# Does my cat have a girlfriend?



## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

Since moving house one of our cats, Albie, seems to have made friends with one of the neighbour's cats and has started spending far more time outside, presumably because of this. They seem to be together quite often and, although still a little cautious around each other, they seem to want to be with each other. If Albie isn't around I can usually find him in the other owners garden, with or without his 'friend'. 

Anyway, several times now the neighbour's cat has been sitting outside our door, staring in and howling. It doesn't sound like an angry cry, more like a distressed or 'nagging' howl. Once we let Albie out to join her (not sure of the sex of the other cat but I usually refer to it as his girlfriend) she usually stops howling, although sometimes continues to make noises. There's never any hissing or aggressive behaviour between them. They usually then go off together.

Basically I'm wondering what all this is about. Could it really be as simple as them being friendly and wanting to spend time together? I do think it's really cute that she seems to come calling for Albie. She never shows any sign of wanting to come in and is quite nervous of the me and the other people in the house. 

The only annoying thing is that tonight she came calling at around 10 o' clock, and I don't really like Albie out after dark if I can help it. However, I had to let him out as I felt mean leaving her howling outside alone. Now I have to stop up until he comes home from his date. xD


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## sharonchilds (Jul 7, 2011)

Is Albie neutered? How old is the romeo


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

I would understand if the other cat had a thing for him. He's very handsome. 

Yes, he's neutered. At least we were told he was. He was a rescue cat from the RSPCA. We were also told he was about 18 months, which would make him just under 2 years old now.










By the way, that's an old photo. He no longer has a bell on his collar as I read they were not good. He does, however, have a radio tracker because I get paranoid about losing him since our other cat, Mabelline, went missing for a week.


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## Mokey8 (Dec 11, 2012)

I am not expert on cat behavior but I know that my friend's female cat for the longest of time would only breed with one male cat. She would wait for him and come out to meet him much like a boyfriend girlfriend relationship. And she wouldn't have any other male cat trying to make moves on her or she swipe'em a couple times in the face. She was/is a fiesty little cat.

I also know a cat that oddly enough seems to think she is human being raised only around humans with no other interaction from cats during the first decade or so of her life. She is my sister in-laws cat and she seems to have a crush on my hubby because whenever she is in heat she will dance for him and follow him around. She doesn't allow any male cat to make a move on her and its almost as if in her mind she is trying to get my hubby to notice her which is a bit strange but psychologically understandable.


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

That's really cute. 

Albie finally sauntered in last night at 2:30am, looking pretty pleased with himself. xD


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## sharonchilds (Jul 7, 2011)

Albie is GORGEOUS 
Bless him, maybe its because hes a friendly little thing that all the cats like him


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## brianmf (Aug 9, 2011)

It's not at all unusual for neutered cats to have platonic relationships with other cats in the neighbourhood or, for that matter, to have enemies. It's also quite normal for the buddy to come calling to see if their friend is coming out to play. However, it is a good idea to set limits on stopping out too late.
In our house, both our cats know that they don't go out after dark - not that they don't 'try it on' sometimes.


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## Ian B (Jul 19, 2011)

brianmf said:


> It's not at all unusual for neutered cats to have platonic relationships with other cats in the neighbourhood or, for that matter, to have enemies. It's also quite normal for the buddy to come calling to see if their friend is coming out to play. However, it is a good idea to set limits on stopping out too late.
> In our house, both our cats know that they don't go out after dark - not that they don't 'try it on' sometimes.


My #1 cat Bola fits that description regarding friendships with other cats perfectly. In the 5+ years he's been here I can count on one hand the number of times he's *argued* with other cats, yet he's the very definition of friendly with others he meets, even to the point of running up to them just to say hello. I'm convinced the main reason I get so many visitors using the flap is because Bola has invited them to call when they were passing by.

@spac3cow6oy

Albie looks uncannily like my Bola, it must be something about black toms :lol:


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## broccoli (Jul 1, 2011)

newton has a little cat friend and a dog friend/frenemy 

but he is a tart


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## CharlieChaplin (Dec 30, 2012)

Albie is utterly adorable! 

This story is so cute. My dads cat (female) appaently has a boyfriend! Similar to this story - he would howl for her and wait out in the garden for her, yet shy away from my dad and his OH. They think 'boyfrind' (as they have called him) is a stray so this could have something to do with their love. But it does happen! However this stray sometimes sauntered into the house to look for my dads cat. He never did anything bad, and would run away when someone saw him - bless him. 

So in my opinion - they can find friendships like this which I think is adorable!


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## Leam1307 (Feb 12, 2010)

My boys used to have a wee girlfriend, was rather odd though as they are both indoor cats and had never stepped foot outside. just one day she appeared (could still see the where the hair had been shaved on her side for getting done) and they would all play through the glass doors. My two would try and bring their toys to the door too and would be rolling about pawing at the glass.

I still see her on occasions hiding in our garden under the table. She lives across the road and her owners arent in much. Tried to clap her once and got almost bit! but then she is terribly matted so probs not the comfiest for her poor wee thing.


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## The Minkey (Feb 6, 2012)

Yes, could well be  

When Kato started going outside, I was concerned that the skanky stray tomcat who came calling for Tia would be a problem. I watched their first encounter on the garden wall. Kato attempting to bat Marlon round the face, Marlon giving him a single bat back, knocking him off the wall. No harm done. Kato came to adore Marlon and he came tolerate having a young follower pouncing on his tail and generally being a bit of a nuisance. Sadly Marlon died last year. However, my opposite neighbour tells me Kato has a new friend and she often watches them playing together in her garden but it must be the limit of the friend cat's territory as I've never seen them together in mine.


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting and it's pretty much confirmed my thoughts. 

@Ian B: Bola is really like Albie! Separated at birth? :lol:

@brianmf: I have now laid down the law regarding going out late. Gotta have some rules, especially as he's still a youngster.


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

For the longest time, Nunu had a rather pathetic crush on Snuki, our neighbour's spayed female. He would mooch around, staring at their door to see if he could spot her. However, it remained unrequited, and on the rare occasions they met up, she gave him a bitch slap, whereafter he would sulk for hours. They moved late last year and Nunu was visibly disappointed at the loss of his "crush" He has shown hardly any interest in the cats belonging to our new neighbours. Not his type, I suppose....


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

Update, Albie's 'girlfriend' is a male cat called Whiskey. 

Is it unusual for two unrelated male cats to be so friendly? I thought cats were rather solitary animals.


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## Misi (Jul 13, 2009)

Ian B said:


> My #1 cat Bola fits that description regarding friendships with other cats perfectly. In the 5+ years he's been here I can count on one hand the number of times he's *argued* with other cats, yet he's the very definition of friendly with others he meets, even to the point of running up to them just to say hello. I'm convinced the main reason I get so many visitors using the flap is because Bola has invited them to call when they were passing by.
> 
> @spac3cow6oy
> 
> Albie looks uncannily like my Bola, it must be something about black toms :lol:


When I was living in Portugal and still had Tarka, I'd regularly come home to find Tarka and this filthy old grey stray in the porch I used to leave open for him. He'd be sitting watching this cat tuck into his food, while egging him on!! And yes, Tarka was a black neutered tom and was friendly with everyone, man or beast:


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

Tarka looks so handsome.


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## Misi (Jul 13, 2009)

spac3cow6oy said:


> Tarka looks so handsome.


He was to die for. Looks, brains, charisma, gentleness... One in a million


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## spac3cow6oy (Oct 15, 2012)

Misi said:


> He was to die for. Looks, brains, charisma, gentleness... One in a million


Looks _and_ sounds like Albie! Maybe a reincarnation? 

Seriously though, I have no idea why black cats get such a bad rap. All the ones I've known (or heard about), admittedly all male, were absolutely lovely. I don't know what I'd do without my Alb.


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