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The litter tray

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

Original poster

Neighbours seem to have left their cat behind

128 replies

LegoWalker · 04/03/2017 19:16

Our next door neighbours moved out on Thursday night.
They had two cats, mum cat and her kitten. The mum cat had the kittens less than a year ago. Most of them were sold however the neighbours decided to keep one kitten.

They did tell me that the kitten was causing problems in the house, it wasn't coping with being left for a long time during the day and it wouldn't eat the samefood as the mum cat and. It sometime scratching furniture. I did notice she seemed to be outside a lot more recently but didn't really think much of it.

So yesterday DS1 told me he thought he had seen the kitten but I said he probably hadn't and it was probably someone else's cat as the neighbours have left. However about an hour ago I could see the cat outside the neighbours house. She doesn't have her collar on though. So I tempted her into our house which is where she is now.

I have seen no sign of the mum cat so I am guessing that they have taken her and just left the kitten.

I don't really know what to do with her. She seems fine in herself but I think the neighbours have abandoned her here.

I am hoping you will have some advice on what to do with her.

OP posts:
JamesDelaneysHat · 04/03/2017 19:19

Do you a mobile number for neighbours? Worth checking with them if they know she's there as sometimes cats make their way back to their last house. However. Something is telling me this is unlikely and the absolute fuckwads have abandoned her. Could you take her on?

Original poster
LegoWalker · 04/03/2017 19:21

I don't have their number but the have moved quite far from us so I don't think she could have made it back this quickly.

OP posts:
dalmatianmad · 04/03/2017 19:23

Sounds like they have left her, poor cat.

Are you able to keep her? If not you could ring the cats protection league Halo

RhuBarbarella · 04/03/2017 19:23

Could she have a microchip? Vets can check.

HemanOrSheRa · 04/03/2017 19:25

Oh no Sad. I acquired my girl cat because her owner left her behind. It's very common and so, so cruel. Can you keep her?

troodiedoo · 04/03/2017 19:26

Oh no poor kitty this is not uncommon. There's an old saying that the kindest thing to do if you move house is to leave the cat behind which is obviously nonsense.

Either keep the kitten yourself or take it to a shelter. Glad that people like you look out for animals.

JamesDelaneysHat · 04/03/2017 19:27

God, why do people do this. So fucking cruel.

RhuBarbarella · 04/03/2017 19:30

If they moved far them I'm sure she's left behind, in that case a check for a chip is no use. If you want to keep her you might want to check after all and put her in your name. She might like you better than her old family!

BillyButtfuck · 04/03/2017 19:32

Poor kitty, can we have a photo?

Batbear · 04/03/2017 19:33

We ended up with our cat after his previous owners moved and left him the bastards

Still I won, he was a beautiful creature and the friendliest cat I'd come across!

cheeeeselover · 04/03/2017 19:34

Perhaps they rehomed it with a nearby neighbour before moving. And you're now holding the poor thing hostage!

cheeeeselover · 04/03/2017 19:37

Or she's made her way back. My sisters cat did this after they moved, twice! Luckily the new homeowner was understanding as the cat went in through their window! It stopped after she kept it inside the new house for a couple of weeks.

ColdAsIceCubes · 04/03/2017 19:40

We had a neighbour that did this, their next door neighbour took her in and have looked after since. Said kitty got herself run over and the next door neighbours paid for her op and nursed her back to health, she now lives permanently with them.
Ask your neighbours if any of them have been approached with regard to having kitty, if not, and you are unable to look after kitty then get in touch with your local rescue.

Original poster
LegoWalker · 04/03/2017 19:49

I have no idea if she is microchipped or not.
I suppose a neighbour could have taken her in but she was outside the neighbours house in the dark and its pouring rain here so it seems a bit odd to me that she would be out. She isn't showing any signs of wanting to go out again so far.

OP posts:
HemanOrSheRa · 04/03/2017 19:54

Well, our girl cats owner left her in the care of a neighbour. They wouldn't let her in and she kept going back to her old home Sad. She didn't know what was going on. This all happened in a row of houses by our office in work. No one realised what had happened until she got really skinny and dirty. She was unneutered too so would be harassed by male cats. We catnapped her at dusk Grin. Can you take her to a vet for a chip check and see if she's been neutered? And then keep her!

Original poster
LegoWalker · 04/03/2017 19:59

I can take her to the vets tomorrow to check microchip.
Stupid questions but can cats eat ham?

OP posts:
OddBoots · 04/03/2017 19:59

Our neighbours moved leaving one of their cats and I thought the same but they came back 2 days later - apparently the cat ran off when they tried to take him for the move so had to go without him and come back for him.

Weedsnseeds1 · 04/03/2017 20:09

They can eat ham, but not in huge quantities because of the salt. Do you have a can of tuna ( in water or oil, not brine) or a chicken portion you could cook for her? If only overnight that won't do her any harm. If any longer, you need to get proper cat food. If you know the estate agent that organised the sale, they will have contact number. Otherwise contact a rescue center or come to terms with the fact you now own a cat! Thank you for not just leaving the poor cat to it.

troodiedoo · 04/03/2017 20:10

Cats can and will eat ham but it's not the best for them. Do you have a tin of tuna?

HemanOrSheRa · 04/03/2017 20:11

Yes they can eat ham Smile. Only a little though it might upset her tummy. Have you got any tinned tuna? Or fish fingers that you can cook and take off the coating? Grin

That is a possibility to be fair OddBoots

HemanOrSheRa · 04/03/2017 20:12

Oh. Cross posts with other well trained slaves Grin.

troodiedoo · 04/03/2017 20:12

Lol spot the crazy cat ladies Smile

JamesDelaneysHat · 04/03/2017 20:14

It won't hurt for her to have tuna/ham for one night but proper cat food is better for them. The chances of her having a microchip are tiny. It tends to be responsible loving owners who get them chipped.

Ratbagcatbag · 04/03/2017 20:16

When we moved in here, the previous owners had to ask us if they could come back next day to retrieve their cat who had legged it on seeing the basket. She was most annoyed to sneak in through the cat flap that night and find she couldn't get back out and be held hostage. Y two odd humans. 😌

Original poster
LegoWalker · 04/03/2017 20:16

I only have one can of tuna and its in brine (because I accidentally bought it instead of regular tuna)
I do have some fish fingers I can decoat so that might be ok.

OP posts:
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