Neighbour gone away-Cat starving: What would you do?

mathepac said:
As a cat owner for many years, I have no qualms about heading off for a week-end and leaving my cats outside. I don't leave out food for them because this only attracts vermin - mice, rats, grey squirrels, jack-daws, crows, pigeons, etc.
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All the more reason to leave out food when you're gone, the cats will have a great time with food plus vermin! They'll wish you went every week.
 

So your cat can hunt and kill but does it for sport because it's not hungry, because you leave food out.
 
mathepac said:
Unlike the much less intelligent, pack-oriented, and owner-dependent dogs,
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Social interactive animals are generally more intelligent than solitary animals. Living in a group requires thinking. Solitary animals rely more on instinct (according to some wildlife programme I saw years ago anyway).
 
Purple said:
So your cat can hunt and kill but does it for sport because it's not hungry, because you leave food out.
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no, i don't, he has to come home to get it - he'd come after a night chasing prey and judging from the feathers and occasional blood on his mouth he's rather successful but he heads straight for the food dish and eats a double portion when he comes back
i wouldn't leave food outside, there's at least three stray cats around in the estate and others who'd be just too happy to make use of the nice take-away if i did ...
 
How convenient for people who can go away without having to make provisions for their cat. It's much simpler to tell yourself, that the cat will be fine without you than having to give someone a key, have the place tidy for when they call and leave instructions re feeding etc. Why didn't I think of that?

Because I like my cat and care about its well-being. If you keep a domestic animal, then you should make provisions for it. Cats, when domesticated, enjoy and expect human company and regular feeding. They also depend on it. So tell yourself something all you like, but it's not true.

By the way, vets do not recommend leaving a cat without food over the weekend...they recommend you drive it to a cattery and pay someone to look after your pet.

I suppose some of you leave kids out playing on the streets till all hours, because you're sure they're fine too.

@OP ...give the cat some food and bring it in for an hour or two, if you are not against that. Otherwise some food and water at least. Then talk to your neighbour and explain that their cat is not okay and maybe they should make some other provisions next time.
 
Oh well, you can bring the horse to water but you can't force him to drink. I've said my piece; you don't have to agree with me.
 
It's convenient for me and my cats anyway, that's why I do it, with their vet's blessing.
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It's convenient for you.


micamaca - I (at least) agree completely with everything in your post.
 
micamaca said:
By the way, vets do not recommend leaving a cat without food over the weekend...they recommend you drive it to a cattery and pay someone to look after your pet.
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Absolutely. Or at minimum, get a neighbour or friend to drop in and make sure they have food and water. How hard is that, really?
 
Call the DSPCA to take the starving cat away as a stray. You and your non-cat-owning neighbours will have one cat less and their dirt and night screeching to deal with!
 

When we go away, even if one of the kids are at home, our two feline Wilbur Smiths stalk the suburban savannah of East Cork and leave decapitated rodents of various sorts usually at the end of the stairs or just inside the back door. I'm not sure is it their way of missing us or of saying, hey dad we can hunt see what we can do. eh. look . They never do this when we're at home. Maybe there's a pet psychologist on AAM who could interpret this for us since the culprits themselves won't tell us. ( as we all know if a cat could talk, it wouldn't, it would just take a message and get back to you later !) Interestingly as Haminka said, there is often not much missing, mostly I guess the poor things died of shock seeing this green eyed pretender to the king of the jungle bearing down on it.
 
carpedeum said:
Call the DSPCA to take the starving cat away as a stray. You and your non-cat-owning neighbours will have one cat less and their dirt and night screeching to deal with!
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The DSPCA have more sense than to remove an otherwise healthy cat from its environment on the word of a complaining neighbour.
 
How does the OP know that the neighbours haven't arranged for a friend to call and check on the cat occasionally? If not, animals are fairly savvy - it will figure out a way of getting fed. Go ahead and feed it by all means - chances are a few other neighbours will feed it as well and your neighbour will come back to a nice fat cat...
 
Well, Easter is over so I'm guessing the OPs neighbour is back?

I'm sure we are all curious as to how this all panned out.
 
Cats, healthy ones at least, are natural predators
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I agree. There's a cat creeping around our area for some years now and will sneak into the house if a door or window is left open. The same domesticated ? cat will stalk birds and attack if it gets the chance

Unlike the much less intelligent, pack-oriented, and owner-dependent dogs, cats are fiercely independent and are capable or switching "owners" if the current relationship is not to their satisfaction.
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Again ,I agree that the dog ,like man is a bit of a softy and while he likes to meet up with his own kind, have a sniff or a set-to ,he is fiercely faithful to his master
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Anyone ever see a cat trained to assist the blind or snif drugs and so on and so on.
Sorry folks but I dont mean to be catty



The beauty about cats is they're self-sufficient and the relationship with their "owners" is a mutually beneficial and rewarding - food, shelter, care and attention
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Yes, cats are selfish animals and having been fed just want to go , curl up and not be disturbed
 
levelpar said:
Yes, cats are selfish animals and having been fed just want to go , curl up and not be disturbed
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It has been said that cats are sneaky, evil and cruel. It's true, and they have many other fine qualities too. Remember too that if a dog jumps into your lap it's because it likes you. If a cat jumps into your lap it's because your lap is warmer.
 
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