Is this normal?

[rinseandrepeat1]

I've never had a cat before and to be honest don't really know anything about keeping cats! But I just wanted to know if this is normal.

New neighbours have recently moved onto my road. I have to walk past their house to exit my cul de sac and do this daily when walking my dog.

I noticed when they moved here they kept an empty cat food bowl outside their front door. I was assuming that this may be something to do with helping their cat to remember where they live now by providing a familiar scent. I never see any food or water in the bowl.

Anyway one thing I've noticed is pretty much every time I walk past their house the cat is curled up on the door mat outside their front door. Even if it is early morning or in the evening or when there is wind and rain. The cat doesn't look in bad form but every time I pass I just get an urge to knock on the door and say 'why are you not letting your cat inside?'. I guess I just feel really sorry for it and sometimes it just looks sad say there by the front door.

Is this normal for how to keep a cat? I'm trying not to be a nosey neighbour but it's niggling me.

Sorry if this is a silly question to be asking.

The cat loves that spot
simple as that

Thanks @loverofbestbuy
I was hoping that I was being silly and worrying about nothing !

It seems to me that they don’t let the cat indoors so no that is not normal unless it’s feral .

I've never known a cat to like being outside in the wind and rain.
I'd say it's not normal.

My three cats ago cat used to do this on a neighbour's doormat! She had a flap to get in our/her home, food and water at home, she just liked that spot. If the cat looks well I wouldn't worry necessarily.

have you looked at nighttime? ie 11pm

How are you coming to the collusion that the cat loves the spot outside the door of the house it lives in and isn’t waiting for someone to let it in? What’s your thought process here? I don’t understand how you’ve come to that conclusion.

I've noticed it there as early as 6am when leaving for an appointment, and as late as about 9pm when walking my dog. Then many times in between in the middle of the day. Never been on a walk as late as 11pm to see if it's still there.

The cat does look ok but it's one of those very fluffy ones so I am not 100% sure if the weight is ok under the fluff. It doesn't move much just stays curled in a ball

You’re not, that poster’s answer is ridiculous and based on literally nothing. Sounds like the cat wants inside and there isn’t a cap flap for it to get inside so it’s sitting there until someone opens the door. Cat’s are notorious for wanting out when they’re in and in when they’re out but they should always be able to gain entry to their own home, there aren’t a lot of cats who want to sit outside in the rain when they could be indoors.

how long ago moved in?

does house look empty or people in during the day

no cat flap presumably (side access!)

I'd just assume there's no cat flap so it has to wait to be let in and out.

Been keeping a close eye lately. Just drove past and cat outside scratching at the front door to be let in whilst it's in the pouring rain.

Really not sure what (if anything) to do next but I just feel bad for it.

Should I knock and talk to owners? Put a note through the door? Keep my nose out?

Past few days I've seen it outside looking super happy stretched out in the sunshine

You can't do anything - it's not illegal to have an outdoor cat.

Poor cat ☹️

I'd tempt the cat with treats to let me become its new owner.

It is illegal to maltreat it, perhaps an anonymous call to the RSPCA @rinseandrepeat1 so they can do a checkup (anonymous in case they are unpleasant)

this

When I drove back home about 1 hour 20 mins later the cat wasn't there anymore so I am wondering if it was let inside. I'm going to continue keeping an eye on it

@Pudmyboy my point was that keeping it outside isn't illegal in and of itself.

If the OP can prove the cat was never let inside and never had access to shelter, food or water that would be different, but getting the RSPCA to do anything about it would be highly unlikely, especially if the cat was otherwise healthy.

The only reasonable explanation is that it’s a stray that they’re feeding, that doesn’t want to go indoors.

If it’s their cat, no, absolutely not normal.