Cat has moved out

Dillence

Earlier this year I found out where it was going and told them not to feed it (they thought it was a stray) as it is on daily tablets and may die if it doesn't get them.

However its just been getting worse, the only time it comes home for food is when they are away, most other times I have to knock at their door to get it back.

They seem like really nice people, but I am not sure what to do now -can't believe they still feed it, should I send notes out to everyone not to encourage the cat in their house??

Has anyone else been in this situation, what did you do???

Thanks for any help, its really starting to annoy me, that this cat costs me £45 a month and I don't see it.:( (its 12 years old by the way and has lived quite happily in the same house for that time.)

cinderellacomplex

I was in the same situation with a couple. It lasted from around christmas 2008 until June this year and it got so bad that my cat would only show up once every few days sometimes.

For most of that time they would say he wasn't a problem and it wasn't their responsibility to do anything to chase him away, however they started threatening to send me vet bills because he was harassing their cat (and yet still saying he wasn't a problem) and food bills for the food he ate. One day they completely changed their tune and started harassing me about how everyone was sick of him and wouldn't listen to me when I suggested things that they could do to stop him going to their house. They just said that it wouldn't work because he was a very forgiving cat and that their builders even kicked him and he didn't care. I think that's when I snapped and got pretty rude about their attitude towards the situation and their knowledge of cats.

Anyway since face-to-face wasn't working I wrote a very firmly worded letter. Then I took that to someone to read over, scrapped it, and wrote a slightly politer yet still firmly worded letter! I explained what they could do and that his needs were met at mine etc (I will PM you the whole letter). In no time after sending that letter he was at my house for a very large portion of the day (he's sitting by my side right now ) so I can only assume that they were really actively encouraging him to stay and not doing anything to chase him at all prior to the letter.

devildog

Firstly I am not a cat owner so have no experience!!
I understand that cats do sometimes go off and 'choose' another home(ungrateful things that they are )

If it were me I would nicely tell the other couple that them continuing to feed it is encouraging it to make their home it's home and if they are going to continue with this then they can have the cat and the responsibility of the vets bills too.
The couple probably feel quite honoured that the cat has chosen them but when they consider vets bills etc they may very well re-consider!

cinderellacomplex

It's one thing a cat choosing a home, it's another them being encouraged to switch allegiance. My neighbour's car comes to my garden because it's sunnier, does that mean I have any claim at all over the cat that she has had for 10 years? No way lol. So we checked that it was okay for her to chill in the greenhouse when she likes and we just leave her to it, she isn't made to feel like this is her home and she's always chased from the house.

The people I 'lost' my cat to would have just taken me up on the offer of my cat then very possibly just rehomed him - they seemed to have it in their heads that he wanted to be an only cat with an old lady for an owner which is complete nonsense given that he curls up with my eldest cat at night. So I'm not sure that's the route you really want to take tbh

LittleTinker

A cat does not go off an choose another home.

A cat will, however, go into a home that he is being fed at.....and if the new house is feeding him so that when he goes to the original house he isnt hungry, it looks as though the cat is 'choosing' not to eat there.

It makes me so cross when people feed cats that do not belong to them.
You read on here time and time again how someone has "fed a stray who was always in my garden".......how do they know it was stray?
Stray cats are few and far between......chances are the cat is owned by someone. It might be an older person or someone who isnt a full shilling who owns the cat....but it is likely to still be owned by someone.

I have had the same problem recently with a lady who lives near me......she keeps feeding the cat and he kept coming home without his collar on. So, we would put a new one on. He might appear again later with the collar on the last hole.......and we wondered why she was doing it. She isnt the full picnic but we know she wouldnt hurt any cat but we did tell her time and time again not to feed him or bring him into her house and she never listened.
We eventually told her we would call the police and RSPCA as she was cutting the cats collar or loosening it.......and she eventually stopped.

We see it all the time. People take a fancy to a cat or they think its stray or they dont think its well enough looked after..............if it isnt your cat, leave it alone. Chances are the cat belongs to someone and is at home upset and crying wondering where the cat is and why it hasnt come home....as we were! I had weeks crying and stressed out wondering about my cat.

Unless the cat has a visible injury, leave it alone. It doesnt belong to you.

h007

can you try feeding your cat before he goes out? that way he wont be hungry and want to eat at their house?
also you can get collars that say do not feed

or could you get your vet to write them a letter explaining the cat is ill and should not be fed by them??

Dillence

Thanks for all of your comments, think I definately have to find out who is feeding it as it doesn't come home at all anymore. So today I am on a mission.

Will keep you all updated.

LittleTinker

Dillence wrote: »

Thanks for all of your comments, think I definately have to find out who is feeding it as it doesn't come home at all anymore. So today I am on a mission.

Will keep you all updated.

When you find the cat, can you put a barrel collar on him with a note inside?

Sometimes people will respond to a note they see.

Failing that, try keeping your cat in for a while and make a big fuss of him and feed him really nice things....see if that helps.

Dillence

LittleTinker wrote: »

When you find the cat, can you put a barrel collar on him with a note inside?

Sometimes people will respond to a note they see.

Yes I plan to buy a collar this afternoon, but last time we put one on the cat it was off within 24 hours, I think its worth a try.

chris_n_tj

I would post a little note to every house nearby explaining the medical condition, and that poor kitty might die without the meds. Then say please dont encourage or feed as kitty isnt coming home and you are so worried, and of course some one not knowing this might be feeding kitty trying to kind. You would be so grateful if you have been feeding kitty to let me(you) know so you can get it back at meds time.
Thats what I would try first.
Good luck with it, please let us know how you get on.
Chris n TJ

Dillence

Well I managed to catch the cat this afternoon (it usually runs away when it sees me coming) and its now got a shiny new collar with a note on it saying do not feed me, I need to go home for tablets.

Tomorrow I will try to sort out a photo and little note about him.

Thanks Again