Our cat has adopted a second home - anything we can do?

stoofa

stoofa

stoofa

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We've had a new cat for a few months now.
We got him as a 6 month old from a rescue centre.
He stayed indoors with us for a few weeks and eventually we let him out - he loves being out and we're pretty convinced he has quite a large territory he enjoys patrolling.

He is constantly trying to be "friends" with a lot of the neighbourhood cats.
This has mixed results and he now seems to have friends, enemy's and indifferents.

He has made a "good friend" with a cat that lives a few houses away from us and this is where the problem lies.
The owner of that cat happily lets our cat into their house as well.
They also feed our cat - which of course is not helping the situation at all.
We all know how fickle cats are and of course he is going to go where food is being offered.

These people turned up on our doorstep one evening with our cat - told us he'd been in their house and how they had fed him.
They noted that both me and my wife work for most of the day, so they gave us the impression they were "helping us out" by looking after our cat while we were at work - something he certainly doesn't need, he's a cat for gods sake!

Anyway, one Saturday our cat was missing all day so on the off chance my wife went over to the other house and asked if they had seen our cat.
"Yes - he's in our front room with our cat" they said.
My wife asked for our cat and then asked these people to not allow our cat into their house and certainly not to feed him.
My wife made it quite clear she was being serious - he's our cat and he certainly doesn't need a second home.

All seemed well for about a week - he would always come when called.
However over the past few days we're back to square one.
We call him - he doesn't come.
He vanishes for the whole day and some of the evening at a time.
Last night for example we were calling him and there was no sign of him.
Then at around 10:00pm my wife was outside calling, the front door of the "second home" opened and then closed with nobody coming out.
Suddenly our cat appears!

Right, so to the point.
Thank you if you've read this far :)
But what really can we do now?
Our cat loves being with us, of course he does.
But at the same time as long as he gets food he will continue to visit his second home.
They seem happy to have "kidnapped" him and we've tried the direct approach of asking them to leave him alone.
Is there honestly anything else we can do here?

Ta
 
Mark him with your scent, it's the only way.

The Cat will either realise he is yours and not venture in their house or if he does, their couch will smell like your ****.

It's a win/win.
 
When you get your cat back in your house, put some butter on its feet. The cat will lick the butter off its feet and this apparently makes the cat feel at home.
 
Wipe said:
The only logical solution here is to get a dog.
Click to expand...

This, but only if you have the time in the morning or evening to give it a decent walk.

Is your cat still being kidnapped by the same people or has he found a different source? maybe he's just off adventuring.. if it's still in their house a lot you should try going around as a couple and explain to them again that your cat is well looked after and doesn't need their food/shelter, not sure what you can do if they still don't listen.
 
Line your garden with mice, and small birds

And a sign that says, "Do not play with these mice, or birds"
 
This kind of thing really annoys the hell out of me. Cats will happy take advantage of what ever situation is presented to them - especially one involving free food and a warm lap to sit in. If the other family doesn't feed the cat and doesn't let it in the house it will soon stop going there.

My mum is in a similar boat - except she is the "second" family and seems to think that it's ok to feed the cat "after all it wouldn't come here if it wasn't hungry".

Stupid attitude and can only lead to grief in my opinion.
 
Bars on the windows or chain it to the radiator.




Or get a dog. :D


On a serious note, why not keep it inside for a while and dont let it out litter tray etc make it realise that home is with you? i dunno, i am not a cat person.....i have fish :D
 
When I lived with my dad a cat once got trapped in my sisters old bedroom (at the back of the house) for days before we realised, I had heard some noise but thought it was the baby next door crying. Anyway eventually we investigated and after letting it out (the room wasn't in a great state, he it scratched up the carpet round the door trying to get out and done it's business in the room) we gave it some food as it was so hungry and frail and luckily found a collar with a number to ring.

I would have thought such an experience would have scarred it and made it not want to come back but he still does, sits out on the front patio in the sun and my dad has to be very careful not to let him in the house.
 
Superewza said:
And when has your cat ever jumped up and licked your face just for walking in the door? :p
Click to expand...


Cats are way too small to jump up at my face :p

Nah my dog loves me, however sometimes I do feel used, I would like the dog to spend more time with me when I havnt got pizza, or curry, or biscuits.

Its nice to have the greeting when I get home though, admitted

My cats abit of a weird one, cant say hes ever gone stray though to someone elses house and dissapeared for days, however my cat will follow when we take the dog on a really long walk, which is weird as cats dont tend to follow you on half mile walks :\
 
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give it a realy strong laxative before you set out for work and see how they like having it in their house
 
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