[Closed] Neighbour feeding and stealing our cat WWSTD?

Cover your cat in Soducrem.

Your cat is winning

Annoyingly we can’t use the cat flap because the neighbour’s cats come in

get a microchip activated cat flap - we also had this issue

My wife (who is normally very chill) lost her shit with him, and We ended up having to keep him in for a month to break the cycle.

Not sure locking your neighbour up for a month is the way forward. Whilst effective it may be a teeny weeny bit against the law

Is the cat chipped. Get an electronic cat flap that works of the chip. Oh and next time he has it locked in his house get him charged with theft.

Give it fleas.

Will he pay the vet bills as well? If so result.

Not much you can to TBH, cats are fickle and will happily leave you if they get a better offer.

Regarding your cat flap can't you get some that have a widget you pop on your cat's collar so it only lets them in and out?

That's an interesting situation.

Unfortunately I don't think there's much you can do. If the cat wants to go there then it will. There's always the risk with a wandering cat that someone could steal it. At least you have the benefit of knowing your cat hasn't been nicked by some random kids.

Try a microchip cat flap. Yours may be going to his house as he can't get back in yours?

I think this thread has the potential to go epic so let’s get some of the formalities out of the way

Sausages, garden, shoes, smash, frozen, wee, bombers, back doors, Louise. Rearrange at will

Let's hope he doen't kill the cat and have it stuffed and mounted on a nice piece of hardwood with a brass plaque to commemorate his victory over you.

That would be a catastrophe.

That would be a catastrophe

Bit early for puns don’t you think? The paw op is feline quite upset about this

get a microchip activated cat flap – we also had this issue

Yep, that's the next step.
Though he absolutely hates the vet, and gets very freaked out by by being taken. Will have to work up to that!

He once broke out of a cat box - as in broke the door of its hinges - and will fight and yowl the whole time.

a catastrophe

Have you no felines at all?

No idea about how to solve the bonkers neighbour problem.

But get a Sureflap (assuming your cat is micro-chipped) and that's one problem solved.

we found the answer in a similar situation was to ask the neighbour to pay the vets bills. Then hammer frozen Lorne into his Lawn

He once broke out of a cat box – as in broke the door of its hinges – and will fight and yowl the whole time.

the same cat as in the instance above once went missing for a week and we suspected the same dopey neightbour - but he'd actually been dragging himself home with a smashed pelvis after presumably being run over (the cat not the neighbour). Took him to the vets who explained they'd probably have to keep him in for several weeks but within 24 hours they were calling us to take him away again. He'd broken out of his cage, escaped the surgery and climbed up the curtains in the waiting room

Though he absolutely hates the vet, and gets very freaked out by by being taken. Will have to work up to that!

Put a Vet sign up outside your neighbours house then the cat won’t go in. Problem sorted. No need to thank me.

Cover your cat in Soducrem

Tried that, just made him harder to catch.

Put your neighbour in a box in your kitchen, feed him and give him cuddles.

See how he likes it.

keeps 5 (!) 1980s Sierras on his drive and on the close

I'm no psychiatrist, but I'll wager this is not totally a separate matter.

Ive sort of half stole a cat I guess - Moved in off and on since I brought my new place 3 years ago - it apparently has always been a wandering cat very friendly and was always in another neighbor before they sold. I leave my back door open often and find it curled up on a bed , my sons taken to feeding it titbits and I confess I may have fed it as well. Its about 5 houses down and it became really insistent/active in mine when they brought a big dog last year. (They have 2 other cats and kids) I think it likes the comparative tranquility of my house. It also seems to live in my Garage at the en

I have a legacy catflap and the thing bangs on it to get let in and I've taken to leaving it so it can get out (Windows/doors open it comes in)

Its a cool cat likes playing with my lad when I have him but I do feel a bit bad - Did have a do not feed collar on it and we didn't but I think they have given up now as that went a few months ago.

Not sure what I should do should I knock on the door and say I think your cat wants to live with me - I'm happy to pay vets bills - come visit .. or just leave it as is - doesn't seem malnourished or in poor condition and accept it has a kip at mine occasionally

Your cat is The Treasure of the Sierra Madman.

get a solicitors letter, this may give paws for thought.

though you may need to collar him again.....

The Treasure of the Sierra Madman.

😆 Well played!

This sounds like a furry unbelievable tail, if you ask me.

Freeze his lawn and then hammer it onto his Sierras

Your cat is The Treasure of the Sierra Madman.

Freeze his lawn and then hammer it onto his Sierras

I have considered taking the cat food he puts out for the seagulls and smearing it all over his beloved Sierras.
Wife vetoed that action 😟

Make an automaton version of your cat, it only takes 30 minutes, and give it to your neighbour.

Not much you can to TBH, cats are fickle and will happily leave you if they get a better offer.

I don't think that many cats would see being locked in the kitchen or trapped in a box for any amount of time as a better offer!

Probably just continue with going round very often and banging on the door to get the cat back while being stroppy with him. You'll have to have to be committed and hope he gets fed up with this course of action before you do.

Can anybody ever truly own a cat?

I have considered taking the cat food he puts out for the seagulls and smearing it all over his beloved Sierras.
Wife vetoed that action 😟

Smear it in the grill and drain channels, she won’t know then. Neither will he - just wonder what that smell is.

On second thoughts this is probably not legal and will make matters worse. Wives are generally correct in this sort of situation - listen to her.

Probably just continue with going round very often and banging on the door to get the cat back while being stroppy with him. You’ll have to have to be committed and hope he gets fed up with this course of action before you do.

This is basically my plan 😉

Problem is he's lived in the house his whole life, never married or had any partners as far as we can ascertain, treats the close like his personal domain.
He's the first to complain when anyone wants to do something he doesn't like, very passive aggressive with printed letters and diagrams/photos, etc. through the door.

The rest of the close are mainly older or retired and whilst they will agree that his behaviour isn't on, and tut about him in private, no-one has ever stood up to him and told him to stop.

I'm already in the shit for reporting the feeding of seagulls to Environmental Health. They dive bomb us, shit all over our cars, nest on the houses, and puke up semi-digested cat food in out garden.

Maybe feeding the seagulls gives him an enormous sense of well-being?

Thinly veiled allegory

OP is Michel Barnier and the neighbour is Donald! Trump!

or if neighbour is genuinely stealing cats and cars, check for a stash of illicit cans and cakes and report to the cops (unless he's got all of them aready)

Does he sometimes feed the sparrows too.

It's obvious, get your cat put down

No more problem

Or introduce the annoying neighbour to someone with Covid-19!

Hammer frozen Chorizo into his Sierras, bum him, charge 50p to use the close.

Nothing wrong with 80s Sierras.

Is your cat microchipped? If not, recommend getting it done.

A relative lives near to an elderly women who's been known to 'steal' cats from a local farm, then get them microchipped amd properly claim them as 'her' cats. The police were involved at one point... (seriously...).

I had this problem. The only sensible mature way to resolve it, is in the style of Jack Bauer:

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Maybe have a word with a local cat charity.see what they advise.they may be willing to chat to him.tbh though isn't that what cats do.go everywhere.

Nothing wrong with 80s Sierras.

I bet there's something wrong with all five of them.

So to get this clear - you have an animal which you allow to free range about the place, and don't provide any way for that animal to come back into your own house. The species of animal is renowned for being loyal only to those who feed it, and despite sometimes being locked in a box (something it hates when going to the vet) when visiting the neighbour it still prefers wandering in there than waiting for you to let it in...

The problem of course lies 100% with the person who has a bunch of cars you don't like in his driveway.

Nothing wrong with 80s Sierras.

I also thought that Ford should have done a limited edition Sierra Leone and Vauxhall could have responded with the Nova Scotia.

Nothing wrong with 80s Sierras

That's your opinion, but no-one wants to looks at 5 of the shit boxes every day.

Get one of those cameras that live feeds from the cats collar. YOu will be able to see exactly where he is going and who he is seeing...

Just share the cat - make it a Uni-mog.

Cats choose to live wherever they like the best. They clearly like living there more than in your house with is always going to be difficult to accept. Maybe it is a more peaceful setting for the cat?

keeps 5 (!) 1980s Sierras on his drive

That explains why he hates you.

He doesn't like your cavalier attitude.

That explains why he hates you.

He doesn’t like your cavalier attitude.

You need to be escorted off this thread for that.

Get a new cat. Let him steal that too. And then another one. And another.

Eventually your neighbour will be so overwhelmed by cats he'll be begging you to keep one.

Scare your neighbour by turning your cat into a ghost cat.

This can be achieved by strapping a slice a buttered toast to it's back to make it float, and then covering it in a white sheet.

You need to be escorted off this thread for that.

Does the op’s neighbour have a collect of Fiesta’s in the house to compliment the cats?

and despite sometimes being locked in a box (something it hates when going to the vet) when visiting the neighbour it still prefers wandering in there than waiting for you to let it in…

@poly - He hates cat boxes...he was sat in a cardboard box which the neighbour had put down for him. Subtle difference.

This time of year we have a lounge window left open, he and his sister come and go as they please. Well apart from when he's shut in the neighbour's house.

He's booked in for the cat-door microchip next week.

We would use the normal catflap, but as I said if we leave it unlocked the neighbour's other cars invade us and steal our cat food! They also piss everywhere.

Cats choose to live wherever they like the best. They clearly like living there more than in your house with is always going to be difficult to accept. Maybe it is a more peaceful setting for the cat?

@kerley - he's sat on my lap purring like a lion as I type this.
The neighbour is luring him in with food and then shutting the door.
Cats roam yes, but they also think with their tummies.
Our neighbour is going out of his way to feed him and pet him, to try and make him stay in his house.
If he wasn't feeding him then our cat wouldn't be going over there.

Okay, you keep telling yourself that

Is it an old Ford Puma?

@kerley - oh cock off.
I've had him since a kitten, and he's generally very happy.
Will sleep in our daughter's bed at night, and is a very soppy, neutered boy cat.
Not as intelligent as his sister mind 😆
This whole situation is probably confusing the hell out him.
Do you not see anything wrong with the neighbour's behaviour at all?

Just tell your neighbour that you'll give him a bloody smack if he continues to piss about with your beloved cat.

I'd be considering how to ruin him if it was me. I'm very protective about our outdoor cat (sleeps in at night) especially now he only has one eye.

That’s your opinion, but no-one wants to looks at 5 of the shit boxes every day.

Your neighbour does, that is at least one person

Genuine answer.
Firstly if he is locking your cat in his house, against yours and the cats will, then I would think there is an RSPCA or police issue. I would start down this route, including telling him face to face and via letter.
I would definitely go for a collar-tag operated catflap, providing ease of access to 'home' and all the comforts.

Your neighbour does, that is at least one person

True, at least they're not Audis 😉
Genuinely, the Sierras bother me not in the slightest. It's just a bit odd!

Firstly if he is locking your cat in his house, against yours and the cats will, then I would think there is an RSPCA or police issue. I would start down this route, including telling him face to face and via letter

Yep, I've just been looking this up, and it is an offence under the 1968 Theft Act to purposefully try and steal or deprive someone if their pet.
I think a legal sounding letter through his letter box might help matters along.

If he wasn't lonely and making a bit of an appeal for attention by feeding him then our cat wouldn’t be going over there.

Perhaps? Sounds like a lonely old guy to me who at least gets some attention from the cats and a bit from their owners too.

Let him keep it and get a dog, they are far more loyal 😉

Seriously, I thought that you should try the shouty approach but then thought again. Loneliness is a real issue for older people. Perhaps head over there with a couple of beers or box of biscuits, ask to have a chat and just spend a bit of time with him. Ask how he is doing, explain how his behaviour is upsetting your family, especially your kids. Invite him to come round and see the cat but be firm that you would like him to stop or you will be forced to follow it up with the police.

Perhaps a bit of time and kindness might be all that it needs

Send my partner round. Had to do this with a neighbour where we used to live. She just kept going round and very politely demanding they return our cat.

Perhaps head over there with a couple of beers or box of biscuits, ask to have a chat and just spend a bit of time with him.

We get on great with whole close. Elderly neighbours opposite have looked after our girls in the past.
My wife goes on the close 'ladies lunches' (average age 75+).
Had everyone over for BBQs in previous years
I've helped out with gardening and painting jobs in various houses.

We've tried being friendly to him, but he never comes to any of the close events or BBQs and mostly stays in his house, apart from when I see him out driving one of his cars.

Yes, I suspect he is lonely, but he seems to like it like that and doesn't really interact much with anyone else on the close...

Apart from printed off and annotated planning applications he disagrees with (this happened last week) Not our application I hasten to add!

Nothing wrong with 80s Sierras.

A collection of Fiestas and Escorts would have been better.

neighbour’s other cars invade us

You clearly need to get a Jensen Interceptor

This presents the perfect opportunity to get a dog instead. Or just rename the cat Arthur, that’s what my friend did when his started spending half its time at the neighbours.

Next time you go to retrieve the cat, take his telly. When he complains tell him you thought it was lonely because he wasn't watching it.

This presents the perfect opportunity to get a dog instead.

...or a bigger cat.

From the OP it sounds like his motivation is that he thinks the cat isn't being looked after properly and he's doing it a favour.

Cat ownership aside, the problem (and one that probably hasn't even occurred to him) is that either the cat gets fed twice what it should be eating and gets overweight, or it's off its food when it comes home and you think it might be ill. I had exactly this years ago, my cat wasn't eating to the point where I was getting really worried and considering a trip to the vets for a check up, then I caught the old woman next door feeding her. (She was feeding her random nonsense like cornflakes but that's another story.)

If his motivation were wanting a(nother) cat, he could just get one from all manner of places. I once did a site visit at an RSPCA branch in Yorkshire, they took a phone call about once every ten minutes and the vast, vast majority of calls were "can you take a cat?" to which the answer was "no, we're full up with the buggers." Half an hour before the office closed some mouth-breather dropped off a box of kittens in the car park, one of the staff ended up taking them home as there was nothing else they could do with them. There's no shortage of, gag me with a spoon, "fur babies looking for their forever home."

Could just be that he's losing his marbles of course.

Bum your neighbour with a hammered sausage...?

Bum your neighbour with a hammered sausage…?

Too late. He already has a garden full of bangers.

Send my partner round. Had to do this with a neighbour where we used to live. She just kept going round and very politely demanding they return our cat.

That strategy backfires when the neighbour starts feeding your partner.

Park a Unimog in his drive?

Sell the cat and buy a dog! Oh and train it to growl at the neighbour too! 😉

So you let your property wander the neighborhood, shitting where it likes and killing the the local wildlife and then wonder why it's popped off to someone who's feeding it.

You may think you're the owner in fact your just a member of it's staff.

Either keep it indoors or realise it does what it wants.

I find it bizarre that cat owners seem to think it's fine to allow their little predators roam the streets.  If someone did the same with dogs or even sheep their would be outcry.