# Neighbour Taking Cat



## mfootner (May 6, 2011)

Hi

I'm very new to this forum but I'm at a loss as to what is the best thing to do for my cat. She is a rescue cat, she's 4 years old & has chronic advanced arthritis as a result of malnutrition when she was born. 

She needs to have medicine daily & the vet has put her on a diet to keep her lean so her wight doesn't worsen the arthritis. 

I'm very happy for her to roam as long as my neighbours don't mind but over the past six weeks she has stopped coming home at night & only briefly comes in at 8.30am for food & then leaves. I typically leave for work at 7am so she misses her medicine dose as I never see her in the evenings. I've only realised she comes at 8.30am because I've been off work for two weeks. I know she is in another house because she smells of perfume & 'house' when she comes in, not fresh like when she's been outside.

I've put notes on her collar daily (she does have an identity barrel & she is chipped) explaining how important it is that she is not fed & needs to be in at night but she comes back in the mornings with the notes still on. She doesn't like me to touch her anymore & never purrs now. 

All I can think now is to lock her inside which seems cruel, but so does not having her medicine each day. Is there anything else I can do?


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## crumbles (Mar 30, 2011)

Hate to say it, but if I had a cat who needed medicine every day, I'd be tempted to keep them in - certainly overnight at least. Unfortunatley, people do what they want to do, all they see is a sweet friendly cat, who likes to visit their house & gets fed, no doubt, in return. I'd be so cross! Any way she could just have access to the garden-I know this can be difficult. Good luck


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi there & welcome to the forum, great to have you with us.

Onto your dilemma - in the first instance, I would make a point of knocking on the doors of your neighbours, so many down each side of you, and explain the problem. Advise them that she cannot be fed due to being on a special diet and that she is also on life-saving medication. Feel free to exagerate the issue, it is important after all. (I'd also pretend to have a cold to justify having a good 'sniff' to identify the perfume - see if you can actually pin-point the main culprit)

If this DOESN'T solve the problem - some neighbours are totally THICK and will ignore your request, then you could look at the option of either cat-proofing your garden so that she cannot get out or installing a cat-run where she has outdoor access but with restrictions. This will give both of you peace of mind. If neither of these is a viable option you have no choice but to resort to keeping her indoors. Keeping her well has to be the priority.

If you can detach her from whoever is spoiling her elsewhere, she should return to being the cat she was before - cuddly & snuggly. I find with Merson that he is more affectionate when he hasn't been out for a few days. Once he starts going out again, he becomes more detached. I think they find their feral genes when they ae out exploring and forget to switch them off when they come back home.

I hope this is of some help but please don't hesitate to come back with any other questions. There may also be someone else along soon who can offer further advice.


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## mfootner (May 6, 2011)

Hello both & thank you for taking the time to reply.

I think you're quite right - I'll do some door knocking tonight (I like your suggestion about sniffing to identify the culprit!) 

Today I've locked her inside & she hasn't made too many attempts to break through the cat flap. She's been sat on my desk snoring all day! Hopefully once she's been inside for a few days she'll return to the normal happy cat she once was. 

Thanks again, it's a relief to know that keeping her in isn't too cruel - it's all too easy to think I'm the meanest cat owner ever when she sits by the door looking at me with such sad eyes!


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## mfootner (May 6, 2011)

And yes, Crumbles, I might try supervising her in the garden & stopping her when she climbs onto the wall to make her escape! That way at least she is getting some outdoors time - she's never really been too fussy as I think she literally walks from one house to the other so I think just pottering around the garden should suffice.

Thank you!


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I would also write a note detailing the issues and asking all neighbours NOT to feed her or leave food where she can get it.
I had a similar situation to this several years ago, except I knew exactly who was feeding my cat. I spoke to the woman in question several times and left the note with all local houses just to cover all bases. She continued to feed him and I then called the RSPCA for advice. They said that as she had specifically been asked not to feed the cat it actually counted as animal cruelty and they paid her a visit to discuss! 
Not a course of action to be rushed into I know, but it is good to know the legal position.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

I really feel for you. You are trying to do the best you can for the cat and some interfering busybody thinks they know better. I lost a beautiful black cat to my next door neighbour who kept enticing her in, and simply because she has a thing about black animals. I knew she was cared for but I was bloody furious.

I also do not like cats to be kept inside, but in your situation I would definitely try to keep her in for her own good. And do not let her out at night. It would be nice if you could cat proof your garden, but it can be expensive.

I have wondered about the cat proofing, actually. It looks fine for keeping a cat in, but what about keeping them out? I mean, what happens if next door's cat gets in and can't get out again?


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## goldleaf (Oct 13, 2010)

we have had plenty of members complaining about stray cats coming in and scoffing another cats food quite often, we are all assuming the cat is being held but this may not be the case, it could be sneaking in, eating and getting out again


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Cat proofing is pretty expensive is it not? Some people who are on benefits and so on could not afford such luxury's. 

I am more worried about the influx of cat hating dog lovers who own those staff type/bulldog dogs. Why? Then most of them spend the day shouting at the thing while it barks all day and night inside or outside.

Why i prefer cats , you don't buy them to look hard or good..


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

loumoo said:


> Cat proofing is pretty expensive is it not? Some people who are on benefits and so on could not afford such luxury's.
> 
> I am more worried about the influx of cat hating dog lovers who own those staff type/bulldog dogs. Why? Then most of them spend the day shouting at the thing while it barks all day and night inside or outside.
> 
> Why i prefer cats , you don't buy them to look hard or good..


I have met lots of people who say they love dogs but hate cats. I never understand how you can hate any furry animal, but although I am really a doggy person, I also love cats. They are wonderful creatures.

Usually when you ask their reasons, they tell you it is because they kill birds and stuff like that. Well, that is their nature, isn't it? You can't hate something because of its nature.


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Very true, when most of those dog owners treat their pets badly and let them poop everywhere..Some clean up and some just waltz past.

I am very anti ' young loutish types or loutish types' with staff type dogs, whom they encourage to maim other animals. It happened to my ginger tom, the little chav then goaded his dog to kill someone's rabbit. 
He got sentenced for something and the dog put down....Justice , shame about the dog though

If people complain about cats wrecking their garden, they should proof it. Can get cat friendly stuff to keep cats out.

I was calling Leela in one night, back when i was worried she might get lost. Being new to the house( she was an indoor cat) and my neighbour who's house backs on to mine but one..shouted' Shut up' . So i promptly swore back..

His next door neighbour leaves their dog out barking all hours and i get shouted at for calling my cat in.

I really hate humans sometimes...hehe


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## mfootner (May 6, 2011)

goldleaf said:


> we have had plenty of members complaining about stray cats coming in and scoffing another cats food quite often, we are all assuming the cat is being held but this may not be the case, it could be sneaking in, eating and getting out again


You could well be right as she's a tinker & does like to visit other houses without invitation, but as she's been coming in at 8.30am smelling of perfume every day for the past two weeks now I think the people whose house she's staying at knows she's there.

I will look into cat proofing my garden but I have another cat (Meg's sister) who will not like it one bit! Plus I agree that cats who get in may struggle to get out.

Thanks again for advice - much appreciated :001_smile:


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## mfootner (May 6, 2011)

Paddypaws said:


> I would also write a note detailing the issues and asking all neighbours NOT to feed her or leave food where she can get it.
> I had a similar situation to this several years ago, except I knew exactly who was feeding my cat. I spoke to the woman in question several times and left the note with all local houses just to cover all bases. She continued to feed him and I then called the RSPCA for advice. They said that as she had specifically been asked not to feed the cat it actually counted as animal cruelty and they paid her a visit to discuss!
> Not a course of action to be rushed into I know, but it is good to know the legal position.


That's really interesting, thank you! I had been wondering whether as a last resort a note highlighting the legality of the issue might stop them. It's good to know they'd visit - if I could find out where she's going!


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