# My neighbours cat keeps coming into my house



## pawsforthought58

Help

It's summer and I have to have some windows open of course.

My neighbour's cat has started coming into my house. He comes nearly every day and I'm not sure why. Is he deprived of company at home? I do feel sorry for him. (I think it's a 'him!')

I have never fed him as I don't agree with feeding other people's animals yet he still keeps coming back, even if I don't pay him attention.

I'm keeping my distance so he doesn't get attached to me and I close the window when I see him coming towards the house to put him off but it doesn't work!

He's lovely but he's getting a bit too comfortable in my house now!

I know I won't have this issue in winter when the windows are closed but not sure what to do about it now.

Any advice? He doesn't bother me but I think he should spend more time with his owners?! I don't want him to get attached to me.


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## egyptianreggae

Cats are masters of making you feel sorry for them. My childhood cat Roger, for instance, was a smart, sociable ginger chap who wasn't above doing the Puss in Boots eyes from time to time and could choose his dinner from several houses in our street. You're definitely doing the right thing not feeding him and ignoring him as much as possible. How would you feel about approaching your neighbour to let them know, assuming you know which neighbour it is?


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## pawsforthought58

The neighbour is a couple of doors down so I don't really know them that well to speak to them. But if it persists I may put a note through the door.

He was sitting on my window sill a few minutes ago scratching at my window pane to get in!! I drew the blind, felt awful but I guess it has to be done! Thanks for the advice. My friend who has had a few cats has said not to feel bad and just shoo them out of the house. I think I'm too soft!


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## maisiecat

I used to have a catty visitor, he would just walk in when we opened the front or back door, and he wouldn't leave until he was ready to go. He would stroll in and find a pile of clean laundry, or a bed and settle down for the afternoon.

When he was ready to leave he would go to the door, or jump on the windowsill and nip me gently to open the window. If we made him leave before he was ready or put him out he would bang on the glass.

He went in the houses either side of me too. Not sure if something happened because one day he had a collar and a disc which read 'Don't take me in, I have a home'.

When I was selling the house I opened the front door to a family coming to view, he shot across from the other side of the road and beat them into the house. I felt a bit  when they asked if he was mine.

There was no keeping him out unless all doors and windows were shut, if he spotted one opening he was there.

Chap next door said he had trouble getting him out of his house, and I found out then where he lived.


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## chillminx

Maybe your neighbour is away on holiday at the moment and someone is going in to feed the cat, but the cat is lonely for company. In which case hopefully the problem will resolve itself when the owner gets back from holiday and can give the cat some company. 

But perhaps the owners work long hours and the cat is left alone on his own a lot. I always find it odd when people get a cat knowing they won't be at home much to provide company for it, and then are surprised when the cat is 
lonely and goes looking for other friendly humans elsewhere to socialise with. Most cats are sociable creatures who like human company. After all it is why we love them. 

Some owners who are out all day at work don't mind their cat visiting neighbours, as long as the neighbour is not feeding the cat. I remember my (retired) parents had a next door neighbour who worked full time and she acquired 2 young cats, who were very lonely all day on their own. Gradually the cats
started visiting my parents more and more , and ended up spending all day there every day, except weekends. The owner knew and approved. My parents never fed the cats so the cats were always happy to go home at teatime when the owner got home.

If I were you, I would speak to the owner and see how s/he feels about their cat visiting you. Perhaps they won't mind, as long as you promise not to feed him. In which case you can provide a bit of company for the cat and vice versa.


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## Amin

Aww, maybe he just wants some company and someone to have a little chat with


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## maisiecat

Or maybe he wants to live in your house


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## Jiskefet

My parents used to catsit for a single woman in the apartment block where they lived. The cats were let out the front door and came in with their owner, but if they wanted to come in early, they would simply 'ask' someone to open the door for them and they'd sit at the door of their apartment, waiting for someone to ring the bell.

So my parents had an agreement with her that she could also leave the cats out when she went to work,, and they'd come home with my dad when he got the paper, and my parents would let them out and get them back in during the day. So they lived in my parents' house during the daytime and with their owner after working hours.

It was a wonderful arrangement, as my parents loved cats but felt too old for the responsibility of owning one, having to take it to the vet, and maybe have the cat outlive them.
When the lady moved, they were very sad they were losing 'their' cats.


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## pawsforthought58

Thanks for all the responses everyone.

He (she?) was back pawing at my window pain again last night, watching me eat my dinner through the glass the little monkey.

I closed the blind and he started meowing like mad! I think I'll have to exercise some tough love! It's so difficult though!

He looks plump and shiny coated so I know he's being fed. I agree that his owners might be on their hols and he wants company. Let's see what happens over the next few days. If it persists I may have to let them know and see if they mind him spending time in my house.

Good advice everyone. thanks so much.


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## Jiskefet

Maybe make a paper collar with a note: owner please contact me


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## tourmaline wood

pawsforthought58 said:


> Help
> 
> It's summer and I have to have some windows open of course.
> 
> My neighbour's cat has started coming into my house. He comes nearly every day and I'm not sure why. Is he deprived of company at home? I do feel sorry for him. (I think it's a 'him!')
> 
> I have never fed him as I don't agree with feeding other people's animals yet he still keeps coming back, even if I don't pay him attention.
> 
> I'm keeping my distance so he doesn't get attached to me and I close the window when I see him coming towards the house to put him off but it doesn't work!
> 
> He's lovely but he's getting a bit too comfortable in my house now!
> 
> I know I won't have this issue in winter when the windows are closed but not sure what to do about it now.
> 
> Any advice? He doesn't bother me but I think he should spend more time with his owners?! I don't want him to get attached to me.


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## tourmaline wood

I am so angry. A very aggressive cat keeps trying to get in my house and my cats won't stop it! 
I just came around the corner to see it fly up to the cat door I have in a window and escape outside. I don't want it in my house!!!


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## chillminx

Hi @tourmaline wood - I advise you to fit a microchipped cat flap or Pet Door. It is the only way to keep out unwanted visitors.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_s...ochip&sprefix=sure,aps,134&crid=3MO0L0YEV9P1W


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## OrientalSlave

chillminx said:


> Hi @tourmaline wood - I advise you to fit a microchipped cat flap or Pet Door. It is the only way to keep out unwanted visitors.
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_4?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=sureflap+cat+flap+microchip&sprefix=sure,aps,134&crid=3MO0L0YEV9P1W


Or look at cat-proofing your garden. Then you can have windows & doors open in hot weather, and your cats can come & go freely and won't be able to wander, get 'adopted' by other people or have a road accident.


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## OrientalSlave

I see a thread on the reverse problem:

https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/help-my-cat-is-a-bully.488382/


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## Whompingwillow

OrientalSlave said:


> I see a thread on the reverse problem:
> 
> https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/help-my-cat-is-a-bully.488382/


I was thinking that... maybe they are neighbours (only joking  )


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## ExD

Tourmaline do read the other post mentioned above.
I don't think this cat is beating anyone up, he's just looking for a man(cat)-cave to relax in, he's not a bully like Dave. But its good to see the other side of the problem.
I'm probably talking through the top of my head, because I live in the country with very few neighbours and I've only ever had one such problem (but thats another story) but cooperation between the two owners seems the only way.
Perhaps Pawsforthought could tell us how he/she would feel if the owner of the burglar-cat bought her an expensive microchip flap, or proposed 'space sharing' with her? Ie would you feel offended? angry? pleased?


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## chillminx

@ExD - I doubt we will get a reply from Pawsforthought (the original OP) as he/she has not been seen on the forum for over 5 years (2013).


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## Soozi

Yes that’s the problem with reopening zombie threads.


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## leashedForLife

.

Perhaps this is too obvious, but if a cat NOT mine tried to enter my home via a window, s/he would find it difficult to impossible, as every window that opens has a screen.
A metal screen - not a flimsy plastic netting over a cardboard frame, a proper window screen of aluminum mesh with a metal frame.

Even ignoring potential feline intruders, I don't want houseflies, mosquitos, drain-dwelling gnats, fruit flies, bats, or indeed any other uninvited nonhuman "guests", which includes mice, roaches, etc. 

Why don't U.K. houses have window screens? -  I think U have intrusive insects of various kinds, don't U?
- terry

.


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## spotty cats

leashedForLife said:


> Why don't U.K. houses have window screens? -


They're a strange lot over there


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## OrientalSlave

Must also be a strange lot in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany & Austria none of which have screens. Also screens won't keep out mice & cockroaches, neither of which (at least in the UK) fly and both of which can squeeze through very tiny gaps.


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## ChaosCat

OrientalSlave said:


> Must be a strange lot in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany & Austria none of which have screens. Also screens won't keep out mice & cockroaches, neither of which (at least in the UK) fly and both of which can squeeze through very tiny gaps.


All of us Europeans are very strange indeed. Just imagine, I even leave the conservatory door open all day in summer while someone is home. Just imagine what vermin has hours of entering!


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## leashedForLife

.

I was joking, @OrientalSlave , when I mentioned mice & roaches - although south of the Mason-Dixon Line in the U-S, roaches do fly (a native species called palmetto bug in Fla., & various other less-polite names in the rest of the Southern states).
I know mice don't get into houses via windows- & the doors that might be left ajar also have *screen doors* in addition to the exit / entry door. Even on patio sliders.

We're weird that way, in the U.S.A. 

- terry

.


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## ExD

I don't know anyone in this part of the UK with perrmanent screens on doors or windows although I could see they were needed when I visited Oz and the US. I have seen mice squeeze under doors, they can get through unbelievably small spaces. I've never seen a cockroach.
Yes we are weird, some of us even sleep with the windows open! ....... and hardly anyone has air/con.


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