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?

The RSPA recommends you don't give unrestricted outdoor access to your cats, where's your enclosure?

This has nothing to do with whether the cat is being mistreated. There are all sorts of cats that roam around which could cause trouble for your cats.

What is wrong with the cat exactly apart from the fact it's dim, it poos in your garden, and attacks your cats? Is it malnourished? Is it in poor condition? Is it injured?

Was it taken in as a stray and is set in it's ways as a mostly outdoor cat?

Honestly, if you are able to, I’d just take the cat in yourself.

taking it to the RSPCA isn’t going to help- they’re overrun and it’ll probably end up being put down or having to live in a cage waiting for a home.
the owner clearly doesn’t give a shit, and I don’t think giving him any info on what he should be doing / RSPCA advice will have any impact either.

if you can do this, I think it’s kinder . I mean, to be honest, from what you describe the cat’s going to be ‘yours’ whether you like it or not. The owner would return from holiday to realise the cat doesn’t need or want him anymore and that’s his punishment for being a shitty owner.

(Also: do you feed your cat outside or is the cat just coming into your home? How is the other cat able to get your cat’s food ?’

Does it actually need feeding?

The neighbour asked the OP to check the cat has enough food, not feed it.

I have no idea whether the cat is being neglected or not because the OP has said more about the cat being dim and poooing in the garden, than they have about the cat's food and condition situation. I have no idea why anyone trusts the OP is giving an unbiased account of the welfare of the cat.

NDN might have something to say about that.

"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."

"All food for my two cats is in my house, upstairs now, behind pet gates so this neighbours cat can't steal their food. "

So this isn't a concern now?

How has the other cat that lives in your house not been in danger of eating this deadly cat food if a cat that doesn't even live with you could get to it?

I feel so sorry for the poor cat. It's not her fault the owner is irresponsible. I wouldn't sleep if I wasn't making sure this poor baby wasn't neglected and would be feeding and watering her regardless of my disgust at the neighbour. If you feel so strongly report to the RSPCA/SPCA who will come out and have a quiet word. She's maybe aggressive due to an untreated health condition or maybe she's just hungry. Poor soul tbh and more to be pitied 💔

The RSPCA are there for when an animal is seriously injured or suffering. There's nothing to suggest that this one is.

There's many thousands which need urgent attention.

I live round the corner from a shelter and people dump cats outside and they end up in my garden. I've had to deal with many of them over the years sometimes spending months to get them into a shelter or having to be there when they're seriously ill and have to be pts. There's tens if not hundreds of thousands of cats that need the shelter more than this one.

I have dim view of the owner but people need to be realistic here. The best thing for the cat and the OP is not to create tensions with the neighbours over this unless the cat is injured, malnourished etc. Just keep an eye out for the cat as best they can. Cats protection may give advice.

Where does the dog go when he's on holiday?

@Floccy "The RSPA recommends you don't give unrestricted outdoor access to your cats"
Where do they say that?

Just report it to the rspca, they will collect & rehome cat, because it is neglect.

Tbh I'm a bit shocked he's not even bothered to get one of those timed feeders even?

My mum had a very severe health issue not long ago and her DH had ordered 2 timed cat feeders to make sure their two cats had enough food whilst he was back and forth between hospital visits and working, and had asked me to pop in just to check the litter boxes weren't overflowing and to give them some company every couple days or so - surely that's just the most very basic thing one should be doing?

I'd report the bastard personally, that's not on and is taking the mick out of you OP!

If he’s not chipped it, I’d take it in to a rescue as “lost”. Don’t leave your real name.
Let them rehome it.

Contact the cats protection. I got my rescue via them and he had come from very similar circumstances. They pestered and negotiated with the owner until they agreed to hand the cat to to CP who then found a home for him.
Some people really shouldn’t have pets!

The younger cat doesn't like the taste of the older cats food so that part is easy. The neighbour's cat will eat anything however.

The dog goes to kennels or goes on the holiday with him! No wonder the cat's pissed off!

Your cat is allowed access to deadly cat food on the basis that it doesn't like it. Ok.

Is someone else coming into check in on the cat and top up the food now you're not doing it?

Also are these cat biscuits what's also known as dry food or something else?

I think you're being pedantic for the fun of it Floccy. Elderly cat has to have medical grade food which is not tasty for most cats, so the 2 year old won't touch it because he has 'normal' cat food, i.e. Purina, IAMs etc. The neighbours cat gets fed cheap dry food and will gobble anything else it can get its paws on.

1. I'm not going to start feeding my cats cheaper, crap food.
2. I've already had to install pet gates to stop food being stolen.
3. I've already had to give a whole room to my elderly cat to keep her safe from being attacked.
4. I've already had enough of this neighbour thinking he can just text me the day before (the F*ING day before!!!) and expect me to drop everything else when I... A) Work full time B) Have my own pets/children/partner to manage C) Have a parent with dementia who needs constant help and is getting worse

This neighbour needs to grow a pair and get his priorities straight! Don't have a cat if you aren't around enough to look after it PROPERLY!!!!!!!!!!!

Bleach isn't tasty to cats, I don't leave that lying around for them.

Regardless we've established now that

• The cat is left dry food and water
• The neighbours ask for people to check in on the cat so it's not actually being left alone. They've been asking you and you've said yes till now.
• You don't want to keep checking in on the cat
• You don't like the cat

I'm not convinced this is anything to do with neglect as much as you not liking the cat. But if you want to mention something like its weight/condition/appearance/neuter status rather than the neighbours 3 cars then maybe it will be easier to assess the cats actual welfare status.

A

The cat has had a nasty scab that keeps bleeding under its chin for a year. It doesn't seem to heal.
It is neutered, about 8 years old.
The bleeding scab is something I keep an eye on for the cat in case the neighbour isn't.
The cat is overweight from eating the cheap cat food it's given. Vet has already told neighbour twice to feed it veterinary diet cat food but neighbour ignores this advice and continues to feed it crap. I know this because I recommended a brand that my elderly cat liked and it worked, but the neighbour doesn't want to fork out the extra Dosh when he's got three fxxxxxg cars to maintain.

Right so now we've established, it's been neutered and they take it to the vet.

Even if it's not being cared for to the standards you would set out, it has a home and it's not being neglected.

If you don't want to check in on the cat don't check in on it.

If you don't like it and don't want it around your cats, then shoo it away when it comes into your garden.

Why people are egging you on to get authorities in and create a hostile environment with your neighbour is beyond me. You don't have to like your neighbour or their cat, you do have to live next door to them.

I know we all like to see these cats well taken care of but it's just not possible all the time. It does sound stressful for someone who takes good care of their cats but ultimately the cat really isn't that badly off compared to so many others out there, and I'm not sure that it would find anything better if it went through the difficult process of being upended.

I have read all OPs replies. I would report to the RSPCA.

i have 2 cats and if my daughter is not home when we travel, we have a deal with a neighbour who comes in for me to feed my babies and in return i feed hers.

we have a cat flap so mine can come and go and there is no need for litter trays, her cat has a fancy robot litter tray which only needs emptying every so often.

there's so much out there nowadays to enable you to leave your cat longer and longer, i know if my friend is only away overnight or a couple of nights she dosnt bother asking me.

i couldn't leave my cats longer than a week without regular company!

What does he think would happen if the cat was hurt or injured in some way? Does he expect it to take itself along to the vets and book itself in for treatment?

He is very irresponsible and thoughtless.