The neighbour's cat - quandary

Newlyboughthouse

I would be absolutely LIVID if I knew someone was feeding my cat. She has a 'Please do not feed me collar' on but I shouldn't have to use this.

She's on a strictly raw diet and I would fume if someone was feeding her commercial crap slowly contributing to tooth decay/kidney/liver problems.

PLEASE DON'T FEED STRANGE CATS! Get a cat if you want to feed one

elsien

I can picture the phone call to the RSPCA now - explaining why a friendly healthy looking cat whose owners care enough to stop and explain when they see it at your house needs to be catnapped as "abandoned." It's hard enough to get them to take an interest in genuine cases of cruelty, let alone one where the only issue is a scrounging cat.

gettingready

And how would calling RSPCA help the CAT?What would RSPCA do with a 13 yo cat. Did anyone stop to think about that?

theoretica

Moggy may not be pleased that there is now a dog in the family - but I have a young relative who was not best pleased with his new sister. Doesn't mean the adults in either situation got the new one with no consideration for the old, nor does saying that they have looked into rehoming (while continuing to look after the pet in question) make them sound like bad owners.

I agree - you stop feeding the cat as requested but maybe consider offering to adopt it fully. It may come round for an ear scratch anyway.

chocolatelover93

gettingready wrote: »

And why on earth would you give cat milk? I assume you never had a cat and did not know cats should NOT be given milk?

Don't see the problem with this my cats have milk and they are fine!!

ALIBOBSY

As I understand it both in cats and many animals including us the ability to digest lactose falls with age as babies/young need milk older peeps and pets eat a rounded diet.

But in cats this is a bigger, faster fall and they are much more likely to be lactose intolerant. However all that happens is if they eat more lactose than they can digest the excess is "expelled" ie vomit or the runs. So most cats can manage small amounts of lactose some slightly more and some none at all, but you don't know until the "result" appears lol.

One of the reasons I haven't given in to the kids and OH wanting a dog is because we already have two cats and one really hates dogs so I feel it would be unfair unless we had a big enough house for them to have their own separate areas or enough room to at least be able to comfortably avoid each other.

We have a lovely cat around the corner here who keeps trying to move in, and to a certain extent cats sometimes will move to a new owner, but don't feed them to encourage it.

TBH like many cat owners its less that you own them and much more they own you lol.

Ali x

chocolatelover93

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

As I understand it both in cats and many animals including us the ability to digest lactose falls with age as babies/young need milk older peeps and pets eat a rounded diet.

But in cats this is a bigger, faster fall and they are much more likely to be lactose intolerant. However all that happens is if they eat more lactose than they can digest the excess is "expelled" ie vomit or the runs. So most cats can manage small amounts of lactose some slightly more and some none at all, but you don't know until the "result" appears lol.

Mine just have the leftovers when I have cereal and are ok, maybe they are more tolerant? haha xx

bouicca21

I think my cat was maybe 4 or 5 when we got a dog. He was underwhelmed ... But it didn't take long for the two to get along fine, and I suspect that even at 13 this cat will settle down to tolerate or even like his new doggy sibling.

in our case there were unanticipated side effects. 'Ooh, new dog' the cat would say to himself whilst out and about 'must pop over and say hello.' Result (without exception) astonished and terrified dogs turned tail and fled. Cat totally mystified.

But yes if owner says don't feed, don't feed. Cuddle instead.

sweetilemon

chocolatelover93 wrote: »

Don't see the problem with this my cats have milk and they are fine!!

They can't digest lactose so messes with their digestive system and usually gives them the runs. Cat milk is lactose free.

chocolatelover93

sweetilemon wrote: »

They can't digest lactose so messes with their digestive system and usually gives them the runs. Cat milk is lactose free.

I think "cat milk" is just another one of those rip off's to get us to spend more money.
My cat's have my left over milk when I have cereal and are ALWAYS fine (they have a littler tray) and trust me if it gave them the runs I wouldn't give it to them.
Any cat's my family have had have always had milk and always been fine