For the past several weeks I have been hearing a cat miaowing loudly in a neighbour's garden. It will miaow several times in succession, and this will happen about every 15-20 minutes, although I haven't timed it. I am a keen gardener so I am out there as often as I can.
Two weeks ago I heard my neighbour telling her young son not to touch the cat because " it's a stray cat and it's got fleas". My neighbour's garden backs onto mine, but I can't see into it because there is a large Leylandii cypress hedge on their side, behind our fence.
This is bothering me a lot. I don't know neighbour, although I have met her DH because he is an electrician and did some subcontracted work on our house extension 4 years ago.
I heard the cat a lot today, it sounds quite loud still but a bit croaky. It sounded very close to the fence and I got up on a step ladder to have a look at the bottom of the hedge, but it wasn't there . I haven't heard the children out in the garden for a while and I'm wondering if they have gone on holiday leaving a cat living in their garden.
Has she been feeding the cat ?
Shouldn't we try to find its owner/check for a chip ?
Are there any stray cats, unless feral aren't they just lost ?
My DH thinks it is none of my business and that I am being controlling about it. I am concerned that the neighbour is not taking responsibility at all. Fair enough she might not want to adopt a cat but surely something needs to be done before the colder weather comes ?
We have a cat and I would love to rehome another if nobody claimed it, but wouldn't want to risk my cat leaving home, or having terrible fights. I am at the point of going round to speak to neighbour about it. I would be prepared to take it to vet to check for chip, etc.
Help ? Ideas ?