Think our cat might have 2 homes!

[Cloudminnow]

Have just seen out of upstairs window our cat in another garden that backs onto us with alleyway in between. She appeared to be being fed by two men, then she went into their house. She seemed very friendly with them. She's often very sick with food that we haven't fed her; I thought she'd been getting guinea pig food or something from next door, but now I think it must be from her second home. Has anyone else had this with their cat, and does anyone have any advice?

A Six Dinner Sid, eh?

My Mum had a cat Threeago who was batting his baby blues at the neighbours and getting little 'taste treats' of ham and chicken etc all the time. Not much to be done with an outside going cat, I think, unless you can contact your neighbours and persuade them not to feed him on health grounds. Even then, I think it likely he'd just range a little further to find a victim - or steal.

How is his health (and weight) doing?

her even. (Sorry - caffeine not kicked in yet.)

Thanks Cozie. Her general health is fine - glossy coat, energy, weight fine - but she has aways been prone to sickness and the vet advised not giving her dry food. She had an antibiotic jab last week as she had a cut on the top of her head and we don't know how she got it. Do you think if we feed her more she'd be less prone to stray - she currently has 3 sachets a day of Gourmet Perle gravy meals. She's always kept in at night, has an indoor litter tray.

I don't think, myself, that feeding her more would make any difference - some cats are just sociable and like to hang out with other families. Also, if what she is being given elsewhere doesn't suit they'll likely just up the ante as happened with Mum's Threeago and start feeding little tasty morsels.

Maybe she's self limiting to a degree - and one of the few good things about being fed elsewhere is that unless they have cats of their own (in which case she could also be nicking food such as dry food if she gets inside their houses) she'll likely be getting meat offcuts.

As I said - you could try making contact with neighbours and try ruefully explaining the situation. How well that would work, I don't know. Threeago just had to cross his eyes and people would give in.

Best of luck, anyway.

PS - if she wears a collar, I suppose you could try a tag on it with your phone number and a 'Please Do Not Feed' on it. Is she a good thief?