My cat wants to move in with my neighbour

[MoragWilson]

My cat is 3 and very friendly. He's taken to visitng a man a few doors down from me. Think man must have initially fed him and fussed him but then realised my cat was wanting a permanent relationship with him and has now back tracked.

He's told me he doesn't want my cat - I don't want him to have my cat - but my cat has other ideas and waits outside his house on his doormat like some sort of feline stalker. Man says he doesn't let him in but sometimes hes too quick and gets inside although man says he puts him straight out. But my cats not getting the message and keeps going back.

My cat comes back to me for about an hour a day to have some food and a little rest then hes out mostly throwing himself at this man who doesn't want him.

Theres nothing horrible about my home, yet my cat doesn't seem to want to be there any more.

What do I do?

Do you believe this man? There must be something in his house that is getting your cat wanting to go in. Food?

Do you have a noisy/busy/child filled household that the cat isn't keen on?

I mean..: there isn't that much you can do? Cats know their own minds.

Buy huge quantities of Dreamies

But no I don't think there's anything else you can do other than what you're both doing already.

Oh dear. Has your boy experienced any trauma at all? Many years ago I had a visitor cat who was very persistent. I never fed him, ever. I lifted or put away my own cat's food. He just used to come in and curl up. I'd ring his owners (who I could wave at if they leaned out their bathroom window), they would pick him up. Keep him in. He would come straight back . We could only put it down to him getting into a cat fight and having an eye injury. As soon as his owners let him out after recovery he came to me. I became his slave in the end.

However, I have experienced the 'I don't feed her but she likes Bernard Matthews Turkey' and even 'She cries at the window and calls me Ma'!

Anyway the short answer is it happens to all us so don't feel bad. Cats is Cats. They are weird and lovely creatures. Is he neutered? Maybe try 'Love Bombing' to make your home more appealing?

What do I do?

Short of asking the neighbour to move...
maybe he needs to actively discourage your cat (which he may not want to do if he initially liked the cat) - eg a water pistol, which would only hurt the cat's dignity.

I believe my neighbour is no longer feeding encouraging my cat, but don't think he'd agree to water pistol etc.

No young DC etc; nice comfy home, good food etc. Not aware of any recent trauma.

Will try keeping him in but may have to accept that cats is cats!

Have you tried shameless bribery Morag? Lick e lix, dreamies, teeny trays of posh cat food?