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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 ?

36 replies

stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 08:52

Hi have a local cat that frequents my house . I don't feed it but it drinks from the dogs water bowl .

Has collar , plump , looks well cared for

This morning I've found him sat under a bush in my frozen garden .

I opened the door and he came charging in , it's frozen solid outside .

I can't close my door because he howls but I'm having to leave the door ajar and cold myself because he just wants to sit on the mat .

Any suggestions ? He clearly doesn't want to be out in the cold but not happy if I close him in here . Should I just put him out and he will head home?

Have previously tried to work out who he belongs to with no avail .

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 18/01/2023 08:53

You can put a paper collar on with your contact details on asking owner to call you.

Megamind · 18/01/2023 08:55

Have some cat treats handy and give one to take the cat out . I have a couple of neighbors cats coming on in our house. So I normally give them a treat and take them out. Recently found out one if the neighbors leaves their cat out whole day regardless of rain and even snow. I really feel bad but can't do anything about it .

ZestFest · 18/01/2023 08:58

Have you got a shed you could safely leave open and put a cardboard box inside with something snuggly?

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:04

No shed :( I've seen those cat boxes for the cold but don't have one yet .

I tried putting him out and he returned to the bush so I let him back in as he must be frozen

OP posts:
kittensinthekitchen · 18/01/2023 09:07

Megamind · 18/01/2023 08:55

Have some cat treats handy and give one to take the cat out . I have a couple of neighbors cats coming on in our house. So I normally give them a treat and take them out. Recently found out one if the neighbors leaves their cat out whole day regardless of rain and even snow. I really feel bad but can't do anything about it .

Do not feed someone else's cat without their permission!
You have no idea if the cat is on a special diet.

I wish people would stop doing this.

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:13

We are not feeding him

I am just more concerned if best to shut him in or out ... will he survive this cold?

He's currently shut in again howling . Wants to be in with the door opened ... when I put him out he just returns to the patch under the bush

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 18/01/2023 09:14

Is he neutered? Vets could scan for a chip.

AnnaMagnani · 18/01/2023 09:15

I own a cat that does this.

He insists on going out in all weathers despite being a breed that only has a thin coat (Arabian Mau). Sometimes he sits freezing in our hedge despite offers to come in - apparently he has important hedge sitting to do. Once we get him in he heads straight to the radiator, warms up, then yells his head off demanding to go out and freeze again.

He has at least 2 houses and a barn he stops off at for snacks/warmth/sleeps - he has a tracker so we know what he is up to. He somehow knows how to make a beeline for a soft hearted elderly lady all of whom are actually fed up of him now

He could come home at anytime but in the mind of cat, 5 hours shivering in a cobwebby garage is better.

Just kick the cat out and he'll have to go home - to his family that are likely worried about the bonkers animal.

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:18

Wolfiefan · 18/01/2023 09:14

Is he neutered? Vets could scan for a chip.

I googled male / female cat anatomy images and cannot tell what gender he even is

OP posts:
WildFlowerBees · 18/01/2023 09:19

Could you put some sort of shelter outside with warm fluffy blankets and some water near the hedge that way he's out of the elements but not freezing you to death.

WetBandits · 18/01/2023 09:19

stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:13

We are not feeding him

I am just more concerned if best to shut him in or out ... will he survive this cold?

He's currently shut in again howling . Wants to be in with the door opened ... when I put him out he just returns to the patch under the bush

He will, don’t worry Flowers

One of mine will demand to go out in all weathers! I suspect he raids bins or is fed by someone as he comes back with food around his mouth sometimes and/or has diarrhoea, there’s a tag on his collar that says ‘do not feed’ so I hope he’s feeding himself and not someone else taking it upon themselves to feed him. He gets really miserable and moody if I try to keep him indoors though, so I just have to let him go out and then call him back in when it gets late, by which time he’s had enough adventuring and is ready for bed.

You sound really lovely OP 🥰

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:20

I'm just defaulting to calling him he 🤣

Ok will put him out and hope he returns home

OP posts:
WetBandits · 18/01/2023 09:21

WildFlowerBees · 18/01/2023 09:19

Could you put some sort of shelter outside with warm fluffy blankets and some water near the hedge that way he's out of the elements but not freezing you to death.

Fluffy blankets aren’t great to have outside in a box as they will collect condensation and freeze (and the cat with it!), it’s a lovely idea in theory but doesn’t work in practice x

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:21

WildFlowerBees · 18/01/2023 09:19

Could you put some sort of shelter outside with warm fluffy blankets and some water near the hedge that way he's out of the elements but not freezing you to death.

Yes going to put some towels in a box good idea !

OP posts:
Darthwazette · 18/01/2023 09:22

Could you put some sort of shelter outside with warm fluffy blankets and some water near the hedge that way he's out of the elements but not freezing you to death.

Please do not put out warm fluffy blankets in this weather as they can get damp and freeze solid and become very dangerous!

Wolfiefan · 18/01/2023 09:22

Can’t believe you googled images!! I just wondered if it was an entire male hanging around because of an unspayed female.

WetBandits · 18/01/2023 09:23

If he’s got a pair of little fuzzy kiwis hanging down by his bum, he’s a boy Grin

Megamind · 18/01/2023 09:24

@kittensinthekitchen thank you for your comment. I don't normally feed neighbors cats however I can't leave them in my house as I have other pets which the cats kill apparently. The neighbors have gently mentioned that their cat loves food and is often going into others houses for food. Some other neighbors have the same problem so they all give just a small single tiny piece of snack as the cat is quite aggressive and has bitten our children and me too.

Original poster
stevalnamechanger · 18/01/2023 09:37

Wolfiefan · 18/01/2023 09:22

Can’t believe you googled images!! I just wondered if it was an entire male hanging around because of an unspayed female.

We have no cats here !

So the difference is apparently ! Or ; with the holes but I couldn't tell .

No visible balls as such !

OP posts:
BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 18/01/2023 09:42

Even vets regularly sex kittens incorrectly - we got a female cat who then turned out to be a boy. Even though he's neutered I still couldn't tell the difference between him and a female cat from the rear. Luckily he's unfriendly to people who aren't family and never goes into other houses because he's a yowling beast, and also likes to be in with the option to go out whilst the rest of us freeze to death as he takes his sweet time deciding what to do.

MyMumTracyBeaker · 18/01/2023 09:46

I had a panic you meant my cat, who spent most of last night crying to be let out! We let him out this morning but he's just slunk in for his morning nap, phew!

He went out every day during the big freeze a few weeks ago and I worried about him terribly, but he does seem hardy.

Thanks for looking after this cat, OP.

MaggieMagpie357 · 18/01/2023 09:51

I think you need to concentrate on finding this cat's owner - have you tried posting on FB, Next Door etc? Failing that I would be taking him/her to the vets to see if they have a microchip with the owner's details.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 18/01/2023 10:15

Most cats past youthful exuberance will stay in on a day like this.

After they've made you open the back and front door to check if the weathers better one side of the house.

Eastereggsboxedupready · 18/01/2023 10:20

Shove an upturned box and and a blanket under the bush.

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 18/01/2023 10:25

We have a plastic Curver box with a blanket in it (regularly washed) for the plethora of cats our next door neighbour has which are always kicked out in bad weather.

We have cats too, but my boys are too old & lazy to even venture outdoors when it’s cold or raining!

I agree, don’t feed the cat (my boys have special diets), but the real reason he’s yowling with the door closed is because he is a cat, and thus he is an arse lol.

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