The Neighbour's cat

Mado

... seem to have decided to move in with us!!!!

She first visited a few weeks back with the litle boy. At the time, I was carving a chicken and gave scraps to my DD to give her (outside).
My DD has been pestering us for a pet and we thought it would be nice if she came round sometimes as she seems very tolerant of children.
It now seems that the family has gone away over the school holidays and that the cat misses company: she has been over our house most days, sleeping on the kids beds during the day (fed only if there are suitable scraps when she is around the kitchen). Now that would be fine with me as I always make sure she is out when we are and out at night. Only 2 nights ago, she jumped over a single storey flat roof over the kitchen and miaoowed by our bedroom window. I picked her up and put her back outside as I thought she didn't know how to get down, only to find her there again 3 minutes later. As my OH was sleeping, I didn't switch the light on and she disappeared in the dark house (I think she slept on DS's bed....).
She did it again last night... only jumped on our bed from the window when OH was asleep (he wasn't too pleased)...

Now I am a bit in 2 minds: the kids are delighted and she is a very gentle and sweet cat, but I feel very guilty with the neighbours. I am hoping that when the family has returned she will stay with them and only visit occasionnally: am I fooling myself?????

arthur_dent_2

It sounds to me like you have got a new pet. You may be lucky and retain a sort of half share when your neighbours return but cats are notorious for trying to get themselves as many owners to feed them as possible. My 2 live next door half the time.

You can but try and explain what has happened to your neighbour and hope that they take it well. Do you get on?

Mado

arthur_dent wrote: »

You can but try and explain what has happened to your neighbour and hope that they take it well. Do you get on?

So far we're fine; but they have moved in at Xmas and I don't really know them!

arthur_dent_2

Sounds like you might be about to test the waters. Good luck.

Fifer

Who was meant to be minding tha cat when they were away Mado? Hopefully someone was meant to be feeding her?

But it sounds like you've been adopted. You should be honoured.

tru

My next-door neighbour fed our cats chicken and tuna, one of them moved in with her permanently. Trouble was, she was miss tru's pet and she was really upset (she was only 8 at the time). I told the neighbour to stop feeding her as she belonged to miss tru and she was missing her pet. I was ignored for 3 months and she still kept feeding her, then a couple of years later she wanted money for a vet bill as it was our cat - not sodding likely says me LOL. Our tomcat - called Tom lol - will still go there for food but comes back home when he's eaten, every time the neighbour tries to stroke him he scratches her then she gets funny with me ROFL. She also did the same to the neighbour on the other side, that was a child's pet too.

tanith

I once had a real falling out with a neighbour over my cat, of course the cat will go to wherever it can get food but my cat was disappearing for longer and longer periods and I discovered that the neighbour was not only encouraging the cat but shutting her in the house so she could enjoy the cats company. I would not of minded if this was just my cat visiting now and then but it was ending up with the cat almost leaving home and as she was already 12yrs old I missed her and felt agreived as she was a birthday presant from my new hubby... eventually I had to insist she stop feeding the cat and discourage the visits... my cat soon returned to normal behaviour but my neighbour was upset with me for ages.. she saw nothing wrong in what she was doing. I did suggest she get a cat herself but she said "oh no I can't afford to have cat , who would look after it if I went away". So she just wanted my cats company without any of the costs or responsibilities.:eek:

I'd have a word with them and explain whats happened they may not mind sharing but its best to find out in case like me they feel selfish about their cat...:rotfl:

tru

Meant to say, it didn't bother me cos I don't like cats anyway lol.

Mado

Fifer wrote: »

Who was meant to be minding tha cat when they were away Mado? Hopefully someone was meant to be feeding her?

But it sounds like you've been adopted. You should be honoured.

Ohh I have no doubt she is being fed (I think the dad is still around in the evening).
Well, I am flaterred. Just wondered how we can tell the cat to keep visiting home for courtesy...:D

arthur_dent_2

Some people are unreal, she really thought that you should pay for the cat after she had not only taken her on as hers, but then took her to the vet off her own back.!

Alikay

A couple of years ago our cat suddenly got very fat and we couldn't understand why. One day we were cleaning the car and teased her by flicking her with water. A neighbour's window flew open and a woman screeched at us "leave my cat alone!" she then raced outside to give us a piece of her mind.

Turns out she'd been feeding the cat for a few weeks, thinking "if its hungry it can't be getting looked after elsewhere" and considering herself the cat's saviour and new owner!!

Our cat had always been fed decent amounts of good quality food, been jabbed, flea-ed and wormed as necessary, been played with and talked to a lot (she's a very sociable cat) and NEVER left on her own for hours on end, but managed to convince this woman that she was a poor neglected and starving stray! Damn animal was living a double life...twice the food and twice the love, and this stupid neighbour was completely taken in!

Since we've moved house and she's only eating with us,the cat has managed to shed a few pounds and is now able to get through the cat-flap more comfortably and is fit enough to catch mice again!!

Please don't feed this cat regularly unless you speak to the owner - fat cats develop all sorts of health problems. Why don't you get a cat from a rescue centre yourself?