Cat in my garden

Chefpig · 2026-07-29T20:30:56+00:00

There's a beautiful cat who is in my garden most days. I don't mind at all. He's usually on my lounger sleeping. He has a collar on and looks a healthy weight. I'm worried he doesn't actually have a home now as he's in my garden so much. I wanted to give him some ham but then thought against it incase his owners don't want him to have certain foods. I have put some water out. If he has a collar, he will have a home won't he?

dscugie · Yesterday 21:34

Yes he has a home. Please don’t put anything out for him, including water. If you are that bothered you could post on local pages but honestly a healthy looking cat in your garden is very unlikely to need your input.

Original poster

Chefpig · Yesterday 22:07

dscugie · Yesterday 21:34

Yes he has a home. Please don’t put anything out for him, including water. If you are that bothered you could post on local pages but honestly a healthy looking cat in your garden is very unlikely to need your input.

Thank you 😊

OP posts:

BoldAquaOP · Yesterday 22:10

We have the same, cat from next door loves to sit in our garden basking in the sunshine, but now he’s started coming into the house ( I have the back door open a lot for the breeze and the dog to go in and out)
now having to keep it closed even when I pop out to grab washing etc or he’s straight in my house on the sofa!
not sure how to stop him!

pinkandwhiteroses · Today 07:10

If he’s healthy and wearing a collar then he has a home - cats wander a lot, especially in summer - mine is almost never home at this time of year.

greencatwitch · Today 08:11

I have my own cat and my neighbour's cat is also sleeps in my garden everyday and even comes into my house...

So not unusual for cats to use other gardens and 'cheat' on their owners :).

RedGlassHeart · Today 08:18

I disagree that you shouldn’t put water out in this heat.

pinkandwhiteroses · Today 08:29

dscugie · Yesterday 21:34

Yes he has a home. Please don’t put anything out for him, including water. If you are that bothered you could post on local pages but honestly a healthy looking cat in your garden is very unlikely to need your input.

I’m sorry but what on earth is wrong with putting out water?

Judystilldreamsofhorses · Today 08:59

When we had new neighbours about ten years ago our last cat was almost taken to the vet to be scanned for a chip - she just liked hanging out in their garden! She didn't have a collar (nor does our boy we have now) but was a chonky white girl who was never out overnight, and couldn’t have looked less like a stray.

Our local community facebook page is full of fat, shiny, happy cats just sat on bins or out for a stroll with people posting about them being lost. (And then comments of “poor baby, I will have him”)

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with putting out water tbh. I have a ceramic water dish out at this time of year which I imagine hedgehogs drinking from in a Disney movie fashion - but is open to anyone.

pinkandwhiteroses · Today 09:03

Judystilldreamsofhorses · Today 08:59

When we had new neighbours about ten years ago our last cat was almost taken to the vet to be scanned for a chip - she just liked hanging out in their garden! She didn't have a collar (nor does our boy we have now) but was a chonky white girl who was never out overnight, and couldn’t have looked less like a stray.

Our local community facebook page is full of fat, shiny, happy cats just sat on bins or out for a stroll with people posting about them being lost. (And then comments of “poor baby, I will have him”)

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with putting out water tbh. I have a ceramic water dish out at this time of year which I imagine hedgehogs drinking from in a Disney movie fashion - but is open to anyone.

In fairness I can’t see the issue in them being taken to be scanned - a super healthy looking cat near us was scanned recently and it turned out she’d been lost for 12 years!

Pudmyboy · Today 10:29

I took am puzzled by the 'don't put out water' comment. @Chefpig please do as wildlife will also benefit in this weather.
I put out a water dish because I know hedgehogs visit my garden, I have seen them drinking from it (very cute and surprisingly noisy!). The local cats who visit my garden (puts on hard hat: I don't chase them away), much prefer the manky green water that has collected on top of a storage container Perhaps that's what that poster is suggesting.....