Neighbour’s cat living in my garden - what to do?

[AchillesLastStand]

I’m not a cat owner and never owned a cat. I have a problem that’s been going on for over two years now. A neighbour’s cat that lives across the road from me started visiting my garden, As time went on her visits got more frequent and longer. We petted her but didn’t feed her at all.

It’s now got to the point where she is living full time in my garden. Last winter she was living under the canopy by my kitchen door, where she’d get cold and wet. I found it very distressing seeing her everyday and on a few really cold nights I let her spend the night in my kitchen.

I have been over to the neighbours numerous times and told them where she was. I gave them my number, but they didn’t seem that concerned. They have been over to get her about three times in the last two years. In September I put a note through their door giving them permission to come down the side of my house to get the cat from the kitchen door and gave them my number again (they’ve never contacted me). I’ve heard them come over twice to the side of my house, but now they’re not bothering at all. They never came looking for her bonfire week when we had three nights of fireworks. I let the cat in my kitchen.

I can’t go through another winter with her in my garden with no shelter so I’ve set up an insulated cat kennel for her which is keeping her dry and hopefully warmer. I’ve also started giving her food because she was living off a neighbour’s bird table and was very thin.

She’s an extremely nervous little cat. In winter she loses all the fur on her rear end and belly. This year, so far, she’s kept all her fur maybe because she’s less stressed because she’s now full time in our garden with shelter and she gets fed at regular times now. It’s been freezing this week and I’ve been so worried about her.

I don’t know what the long term solution is. The cat’s owners have two male cats which she doesn’t get on with, they also have two dogs that visit. They’ve also made it to clear to me that she’s their cat. A photo of kitty’s set up in my garden. Any advice gratefully received.

I’d contact the local cat rescue. They aren’t caring for their cat, you are, so I wouldn’t have any qualms about trying to get it adopted by someone who actually wants one.

Cute cat house by the way.

I’d keep her as she clearly wants to stay with you and it’s best for her health.

You are really kind to put up that wee shelter.

Do you want the cat?

If she was cold and wet and not happy about it… she’d have gone home

I have a cat a bit like this. Not mistreated, but decided to come and live in my garden. My other cats will not let him in the house, so he lives outside.
He mostly had a grand time of it but I'd imagine it's a bit chilly at times. He has a couple of outdoor houses to choose from which are well insulated. On colder days I add more blankets and some heat pads, so it's pretty cosy.
You're a kind person to have helped this cat. Unfortunately, if you contact a rescue, chances are they would scan her and the owners will want her back, despite their indifference to the cats quality of life.
Are you willing to look after her at least with food, shelter and flea treatment? The balding could be from flea allergy.

We’re really fond of the cat and we would have her if the neighbours would be willing to give her up. I just want to see her happy and healthy.

Not if she isn't welcome at home, no cat would willingly stay out in the cold and wet if it had another option she may just be bullied out of the house by the tom cats.

It's a shame they won't actually agree to give her up, if they don't look after her well enough.

If you like the cat, I'd just let her stay in your house and feed her. The neighbours can't dictate that she lives in your garden and not your house. Let the cat get in and out and if she wants to go home she can. If your neighbours query why she's inside then just say it was freezing and you wanted her to be OK. If they won't look after her properly they can't complain!

This is the cat distribution system in action. The cat has chosen you. I too have a cat. It's not mine. I think it's come from a nearby farm. We feed it now as it never leaves. Cats can be very determined.

She had lots of fleas last year. I mentioned it to the owner who denied she had fleas. I’ve just bought her some spot on flea treatment from Amazon to hopefully prevent it from happening again. I’m pretty much looking after her. The only problem is when she gets ill I can’t take her to vets because she’s not my cat and she’s likely to have a microchip registered with her owners.

I think she is your cat now, even though you haven't realised it!

She's spending all her time in your garden, and you're feeding her. Why don't you let her in and be done with it? :) As long as you're not keeping her in against her will, the neighbours can't accuse you of stealing her - would they even notice?

Congratulations on your new cat

Thats how it works. Clever girl knew where she could be safe and secure. I would say she moved out because of the other two cats. They were probably bullying her.

I’d keep her OP.

Congratulations on your new cat! Cats choose where they want to be and this one has chosen you

I'd maybe not worry too much about the neighbours. It's unlikely they're going to reclaim her physically - maybe they don't like the idea of giving her up. If she needs vet treatment then tell the neighbours - I bet they reconsider giving her up at that point.

Cat aside, how well do you get on with your neighbour?

This is essentially how we got our cat. Except we didn’t even feed her and tried our best to keep her out of our house, because we were so determined to maintain boundaries. Eventually after months of the cat sleeping outdoors rather than go “home,” we and her previous owners agreed that it was better for her welfare to just give in.

The cat’s owners I don’t really know them very well. They don’t seem to want anything to do with me as I’ve given them my number twice.

Fleas don’t go away by themselves we. So if she had fleas last year and they went away without you treating last year - then the owner treated?

Not necessarily. We had a situation with our two cats who were from the same litter and had been together for years, one day the boy cat decided he hated his sister and kicked her out of the house. After that she was out all the time we’d hardly see her and she was definitely stressed as he would chase her out if he saw her. We re-homed her to another family and she was way happier.

I have a cat who chooses to be out, in all weather's instead of coming home

I guess their challenge is there isn’t much they can do, other than re-home her.

They could lock her indoors but that would be torture for a cat who’s used to being able to roam and climb. They can’t be going round fishing her out of neighbours’ gardens every day, that’s why we have catflaps so cats can come and go.

I think you are doing all you can to be honest, and you’re really kind to make sure she has a comfy space. If it’s really upsetting you could take her to a shelter and say she’s a homeless cat which she effectively is.

Cats choose their owners. You are the Chosen One.

Let kitty inside and see how things progress longer term.

Can you ask them if they would be happy for you to start looking after her?

If you're happy to anyway, just start letting her in and feeding her. From last behaviour they're very unlikely to come looking or even notice.