Neighbours cat trying to move in

[sixlive]

I think some neighbours are away on holiday and I presume have somebody coming into the house to feed their two cats. One of their cats is trying to move in. Our doors and windows are open as they often are but she is coming in and eating our cats food, found him asleep on our bed this afternoon, trying to endear himself to us. Our cat is not pleased and they had a little fight but the cat still tries to come in. We have no cat flap and in this weather we can't keep all windows and doors closed. We are worried how hungry the cat is. What do I do? Have no contact details for the neighbour. I've thrown her out a few times she is miaowing at the door closed now.

Do you know if someone is actually coming in? (ie have you seen anyone and do you neighbours have a cat flap which could be allowing the cats out?) Oh - and have you seen the other cat?

We are concerned maybe the cat flap doesn't work. No idea if she is being fed was starving hungry this morning but she may be a greedy cat. My cat is fighting with her trying to regain his territory.

Just in case something has gone wrong with your neighbour's arrangements (assuming they had some) I'd feed her but put the food outside during daylight hours to save foxes nabbing it. I'd also pop a note through their letterbox saying what's happened and asking whoever is looking after them to contact you.

Is there somewhere outside that she can sleep ? An open shed or something like that?

Greenhouse is open it's so warm here overnight I'm not worried although she slept on our bed all day.

That's good - and you could put the food in there for her - although I'm a bit worried about the other cat you mentioned but don't appear to have seen. How long are they still away for, do you know?

PS - it all sounds a bit approximate, six. Do you have any other neighbours who might know a bit more about what is going on? Are you even sure they're on holiday?

Houses are far apart so you can't really see your neighbours and rarely bump into them. Very odd the other cat hasn't been seen. Very sure they are on hols. We put our cat in a cattery when on hols and now I'm glad I do.

I think I'd drop that note through the door this very evening. I don't know how you've been able to resist putting your sneakers on and going over there to see if everything is in order - or to see if you can see any sign of the other puss. If you know them as reasonably responsible cat owners, this is a change of behaviour worth checking out, I think.

I'd put a note through the door saying you hope all is OK but their cat is visiting and please phone you. If they don't phone by a specific time start putting dried food through the letter box so they are fed, but fed at home.

Mystery now solved all v complicated but neighbour had made feeding arrangements that didn't suit the cat as it involved dogs! We realised they came home yesterday but cat was still coming to ours, so we kept kicking him out but he kept coming back. He has been returned and I'm glad I did feed him now as he was as starving as he seemed rather than greedy.

I'm glad everything turned out OK although they'll presumably be re-thinking any future arrangements. You'll have to stay alert as well because it looks as if he prefers your house!

Well done.

Did the cat sitter take a dog into the cats house?

I expect to be woken by miaowing tom morning Although I hope they keep him in for a few days. Think she was quite put out he was at our house and not very grateful that I fed him. I don't think he gets on with the other cat at their house. Sigh.

Sigh indeed- but never mind, you did the right thing.

(If I had/have a cat being looked after and there was a problem which a neighbour had helped out with, I'd be round with a box of chocolates/flowers or something immediately I returned, not grumpy about it. It sounds as if he does prefer your house and she's........well, jealous really.)

Such is life.