so I got a call saying he'd been handed in (as he was chipped and registered) and I had to schlep to get him and pay a fee too (as he'd been checked by a vet as he had cone of shame on but they obviously didn't know why so wanted to check it out).

They can then have a good conversation with the neighbour about not doing the leave a cat for a week thing !

If it has water and food (it probably has an automatic feeder and has access to a "toilet" it's fine. How do you know no one is popping in?

I've a family member who's done this. After two days messaged can you Go in to check on it. Well I did, no food or water left, litter tray not used, 💩 everywhere and stressed. I told them to use a cattery. I'm so bloody cross.

If he's bothered to chip it and if he has he'll have to pay something towards getting it back once he comes off his holiday

I wouldn't want the cat to suffer. I'd leave a bowl of biscuits and water outside for it.

Believe it or not : Neighbours do things like this for each other.
Im always afraid that my neighbours will feel ' used' when unexpectedly called upon for help with kitty. But Ive done favours for them And Ive been known to proffer gifts of drinks and sweets.

Yes I'd feed and water a cat, especially one that used the garden as its loo.
I think cats prefer their own home to a cattery.

The RSPCA won’t do anything, they are useless lately.

Do you know if the cat is chipped? If not i’d def take it to a rescue and pretend it’s been abandoned and then tell him the cat must’ve run off.

"the RSPCA strongly advises that a cat should not be left alone longer than 24 hours"

That's ridiculous. It's perfectly normal to leave a cat at home and go on holiday. A cattery would stress my cat beyond belief. It's much better to have someone come into feed her in her home which is her territory and where she feels safe. I don't understand why the neighbour doesn't ask you to do that (with a bit more notice!). He could then return the favour. That's when my neighbours and I do. Or alternatively pay a cat sitter to come in.

I agree it's not ok to leave a cat for weeks with just a bowl of biscuits. You need someone coming in to check they've definitely been fed, have water changed, they are well and not ill or injured, and hopefully give a few:strokes (although my cat usually hides anyway!).

I already had three cats, and we kept being followed home by a neighbour’s cat when we went out. I said no more cats. Three is enough.

Her owner kept throwing her out on the street and leaving her to fend for herself for weeks at a time. She had an ear tattoo so everyone in the village who picked her up took her to the vet and then back to her owner, who would then just throw her out again.

One day we’d had enough of seeing her condition get worse and worse so we took her to the vet who was familiar with her and told them that she wasn’t going home and we wanted her registered with them as ours. The vet said ‘she’s decided to live with you, that’s good enough for me.’ She was filthy, severely malnourished and covered in ticks. She never wanted to go outside after that day.

Her ‘owner’ never bothered to look for her and left the area soon after.

I loved Minka with all my heart. We had her for 12 years and she died last year after a long illness most likely related to her early mistreatment. I miss her every day, and just regret not taking her in sooner.

The cat is anything but dim. It knows it's abandoned for periods over days rather than hours ...it is annoying the neighbours to let them know about it's situation and lack of food etc . The least expectation is the authorities are made aware ...they are actively looking for a new home!

@INeedToClingToSomething

It's not ridiculous, a cat should not be left for 24 hours without food, water and attention.

Nobody is saying you can't go on holiday, but it's essential that someone comes in at least once a day (ideally twice) to feed the cat, clean their litter, etc.

I think you need to read my post again.

Cats can be very independent and low maintenance. We leave our 2 indoor/outdoor cats for up to a week when we go on holiday. Our neighbour checks on them every other day to top up their water and give them wet food (to supplement the dry food from the auto-feeder).

No litter tray required as they have a catflap and go outside. Cats don’t need consistent attention and if they are savvy will avoid foxes and hold their own with other feral cats.

That being said, both are utter tarts and will yowl, mewl and beg for attention from any passerby on the street and cry like they’ve never been fed if they think anyone might be smuggling some ham!

Your neighbour clearly has a relaxed attitude to caring for her low maintenance cat. As the cat is still alive and well, it seems this is working.

If you don’t wish to check in or help out, just refuse. The cat will live. If it’s truly neglected, it will find a new home of its own volition.