I've been reading more and more stories in the news about people abandoning their pets as a result of the cost of living crisis.
Anyway the house opposite to me is rented and has been occupied by a woman and her 3 kids for the last 4 or so years I've lived here. It's fairly obvious she's on benefits as she doesn't go to work, and has all the trappings of the benefits lifestyle fat/tattoos/uses vulgar language openly etc
Anyway, she's always had a dog and cat, but I've noticed within the last month or so the dog is no longer around, which is unusual as it was only a few years old and replaced the older dog they had previously. The cat is now roaming the streets a lot more and often in my back garden crying for food. Admittedly I made the mistake of feeding it before so now it's coming here more frequently. Before I would feed it occasionally and it was never really a big deal it would still go home.
I get the distinct impression though she's now purposely feeding the cat less or stopping it coming inside her house in an attempt to offload the burden of looking after it onto somebody else. A cat isn't cheap and it's pretty obvious between feeding herself, her kids and paying the energy bill she can no longer afford or prioritise the pet.
What should I do? I don't want to see the cat suffer but at the same time I don't want it constantly crying at my door, nor do I want it to move in, and precisely why should I take on the responsibility of her pet when she's had it all these years but because she's got less money in her universal credit now as a result of her decision not to get a job, somebody other than her has to pick up the pieces?
Anyway the house opposite to me is rented and has been occupied by a woman and her 3 kids for the last 4 or so years I've lived here. It's fairly obvious she's on benefits as she doesn't go to work, and has all the trappings of the benefits lifestyle fat/tattoos/uses vulgar language openly etc
Anyway, she's always had a dog and cat, but I've noticed within the last month or so the dog is no longer around, which is unusual as it was only a few years old and replaced the older dog they had previously. The cat is now roaming the streets a lot more and often in my back garden crying for food. Admittedly I made the mistake of feeding it before so now it's coming here more frequently. Before I would feed it occasionally and it was never really a big deal it would still go home.
I get the distinct impression though she's now purposely feeding the cat less or stopping it coming inside her house in an attempt to offload the burden of looking after it onto somebody else. A cat isn't cheap and it's pretty obvious between feeding herself, her kids and paying the energy bill she can no longer afford or prioritise the pet.
What should I do? I don't want to see the cat suffer but at the same time I don't want it constantly crying at my door, nor do I want it to move in, and precisely why should I take on the responsibility of her pet when she's had it all these years but because she's got less money in her universal credit now as a result of her decision not to get a job, somebody other than her has to pick up the pieces?
