Unwanted feline visitor

geri1965_2

A cat keeps coming through out cat flap and helping itself to our cat's food, usually in the evening and at night.

I thought I would remove the food at night to the upstairs landing, but last night he came upstairs at 11.30 and was having a good old scoff until I realised what was going on and chased him out! I then moved it into the bedroom and at 3am I woke up and found him in the bedroom!

Now thinking I will have to take it away completely at night, and my cats will just have to wait until the morning if they want to eat. One of them mostly eats wet food anyway so she won't be too bothered, Jimmy is used to being able to snack whenever he feels like it though.

I do have a slight worry in my mind that it might be hungry although it looks quite healthy and not skinny or anything. Can someone reassure me that some cats are just greedy?

dibuzz

I would be very annoyed if another dog came in and ate my dog's food.
Can't you just block up the cat flap? I'm not a cat lover so no idea if there's a reason it needs to be there tbh.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

They won't suffer for having the cat flap locked at night. In fact, they could find it far less stressful, as they will know their home won't be invaded each night and can sleep in peace.

geri1965_2

I would do if they were both in, but Jimmy is sometimes out when I go to bed, and I don't want him out all night, especially if the other cat is out there, as Jimmy is a bit of a scaredy cat as far as other cats are concerned.

*onlyme*

I am owned by a cat that does exactly what is happening to you....I don't live near Bristol so I know it can't be him!

We have tried to keep him in at night but he basically pulls the whole cat flap out of the backdoor if we lock it. He has also broken several of our neighbours catflaps when they have locked them, again pulled them out the wall or door. If he wants to get in or out, he will do whatever in his power to do so.

Thankfully most of our neighbours in our cul-de-sac have like us, lived here for a long time and they all know him. I have told them to spray him with water but that doesn't bother him, he quite likes water.... actually too much as he stole/killed, whatever you want to call it, quite a few koi carp out of a garden a few streets away...and left his collar behind in the process. I can't deny it wasn't him as he brought one of the fish home..and our cat doesn't have a tail (another one of his troubles he caused) so he is easily recognised.

He has broken into houses and attacked people's cats, steals food, destroyed their xmas trees (and brought tinsel home to show off), brings pieces of puzzle home, screwdrivers etc. On a weekly basis I go round my neighbours to see if they are missing anything and they take back what is theirs.

We now accept him as he is, but I do get so fed up with his breaking things all the time and going into people's houses..and we don't know how to stop it. We have considered boarding up the backdoor (removing the catflap) but I have 3 other cats (normal ones) to consider and if we lock him in, he is like the devil possessed.

Could you hang a paper collar on the cat's neck so the owner knows what he is doing? I had people contact me cause they knew he was ours, or got his details from his collar...and then when we stopped putting a collar on him, he would come home with a paper one now and then, with a message to contact XXX.

rising_from_the_ashes

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

They won't suffer for having the cat flap locked at night. In fact, they could find it far less stressful, as they will know their home won't be invaded each night and can sleep in peace.

Totally agree .....

bacardi66

Ive had the same problem recently. My cat is nearly 18 otherwise I would have gone for a microchip operated flap, I just think he is too old to understand how it works and to get the hang of it. Despite his advanced years he still loves to go outside and I don't want to deprive him of that.

So what Ive done now is when Im at home I put the food upstairs (my cat mostly sleeps upstairs and it means the intruder would have to get past me!) and I also lock the catflap at night - obviously with my cat inside! And when I out for short periods of time I don't leave any food down. It seems to have made a difference and Ive rarely spotted or heard the other cat trying to get in for quite a while now as it either can't open the cat flap or gets in and finds there is no food on offer.

I also got a water pistol which I have managed to squirt the intruder with a couple of times - but he is as fast as lightning!

golfergirl28

Onlyme, You're a long suffering owner. Your cat is surely a oneoff! Had to laugh.........though I'm glad he doesn't live near me!

LisaB85

*onlyme* wrote: »

I am owned by a cat that does exactly what is happening to you....I don't live near Bristol so I know it can't be him!

We have tried to keep him in at night but he basically pulls the whole cat flap out of the backdoor if we lock it. He has also broken several of our neighbours catflaps when they have locked them, again pulled them out the wall or door. If he wants to get in or out, he will do whatever in his power to do so.

Thankfully most of our neighbours in our cul-de-sac have like us, lived here for a long time and they all know him. I have told them to spray him with water but that doesn't bother him, he quite likes water.... actually too much as he stole/killed, whatever you want to call it, quite a few koi carp out of a garden a few streets away...and left his collar behind in the process. I can't deny it wasn't him as he brought one of the fish home..and our cat doesn't have a tail (another one of his troubles he caused) so he is easily recognised.

He has broken into houses and attacked people's cats, steals food, destroyed their xmas trees (and brought tinsel home to show off), brings pieces of puzzle home, screwdrivers etc. On a weekly basis I go round my neighbours to see if they are missing anything and they take back what is theirs.

We now accept him as he is, but I do get so fed up with his breaking things all the time and going into people's houses..and we don't know how to stop it. We have considered boarding up the backdoor (removing the catflap) but I have 3 other cats (normal ones) to consider and if we lock him in, he is like the devil possessed.

Could you hang a paper collar on the cat's neck so the owner knows what he is doing? I had people contact me cause they knew he was ours, or got his details from his collar...and then when we stopped putting a collar on him, he would come home with a paper one now and then, with a message to contact XXX.

I know I shouldn't laugh but it has made me chuckle. What on earth is he? a tiger? x

Lovelyjoolz

*onlyme* wrote: »

We have tried to keep him in at night but he basically pulls the whole cat flap out of the backdoor if we lock it. He has also broken several of our neighbours catflaps when they have locked them, again pulled them out the wall or door. If he wants to get in or out, he will do whatever in his power to do so.

What you have there is a genuine Cat-Burglar!!!

*onlyme* wrote: »

screwdrivers etc.

That probably fell out of his Cat-Burglar tool-kit :rotfl:

gettingready

Onlyme - is this your cat by any chance?

Remember The Cats Motto
No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look as if the dog did it.