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

Original poster

Neighbours cat trying to move in

15 replies

Jeffkat · 30/12/2018 20:03

Hello, We have been getting frequent visits from our neighbours cat, and he is starting to visit us more than he visits his own house! He steals my cats food and sleeps on the sofa most of the day, and he spends a lot of time in our garden. He also sits outside our house waiting to come in. Does anyone have any advice on what to do? He is a very friendly cat but we can’t steal our neighbours cat, it’s just wrong!

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 30/12/2018 20:09

Where is your cat’s food? And how does the rogue cat get into your house? If you can’t stop him then try frightening him off without actually frightening him, iyswim. Maybe wave a tea towel at him.

SpoonBlender · 30/12/2018 20:13

A chip-activated catflap will sort out the raiding and waltzing in. They're about £60 (plus batteries) but they'll save you that in catfood and extra vet bills after you begrudgingly end up adopting!

ShowOfHands · 30/12/2018 20:13

My parents have the same issue. The neighbours' cat comes in, steals food and sleeps on their sofa or bed. The neighbours don't mind. It's since they had children and the cat prefers peace and quiet. Plus, one of my parents' cats died this year and the neighbour's cat is providing companionship to their lonely boy. They're just letting the cat come and go.

Wolfiefan · 30/12/2018 20:15

Don’t let it in. Don’t feed it.

Original poster
Jeffkat · 30/12/2018 21:36

Thanks for the replies,
My cat food is located in the kitchen, it can easily be moved so I’ll be sure to not leave it out from now on.
The neighbours cat tries to enter whenever I open the door, and he sits by my window whenever I don’t let him in. I try to ignore him but he sits there waiting, he is very determined to get in!
I guess I’ll have to start chasing him (with water maybe?) I’m also thinking about putting a cat repellent near the window and around my garden, but I don’t think my own cat won’t be too happy about that.

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 30/12/2018 22:07

Ignore him at the window. If your cat doesn’t go to windows then put some peel from any citrus fruit with a few drops of eucalyptus oil there. Apparently they really dislike the smell but it doesn’t harm them.

When you go out take an umbrella, or shopping bag, and wave that around if he tries to sneak in. I’m sure that if he can’t get to the food he will bugger off, but it might take a few weeks.

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/12/2018 22:10

Is he allowed into his own home? Not everyone is kind to their pets.

Original poster
Jeffkat · 31/12/2018 14:01

I've seen him enter his own house before, he is definitely allowed in there! I think he's just being greedy, he's a very fat cat.
My neighbours have kids too, he's probably just trying to get away from them, however, that shouldn't mean I have to take care of him! :(
Thanks for the citrus fruit suggestion, I'll be sure to use that if scaring him doesn't work!

OP posts:
Singlenotsingle · 31/12/2018 14:11

Cats have minds of their own. He wants to live with you, where it's nice and quiet. They're no trouble and they aren't expensive.

Wolfiefan · 31/12/2018 14:39

@Singlenotsingle
Cats have minds of their own? WTAF? My cats are family pets. I would be bloody furious if someone decided they would be better off in their house.
Want a pet? Get your own.

Original poster
Jeffkat · 31/12/2018 14:46

I wouldn’t mind having him but he doesn’t get along with my cat, they fight :(

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 31/12/2018 14:50

If an owner wants to rehome a cat then fine. Take it on.
But the idea that cats pick where they live? Bloody ridiculous. I pay for vaccinations and deflea/worming treatment. They are microchipped to me. I buy specialist food and their insurance. If we go away then I pay a cattery. They are our much loved family pets.

charcoalchops · 31/12/2018 22:04

This is very common behaviour for cats, they're also often very greedy. I've had cats all my life and they can be very cheeky! Having said that I wouldn't be happy if my neighbour started feeding my already fat cat, it's very obvious he's not starved! My cats are on a vets diet now and I would be fuming if someone started feeding them and increasing the risks to their health with obesity. I also pay a lot of money for my cats on insurance, flea, worm, micro chips, vaccinations etc and done of them cost us considerable amounts of cash to buy. Aside from all that they are much loved family pets. If you want another pet pay for your bloody own

MaudesMum · 02/01/2019 11:17

I also have a home invader - a very bold black cat from further down the terrace. He is partly motivated by the food I leave down for my cats (I leave dry food down as they are both grazers), but he also seems to like visiting other neighbours who don't have cats - through windows and skylights in the summer months. His owners seem to laugh it off. So far I've tried shouting and spraying with water, and he's had a few encounters with the crosser of my two cats - but he doesn't seem deterred. I don't want to have to fit a microchipped catflap, as I've got a non-standard sized catflap at present and am not sure if I'll be able to get one to fit, but I will have to if this continues. Grr.

Original poster
Jeffkat · 07/01/2019 21:05

Scaring him off seems to work during the day but he still keeps trying to come to my house at night. Since it's winter I don't know what to do, he just doesn't leave my garden! I moved the table in my garden so he can't get to the window, but I can still hear him scratching outside and meowing. His owners definitely let their cats in at night, so I don't know why he wants to sleep at our house so badly! I'm going to give the orange peels a try, if that doesn't work, I'll have to use water

OP posts:
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