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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Neighbour feeding our cat

17 replies

LoisLame · 25/06/2012 09:54

I'll start with the background info first. We've had moody cat for about 8 years. She was from a rescue centre and was not a particularly young cat when we got her. She has always been very skinny and at her first vet appointment with us, vet felt a lump in her stomach which she said was nothing serious. Due to her stomach we noticed that wet food really upset her, giving her the runs, so we've only ever fed her and our other cat on complete dry food, plus the occasional human food scraps of ham, chicken, tuna etc. They have a bowl of dry food and water all the time and go in and out the house as they please.

Yesterday when I got home and opened the front door, moody cat went out and started walking towards another house so I followed her and found that neighbour had put wet food out for her. I knocked on the door to explain everything I've just said above. Well, the woman didn't really listen to me. She told me cats need wet food, that she has also given her worming granules, that she's a young cat and needs to be neutered! (she has been before we got her). Well today after her little wet food feast, she has the runs. Bad runs. She has now pooped all over the house including on the sofa. I have a 2 year old and am pregnant and having to spend all day cleaning up after her.

So WWYD? My husband is very angry and said he will go talk to the woman later. I sympathised with her yesterday just thinking that she was trying to help a skinny cat that she thought was stray but today I am Angry. She did even say that she always sees the cat in our front garden, yet didn't knock the door to ask about her before feeding her.

Thanks for reading my essay. Not sure what I want by posting this but even the venting has helped.

OP posts:
Almostfifty · 25/06/2012 11:39

I think I would have dragged her by the hair to your house to clear the mess up for you personally...

issey6cats · 25/06/2012 11:46

well not dragged her by the hair but before you cleaned up i would have knocked on her door asked her into your house and showed her the consequences of her feeding your cat wet food, that must have been horrible for you runny poos are not nice at the best of times especially being pregnant aswell, does the cat wear a collar if so you could put a tag on it like a medi alert one saying please do not feed me am on special diet in big letters

Sparklingbrook · 25/06/2012 12:04

I would put it in writing and post through the door. As in 're our conversation please don't give our cat wet food, as it makes her very ill. She has been wormed and neutered and is under the care of the vet'. Thank you very much.

Worth a try?

Paiviaso · 25/06/2012 13:12

Yes you should probably have another (calm) word with the neighbour, and explain again about your cats sensitive stomach.

However, she is right that your cat should not be fed on exclusively dry food, as this can give your cat further health problems. If your cat has diarrhea on wet food, something is wrong, and if this were my cat I would be researching, then telling the vet what tests I wanted run. I would not accept I had found a way to mask my cat's health problems.

Lizcat · 25/06/2012 13:32

There is nothing wrong with feeding exclusively good quality dry food as long as there is access to fresh clean water at all times. There are many many cats out there who have IBD that the sensitivity to wet food.

HecateAdonaea · 25/06/2012 13:41

If she won't listen to you, then perhaps ask your vet to write a letter telling her that she is actually causing harm to the cat and to stop?

Tambasher · 25/06/2012 13:44

One of my cats has IBD and cannot have wet food, I would be livid if my neighbour "ignored" me, I would do as suggested below and hand write her a letter S.P.E.L.L.I.N.G. out the problem to her or ask my Vet to do the same.

LoisLame · 25/06/2012 15:40

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I will just wait a few days and then try to talk to her again. Thank her for her concern but that we have everything in hand and hopefully she will stop feeding her, although I don't know if she has today or not but moody cat seems a lot better this afternoon. And the medi alert collar is a great idea.

OP posts:
fluffyraggies · 25/06/2012 17:12

God almighty that would be so annoying. There's a thread on AIBU which has been running for months that gets updated about a neighbour feeding the OPs cat and in fact inticing it into their house and not letting it out. Food intolerance issues there too.

Many have advised the OP to get the vet to write a letter, and indeed they have had to have the community officer to have a word!

Not saying that is needed in this case at the mo - but don't be afraid to be tough. Nip it in the bud. Glad your cat is better today.

Tambasher · 25/06/2012 17:41

Oh you have Ragdolls too? Are they not just the best? I used to breed them. Smile

fluffyraggies · 25/06/2012 18:27

Oh wow. Breed them! Ohhhhh i'd have to keep all the kittens Grin

They are g o r g e o u s X

Tambasher · 25/06/2012 18:33

Oh yeah that was the hard part, letting them go! Sad I still kick myself for not keeping them all, I have 2 Grin I do plan to breed again one day but life got in the way last time, unfortunately, I was at my happiest when we had 16 raggies Grin Even though some were ready to go to new homes and some were only days old, I love them!!!

sashh · 26/06/2012 06:23

I think the letter is the best way to go.

Sparklingbrook · 26/06/2012 07:16

I prefer the letter idea as she doesn't sound like someone who listens. Sad

redsquirrel81 · 26/06/2012 14:33

My cat has a collar that says 'Do Not Feed' - you can get them online if you google Kitty Collars. Maybe that would help? I'd go nuts!

QuietTiger · 26/06/2012 14:47

Bluntly, as someone who loves cats (has 9 of them) yes I am a crazy cat lady and has 2 who have similar IBD issues to yours, I would have gone fucking nuts ballistic if the neighbour failed to follow my wishes re. feeding my cat.

Things that have worked for me in the past with idiot neighours...

  1. Put the request in writing explaining why (then you have proof you've asked)
  2. Put a collar on the cat that says "DO NOT FEED ME"
  3. State the cat is under the advice of the vet (in the letter, so you have proof you've told her)
  4. Present the neighbour with a clean up bill for the mess and a £430 vets bill to fix the IBD problem caused by the wet food. 5) Kill the neighbour and bury them under the patio
Fluffycloudland77 · 26/06/2012 16:03

Why do people feel compelled to feed others cats? I dont feed random dogs who belong to my neighbours.

Mine has IBD from tinned food so he is on pouches now, I think one of our old neighbours had been feeding him too.

He is slimmer now we have moved despite being indoors more.

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