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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

Neighbour stealing my cat and I think I need a tracker

110 replies

Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 19:15

I live in a quiet suburban street in North London where all the houses have big gardens and my cats have always roamed freely with no collars. I am worried about the risk to my cats with a collar, but now it seems I need one or some sort of tracker as my cat is often gone for long periods of time and a few nights he has been gone all night. He is housewarm when he comes back in the morning which means he must be in someone’s house😡I am so annoyed I now have to put a collar on him and also potentially spend money on a tracker. Has anyone else had this issue? How did you handle it? I mean neighbours keeping your cat all night. I don’t know who they are by the way or I would have knocked.

OP posts:
MascaraAndMintyChocolate · 17/04/2025 19:25

Cats chose their owners. I had a beautiful boy who would go to other people's houses. In the end, that was who he was and I could either keep him in all the time (he howled) or accept that I would see him when I saw him. .
A few years later, another cat chose me and completely refused to go home even when kicked out.

We're now visited by a cat who clearly has (several) other homes but spends lots of time in my greenhouse, and on my windowsill howling for food. He's a six dinner Sid...

If you don't want to share, your cat can't go out 🤷‍♀️ Of my 5 cats, only one goes outside these days ...

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:02

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

Cats roam and are allowed to.

OP posts:
Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:02

MascaraAndMintyChocolate · 17/04/2025 19:25

Cats chose their owners. I had a beautiful boy who would go to other people's houses. In the end, that was who he was and I could either keep him in all the time (he howled) or accept that I would see him when I saw him. .
A few years later, another cat chose me and completely refused to go home even when kicked out.

We're now visited by a cat who clearly has (several) other homes but spends lots of time in my greenhouse, and on my windowsill howling for food. He's a six dinner Sid...

If you don't want to share, your cat can't go out 🤷‍♀️ Of my 5 cats, only one goes outside these days ...

Disagree. I would never steal anyone’s cat. Surprised by these responses.

OP posts:
Lookuptotheskies · 17/04/2025 20:04

I'm with you op. I'd never feed someone else's cat, never mind keep them in my house overnight.

Could you pop a flyer through doors, or put some up in your street, or if there's a FB group for the area post on it. Basically make it known in the immediate neighbourhood that your cat has a home and is missed when he's kept in someone else's house all night!

IkeaMeatballGravy · 17/04/2025 20:09

Cats only choose someone else if the new person lets them. I would never feed someone else's cat or otherwise make them welcome in my home. If you want a cat, adopt your own from a shelter. I have had other cats try to get into my house but I chase them out.

Mine has a do not feed collar on him.

IkeaMeatballGravy · 17/04/2025 20:13

Also, you can also get collars that say 'vet diet only, do not feed', if they think the cat is going to be expensive if it 'chooses' them then they might not be so keen.

Make sure his microchip is up to date.

CopperWhite · 17/04/2025 20:17

How do you know someone is deliberately tempting your cat and it’s not just your cat invading their house via their own pet’s cat flap?

You can’t have it both ways. Yes cats can roam, but if that also means they roam away to new homes, then owners just have to accept the consequences of choosing that type of pet.

Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:20

Lookuptotheskies · 17/04/2025 20:04

I'm with you op. I'd never feed someone else's cat, never mind keep them in my house overnight.

Could you pop a flyer through doors, or put some up in your street, or if there's a FB group for the area post on it. Basically make it known in the immediate neighbourhood that your cat has a home and is missed when he's kept in someone else's house all night!

Good idea. I will try this.

OP posts:
Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:21

IkeaMeatballGravy · 17/04/2025 20:09

Cats only choose someone else if the new person lets them. I would never feed someone else's cat or otherwise make them welcome in my home. If you want a cat, adopt your own from a shelter. I have had other cats try to get into my house but I chase them out.

Mine has a do not feed collar on him.

Agree. Get your own cat. So many cats waiting for loving homes. My boy was a rescue.

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 17/04/2025 20:23

Why do you think this particular neighbour is stealing your cat?

Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:23

CopperWhite · 17/04/2025 20:17

How do you know someone is deliberately tempting your cat and it’s not just your cat invading their house via their own pet’s cat flap?

You can’t have it both ways. Yes cats can roam, but if that also means they roam away to new homes, then owners just have to accept the consequences of choosing that type of pet.

I know where the cats in the street live and I know he is not taken in by them. I also don’t think he roams that far, partly because he is so warm when he comes home in the morning. I think he is a few doors down only.

OP posts:
lovemycbf · 17/04/2025 20:38

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Wolfiefan · 17/04/2025 20:40

Can you cat proof your garden and only him out there? If someone (bastards!) really wants to steal your cat they can remove a collar and discard a tracker.

Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 17/04/2025 20:42

Wolfiefan · 17/04/2025 20:40

Can you cat proof your garden and only him out there? If someone (bastards!) really wants to steal your cat they can remove a collar and discard a tracker.

No I looked into it and my garden is just too big .I also really resent having to do that as he is perfectly happy out there if it wasn’t for these neighbours who just need to get their own cat.

OP posts:
maslab · 17/04/2025 20:43

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

Ok, you tell the cat 🤣

tillyandmilly · 17/04/2025 20:46

Frankly cats will roam - my sister has next door’s cat in her garden all the time she has 2 cats of her own - she welcomes him and gives him lots of fuss - owners out at work all day - she does not let him in her house though!

MoistVonL · 17/04/2025 20:55

@MascaraAndMintyChocolate - Cats only 'choose' their owners when arseholes feed other people's pets and give them treats.

@Theobaldsmum - a collar with Vet Diet can help. We had a neighbour feeding ours treats to the point he had an upset stomach. We had to talk to them as they were making him ill. They really loved cats but had no damned boundaries and no context for what he actually needed.

daffodilandtulip · 17/04/2025 21:01

IkeaMeatballGravy · 17/04/2025 20:09

Cats only choose someone else if the new person lets them. I would never feed someone else's cat or otherwise make them welcome in my home. If you want a cat, adopt your own from a shelter. I have had other cats try to get into my house but I chase them out.

Mine has a do not feed collar on him.

Yes! Our car was stolen by a neighbour who kept putting out fresh salmon, then locking her in!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 17/04/2025 22:05

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

Don't be daft.

TooBigForMyBoots · 17/04/2025 22:10

What are you going to do? Go round your neighbour's house at 2am demanding your cat back?

As you say, cats have the right to roam. Out of your house to someone else's and back again.🤷‍♀️

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 17/04/2025 22:17

We have the opposite problem. We have four cats of our own but other local cats keep trying to break in...
NMCs (not my cats) photos included.

Neighbour stealing my cat and I think I need a tracker
Neighbour stealing my cat and I think I need a tracker
Original poster
Theobaldsmum · 18/04/2025 06:59

TooBigForMyBoots · 17/04/2025 22:10

What are you going to do? Go round your neighbour's house at 2am demanding your cat back?

As you say, cats have the right to roam. Out of your house to someone else's and back again.🤷‍♀️

Edited

Cats have the right to roam, but that doesn’t mean they are free for all for people to take them into their houses. Do you not understand that I am worried about him when he is not in at night??

If I knew who had him, I absolutely would go and get him back at 2 am!

OP posts:
Wonderknicks · 18/04/2025 07:25

Put an air tag or similar on a collar then you will know where he's going & can speak to them - cheaper & lighter than a cat tracker. You might have trouble getting him to accept the collar though - if he will accept it, also make it a "do not feed" one.

Allergictoironing · 18/04/2025 07:43

Mrsgreen100 · 17/04/2025 19:30

This wandering of cats all over peoples gardens needs to be stopped. If I let my dog wander all over the place into other peoples gardens I’d lose it.

You do realise which forum you are on? 😆😆😆😆😆