Neighbour feeding my cat, advice?

stringer_bell
stringer_bell Posts: 414 Forumite
in Pets & pet care
Got an 8 year old cat, he has had an operation because of urinary crystals in past so is on a special diet, we lace his diet with treats so he eats it

about a year ago, my neighbour got a cat, and ever since she has started feeding my cat, so much that he doesnt come home for days and spends time in her house

I have told her countless times to stop as hes on a diet, but the cat never seems to come home, which is weird, if its hungry it would come in, so i guess its meal needs are being met elsewhere.. no surprises for where

so what options do I have? I have told her about 5 times now, and it just doesnt sink in

I have treats for it so it eats his meds, if she is feeding it the good stuff, he has no need to eat its prescription food, and we never see it.. it even stays in her house..
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Comments

  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,598 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Try and be a bit firmer with her (the neighbour not the cat ), explain it is imperative she doesnt feed your cat although you are grateful for her doing so its not ideal as hes not getting his meds.
  • Geoff1963
    Geoff1963 Posts: 1,088 Forumite
    Tell the neighbour that you had to take your cat to the vet, again. Apparently someone has been . . . etc.
    Of course, with cat flu being so contagious, he really should be kept indoors, but he keeps running off.
  • Jojo_the_Tightfisted
    Jojo_the_Tightfisted Posts: 27,228 Forumite
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    Send her the next vet bill.
    I could dream to wide extremes, I could do or die: I could yawn and be withdrawn and watch the world go by.
    colinw wrote: »
    Yup you are officially Rock n Roll :D
  • stringer_bell
    stringer_bell Posts: 414 Forumite
    Geoff1963 wrote: »
    Tell the neighbour that you had to take your cat to the vet, again. Apparently someone has been . . . etc.
    Of course, with cat flu being so contagious, he really should be kept indoors, but he keeps running off.

    I could keep my cat in I guess, but of course, it would be meowing its t*ts off at the door, I have told her last night it needs surgery again and she was like " ohh no " and yet today it hasnt come in, I guess that didn't sink in either. maybe she can share half the vet bills?
  • Malthusian
    Malthusian Posts: 10,931 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    Occupational hazard if you have a cat and allow them to roam. Either keep him in and put up with the miaowing, or accept that cats make their own decisions.

    You could threaten to sue her for the vet bills if you don't mind making an enemy of your neighbour. It would be a hollow threat as the chance of winning in court would be almost nil. She would simply argue that she just puts food out for her cat and your cat steals it, and that it's your job to keep him shut in. No judge in the world would think it reasonable to to expect someone to constantly guard their cat's food bowl to make sure another person's cat isn't eating there. But the threat would probably stop her deliberately feeding him - if that's what she's doing.
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
    You cant tell her what to do in her garden.


    If it's that important, keep your cat in doors.
  • stringer_bell
    stringer_bell Posts: 414 Forumite
    Malthusian wrote: »
    Occupational hazard if you have a cat and allow them to roam. Either keep him in and put up with the miaowing, or accept that cats make their own decisions.

    You could threaten to sue her for the vet bills if you don't mind making an enemy of your neighbour. It would be a hollow threat as the chance of winning in court would be almost nil. She would simply argue that she just puts food out for her cat and your cat steals it, and that it's your job to keep him shut in. No judge in the world would think it reasonable to to expect someone to constantly guard their cat's food bowl to make sure another person's cat isn't eating there. But the threat would probably stop her deliberately feeding him - if that's what she's doing.

    she knows the cat is ill, yet she keeps feeding it normal food.. feeding it so much it does not come home for its medication, because why would it? It's medication ( hills prescription cat food ) is probably awful.. so in a way, she is being cruel to my cat... because if the crystals develop again, it will need another surgery

    but we know she isn't leaving the cats bowl out, shes letting it in her house and feeding it, we asked her son " have you seen our cat today " to which he replied " yes, its in our house "
  • stringer_bell
    stringer_bell Posts: 414 Forumite
    Guest101 wrote: »
    You cant tell her what to do in her garden.


    If it's that important, keep your cat in doors.

    course not, but surely its reasonable to stop her feeding my cat? It can't have normal food all the time.. she is basically slowly poisoning it.

    I'm going to keep the cat indoors now, I have today, fed it early this morning and I've seen the neighbour walking past by my garden shouting " her " cat, never does that.. must be wondering where it is
  • Undervalued
    Undervalued Posts: 8,844 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    stringer_bell wrote: »
    course not, but surely its reasonable to stop her feeding my cat? It can't have normal food all the time.. she is basically slowly poisoning it.

    I'm going to keep the cat indoors now, I have today, fed it early this morning and I've seen the neighbour walking past by my garden shouting " her " cat, never does that.. must be wondering where it is

    How do you know it hasn't got a third (or even fourth) "home"?

    Maybe your neighbour has done as you have asked and your cat has found other soft touches?

    I used to be visited regularly by a large, friendly long haired cat. Despite the fact I never offered food or drink it would wander in and seek attention given half a chance. Eventually my neighbour's child told me that the cat actually lived next door to one of their school friends about 300 yards away!
  • Malthusian
    Malthusian Posts: 10,931 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    stringer_bell wrote: »
    she knows the cat is ill, yet she keeps feeding it normal food..

    You've not said anything that indicates that she is deliberately feeding it normal food just to annoy you, as opposed to feeding her cat normal food, which your cat then eats.

    Or as Undervalued said it could be wandering into a third home and they're the ones feeding it.

    Make your mind up as to whether you want to let your cat roam or not. If your cat is going to roam about then it runs the risk of eating something that is bad for it, just as it runs the risk of being mauled by a dog or hit by a car. If it's not safe for your cat to roam because anything it eats other than your special food will poison it, then you shouldn't be letting it roam.
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