Neighbour Feeding my kitten and keeping him in.. Updated ..

mandi

Thanks again for all the replies . I appreciate it .

He has been chipped and neutered Shoshannah.

Regarding closing the flap at night it was my neighbours idea as his cats are only allowed on on a harness because of the road . including mine that's six killed that I'm aware of .

McNeff yes I do resent the fact that they've given him another name , bought in kitten food & adapted the garden for him then shutting him in . If you read my OP it's not the cat flap but the door from the conservatory to the house .

Also I think it's totally irresponsible to encourage not just my cat but any cat with the offer of free food knowing full well the main roads there and yet keeping their own on cats on a harness.

I've already lost one cat because of my neighbours . It's not going to happen a second time .

meritaten

your neighbours are bang out of order! but, really, should a six-month old kitten be out roaming the neighbourhood? Cat proof the garden or keep him indoors unless you can supervise him outdoors on a harness.

Homeownertobe

meritaten wrote: »

your neighbours are bang out of order! but, really, should a six-month old kitten be out roaming the neighbourhood? Cat proof the garden or keep him indoors unless you can supervise him outdoors on a harness.

I agree with this. Why is your KITTEN being let out at all? A six month old kitten is not old enough, big enough, wise enough or anything enough to protect itself.

Maybe you should be thankful it has somewhere safe to go after you let it out? Obviously it doesn't want to be left outside.

bagpussbear

I agree that your neighbours have been irresponsible here, and I think the keeping the cat shut in their house would make me much more angrier than the feeding. I would have been round their house reading the riot act at them if I had been in your shoes!

However, seems you have handled this well and I am glad they have agreed to your requests. I hope they stick to it.

As to whether the cat is too young at 6 months to go out at all, well that subject alone will cause a lot of debate! But the Blue Cross recommends in their guidance that cats are ok to be let out after they have been neutered at the age of 5-6 months, so I don't feel the OP has done wrong by letting her cat out at this age.

tyllwyd

Are you sure that they are shutting him in the house? If they've got a window open downstairs, your kitten might be climbing in by himself and going to wait by the back door to be let out again.

aileth

I would be livid.

Some students once did this to my mum and dad's cat. She suddenly went missing and was gone for a good six months, when one day my sister was walking down a neighbouring street and saw the cat sat in their window.

My dad stormed round there to get her back, the students said they had kept her because she was 'so cute' and seemed so hungry because she scarfed down the Sheba they had given her.

I know cats are very fickle and will wh*re themselves around a lot, but surely in this sort of scenario, where the neighbours KNOW it is your cat and are keeping it locked in THEIR house, renaming it etc, that is stealing?

Person_one

Ganyam wrote: »

Unbelievable some people.. Just read it all again

What do you find unbelievable? I think Kylyr makes good points.

Cats are legally allowed to roam freely, but when cat owners allow it there are certain risks that they have to accept as a consequence. The risk of them being run over, being injured in a fight, being attacked or hurt by a human, disappearing completely or yes, being stolen.

I do believe that the neighbours are being selfish and behaving badly, but what's so terrible about suggesting that the actual owners could take done steps to reduce the risk of this happening if it's a big worry. After all, these particular owners may well not be the only ones feeding and fussing the kitten.

50Twuncle

aileth wrote: »

I would be livid.

Some students once did this to my mum and dad's cat. She suddenly went missing and was gone for a good six months, when one day my sister was walking down a neighbouring street and saw the cat sat in their window.

My dad stormed round there to get her back, the students said they had kept her because she was 'so cute' and seemed so hungry because she scarfed down the Sheba they had given her.

I know cats are very fickle and will wh*re themselves around a lot, but surely in this sort of scenario, where the neighbours KNOW it is your cat and are keeping it locked in THEIR house, renaming it etc, that is stealing?

We lost a cat, 5 years ago and I think that a similar thing happened to her - she was a timid girl and would never roam - yet she disappeared (leaving us and her brother heartbroken) - we looked everywhere for 6 months, I even contacted the council to check dead cats - eventually - I "heard" that an old woman who lives in the next road had a "ginger brown" cat die - that I think was our Tortie !!
(No proof - just a feeling)

Lilyjade

Totally agree the neighbours shouldn't be encouraging him in, but your kitten might just be feeling lonely.

Does your kitten have a friend at home to play with? Kittens really need other cats for company, so he might be heading over to theirs for cat company.

Just a thought.

mandi

Another thank you for your replies .

My son let the kitten out this morning & he's stayed in the garden or the house most of the day so it looks as though my neighbours have stayed true to their word .

In answer to some of your questions .

Lilyjade. Yes I have another cat at home .

tyllwyd. Yes I am sure. I can see their house the windows are never open but the door to the conservatory always is .

Just to add I was asked to " kitten sit " him around two months ago his owner then asked if I would adopt him. He was already an outdoor cat by then so I didn't really have a choice to keep him in .

Anyway . I'm happy to report he's curled upon the chair and sleeping like a baby .

Long may it last :j

mandi .