Cat desperate to come in - what to do?

[TurnipTales]

We moved house in the last month, and saw a friendly black cat hanging around. It came into our house one night and was miaowing like crazy, so I gave it some tinned tuna on a dish outside.

Ever since then, it has been desperate to come inside, hanging around outside windows and miaowing. It got in this morning through a small downstairs window and we had to physically put it outside. It's currently sat on our living room windowsill outside, staring at us with sad eyes.

It (not sure if he or she) tries to come inside even after being fed so it's not food related I don't think.

What should we do?? Are we now cat owners?

Also, Michael Rosen's Twitter is full of tales of his neighbour's cat turning up and demanding to come in (he's a big softie and lets him). Cats are cheeky little articles.

Our big fat cats go around the neighbourhood pretending to be strays and they are really convincing.
I get really upset with people feeding and taking them in. They can’t stop them from entering their house as they will push their way in but at least if they don’t feed them, they come back to us. One is on medication so we really him back once a day.

See also

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/4263656-Thug-cat-part-4-After-all-its-not-my-Axminster

This is four thread's worth of a cat who is desperate to come into a house which isn't legally but not morally his house.

@PandoraP

Our big fat cats go around the neighbourhood pretending to be strays and they are really convincing. I get really upset with people feeding and taking them in. They can’t stop them from entering their house as they will push their way in but at least if they don’t feed them, they come back to us. One is on medication so we really him back once a day.

And a chip check/paper collar would have sorted this out. That's the message to get out there - check for a chip and, if no chip, put a paper collar with a message on. The message shouldn't be not to feed seemingly stray cats as very many of them are in fact stray. The message should be to check for owners using those two methods.

Worth posting on any local Facebook groups (particularly if there's one for your street) and asking if anyone recognises the cat.

Yes Facebook is a good shout.

The poor thing was absolutely starving, it wolfed down the food I gave it. If that makes me irresponsible then so be it, I couldn't not feed it. It was tuna in water and not brine.

Thanks for all the good advice!

Don't. Feed. The. Cat.

Unless the cat is severely underweight, it's not your pet - don't feed it again.

Cats are greedy bustards. Mine will howl at the cupboard 5 minutes after tea. That's what they do.

I wouldnt buy cat food or keep feeding it until you have checked the chip.

@Touloser

Don't. Feed. The. Cat.

Unless the cat is severely underweight, it's not your pet - don't feed it again.

Cats are greedy bustards. Mine will howl at the cupboard 5 minutes after tea. That's what they do.

Don't listen to this. As I keep saying, the UK is full of stray and abandoned cats. Check for a chip, if no chip then put a paper collar on with a message, but feed in the meantime.

I'm going to keep on repeating this until I'm blue in the face. The advice to never feed unknown cats causes untold harm and suffering. Yes of course steps should be taken to find an owner, but if one can't be found then of course you should carry on feeding.

The people who give this advice have obviously no idea of the stray problem in this country and anyone who spends time with any rescues would never say this.

Don't feed the cat. You've no idea if it has a medical issue or a special diet etc. Our well fed house cat was an escape artist. He also had food allergies, he used to run off and go scrounging for food, one of our neighbours fed him , he got sick and it cost us 400 pounds in vets bills. He had a collar and was chipped.

@FleasInMyKnees

I wouldnt buy cat food or keep feeding it until you have checked the chip.

And if it is a stray, or lost, then it will carry on wandering looking for food. Of course you need to feed until you can make checks.

@romdowa

Don't feed the cat. You've no idea if it has a medical issue or a special diet etc. Our well fed house cat was an escape artist. He also had food allergies, he used to run off and go scrounging for food, one of our neighbours fed him , he got sick and it cost us 400 pounds in vets bills. He had a collar and was chipped.

Yes well someone knows a cat has an owner of course they shouldn't feed them. However this isn't the case here. And the chances of it being an owned cat that would be harmed by some extra food for a few days are vanishing slim compared to the very real and likely possibility that it is a hungry stray.

@thecatneuterer
Agreed
NOT all cats are ‘greedy’ either
there is no way to tell whether this cat is hungry or ‘greedy’ so it is best to be in the safe side and feed them until they can be scanned

@TurnipTales
Thank you for caring

Try and find out if it has an owner.
I have several cats that visit me. Their owners know and are happy about it. I give my guests a few treats or dry food and the owners know exactly where I am and will let me know if I need to stop (special diet). I look after some of them if their owners go away which is a happy arrangement all round. But cats with owners will sometimes chance their paws for a bit of extra food, but not all cats are well looked after and lots get abandoned by owners too.

My friend moved to a new house and the previous owner just left the cat behind!

She asked the neighbors who told her. The cat lived with her for years.

and lots get abandoned by owners too

Indeed they do. We get multiple reports daily of cats that have been abandoned when owners moved away - seriously it's so common place that no one even comments on it. Mind you the ones that are left outside are the relatively lucky ones. Those that are left locked inside fair worse still.

I'm worried it's been abandoned or it's a stray, because it hangs around our house all the time - I see it every day. Since we fed it (two days ago) it's attempting to come in every night and now this morning too. Is this normal behaviour for cats that have other homes??

I’d feed it and get it checked for a chip.

It does sound like he/she is looking for a home are they there all night ?
Have you fed and given water today ? Water is really important
As Previously advised You really need to get them scanned at a vet, they may not charge, do you know anyone with a pet carrier you can borrow ?
Then if they have been chipped you will be able to contact the owner.

If it's friendly have a feel to see if it has balls. If it does then it will certainly be a stray (and is extremely unlikely to have a chip). Can you post a photo? I can tell a lot about cats just by looking at them, honestly...

And it does sound as though he's looking for a home, yes.

My lovely cat walked 7 miles through snow and arrived back at my ex husband's house. He had been hit by something on the journey and had a fractured jaw but he did it. Took him 2 weeks, my daughter and ex heard him howling outside and took him back.

The owners might have got a puppy and the cats interviewing new owners.

Here's the cat if anyone wants to take a guess if male or female! It has been hanging around all day. I'll see if I can borrow a carrier!

Gorgeous cat.
I’m going to guess at neutered male
Looks very well cared for

I would also guess at neutered male. He could well be chipped.