Next doors neighbours cats always left outside in cold :(
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Sorry in advance if there are other threads of the same ilk.
I have two cats myself and keep them in at night and during day when we are at work. In the evenings they go out if they want but in this weather they tend to stay in.
Anyway, my next door neighbour has 3 cats. They are all lovely natured and friendly. However, she leaves them out all night. Normally I wouldnt be bothered about this, each to their own and all that, but I am bothered when they are left out in this weather. It is snowing and cold and although they have fur, surely it cannot be comfortable or nice for the cats. I feel so sorry for them, that tonight I am letting 2 of them sleep in my home (cant see the 3rd one) but admittedly this is only part of the story.
2 of their cats seem to want to live here as well as next door. I dont actively encourage them, or feed them, but I am a cat person and always give them loads of tickles etc and they are fond of me. I know that next door get annoyed that they are in my home sometimes, and I KNOW I should be stronger and not let them in. However, if they were looked after better, I wouldnt have an issue, but the reality is , is that I just feel sorry for them and I am a soft touch.
My next door neighbour barely acknowledges us anymore, whenever I see her outside I try and say hello and get ignored or a barely recognisable response. It's not a secret that her cats sometimes are in our house,and I am pretty sure she doesnt like it, but I dont know what to do about it.OK yes , I can ignore them, but they are outside all the time and are always meowing to come in. Heart strings are tugged!!
Our neighbourhood isnt really the best, there has been stories of 'criminals' torturing and abusing pets, and I would hate something to happen.
I dont really know what advice I want. I know some people will probably see her side and some mine....I just dont know what to do. Please dont suggest talking to her, I have kinda tried in the past but it makes no difference. I think that my idea of having and owning cats are so wide apart from hers that we just dont understand each other.
But if cats are left outside in the weather (currently -1c and snowing) will they be ok? (They are quite often out in the daytime too). Worried if outside, wet & cold they could die or something
I have two cats myself and keep them in at night and during day when we are at work. In the evenings they go out if they want but in this weather they tend to stay in.
Anyway, my next door neighbour has 3 cats. They are all lovely natured and friendly. However, she leaves them out all night. Normally I wouldnt be bothered about this, each to their own and all that, but I am bothered when they are left out in this weather. It is snowing and cold and although they have fur, surely it cannot be comfortable or nice for the cats. I feel so sorry for them, that tonight I am letting 2 of them sleep in my home (cant see the 3rd one) but admittedly this is only part of the story.
2 of their cats seem to want to live here as well as next door. I dont actively encourage them, or feed them, but I am a cat person and always give them loads of tickles etc and they are fond of me. I know that next door get annoyed that they are in my home sometimes, and I KNOW I should be stronger and not let them in. However, if they were looked after better, I wouldnt have an issue, but the reality is , is that I just feel sorry for them and I am a soft touch.
My next door neighbour barely acknowledges us anymore, whenever I see her outside I try and say hello and get ignored or a barely recognisable response. It's not a secret that her cats sometimes are in our house,and I am pretty sure she doesnt like it, but I dont know what to do about it.OK yes , I can ignore them, but they are outside all the time and are always meowing to come in. Heart strings are tugged!!
Our neighbourhood isnt really the best, there has been stories of 'criminals' torturing and abusing pets, and I would hate something to happen.
I dont really know what advice I want. I know some people will probably see her side and some mine....I just dont know what to do. Please dont suggest talking to her, I have kinda tried in the past but it makes no difference. I think that my idea of having and owning cats are so wide apart from hers that we just dont understand each other.
But if cats are left outside in the weather (currently -1c and snowing) will they be ok? (They are quite often out in the daytime too). Worried if outside, wet & cold they could die or something
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Whether right or wrong, good for you for taking an interest in their welfare and letting them come into your house for some warmth. I'm now sitting here worrying about the 3rd cat out there in the cold and I'm hoping it appears so it can come into your house too.
I would be of the attitude stuff the neighbour if she doesn't like it. maybe she should take better care of them herself.
If one of my cats were to accidentaly get locked out in the cold I would be over the moon for one of my neighbours to let them in. I can't sleep at night until my cats are in and the catflap locked up. All I can say is I think it's really good of you to care about them.:)
Ummmm, I am sure the 3rd one is fine. Sometimes we dont see 1 or 2 or them for a few days and then they reappear. I am sure he is OK .
It's weird, cos they cats are all in good condition, and are lovely natured that I know they are not mis treated as such....and when the fireworks were going off I heard next door calling them all in. But I just dont get how they have the nerve, or conscience to leave them out in this weather and most of the day too. She even sticks her car in the garage in the freezing cold so it doesnt freeze over (normally parked on the garage).
I feel so torn about this. I hate the thought of them being outside and cold and also hate the thought they next door dislike me and think I am trying to steal their cats (when I am not, I have 2 and that is enough) & I saw a facebook status from her a few weeks back commenting saying something like 'ummmm the cats gone again, I WONDER where it is....' and then comments underneath about us and how much we are pissing her off.
Feel really sad about it.
Although I keep my cat in at night. End of story.
If they are booted out at night, it surely can't be good for them in this weather? My cat went out for his ablutions this morning and the snow was up to his 'shoulders', so his tummy and legs were totally in the snow. I can't imagine that that is fun for too long? (He was outside for less than 5 minutes before he came in shaking the snow off his paws.)
I think it's a tricky one cloudy_nines. I understand why you've got to weigh up your concern vs starting full-on war with your neighbour.....
agreed, I never for one minute think about putting my two cats out at night during these cold winter nights I even make sure that the radiator in the room they sleep in is turned on several hours before so it's nice and warm for them.
Usualy when we go out we put one of the cats in an upstairs room (because she's still a kitten() and my older cat gets put out side but these last few days we have just left him in the house when we've gone out because it's been so cold. He went out this morning but was back within a few minutes because of the snow during thios cold weather he wants to be inside and i'd only put him out if he clearly wanted to go.
I've had that type of cat.
I had to let her out or she would have kept me up all night.
She's a standard moggie but her black coat is really thick now.
I was real worried.
Then she came sauntering (she's never in a hurry!) down the stairs to the kitchen for her food. She must have been under my daughters bed :rolleyes:
I have 2 cats, one hardly ventures out in this weather, the other one I can hardly keep in - he loves it even though the snow is up to his shoulders, he seems to love trying to run across the lawn, rolling in the snow, eating it. He stays out for hours and when I picked him up and brought him in he wriggled out of my arms and was straight back outside again. It maybe that your neighbours cats are like this too, though if they seem unhappy and want to come into yours, personally I'd let them come into the warmth.
I have three cats.
One checks the weather when I open the door day or night, if it's raining he turns around, gets his hot spot and stays put for the day. He loves to go out in the snow though.
I have another who pops in and out, in mostly, first snow this year and it fascinates him.
My third cat loves being out in all weathers day and night, and in all honesty I feel more cruel ignoring her meouws at night to got out in this weather knowing she can't understand that I'm saying "not tonight it's too cold".
I am putting my human feelings onto that cat and keep her in at night even though she wants to go out.
You say the cats are not abused, they're fed, they're friendly, abused cats are scared of humans. They are not abused, they are your neighbours cats, what can you do?
Cats are also pretty damned smart, two of mine used to visit an old neighbours house who I'm sure thought they weren't fed. He loved them and fed them ham every morning.
The cats had cat breakfast soft food and cat biscuits here, they always share my son's ham when I'm making his sandwiches (they're waiting for it) then they'd go to a neighbour for a third course.
Not daft cats, the neighbour and I got on well and I told him it was lovely that he loved my cats but they were getting double treats from both of us.
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i personally think you are very much out of order letting someone elses cats come into your home, i dont see how you arent encouraging it if you are letting them in in the first place. at the end of the day, hundreds of cats live outside, they are perfectly able to take care of themselves, if your neighbours cats werent well fed and happy, they wouldnt go home would they. stop trying to take over their care, let them out and keep your own cats. if you feel that bad about it, talk to your neighbour, and ask if they have any form of shelter for them at night. tell them that you are concerned.
There were a couple of comments about her having a cat flap and the answer to that is no, they don't.
When I got home from work about an hour ago, their youngest cat (kitten really, about 6 months old) came racing over and darted straight into our house. I put him outside again and about 15 mins later when I went to let one of ours out for a wee, this cat was sat on her doorstep obviously wanting to go inside. I have spoken to my OH about this, and he is of the opinion that we shouldn't get involved, nor encourage her cats inside. He doesn't want any trouble and if I did call the RSPCA then I think it will be blindingly obviously it is us, in which case I dread to think what would happen. She has 2 teenage boys and I really dont want them taking revenge on us, our house or worse still our cats.
As for the third cat someone was asking about, my OH said he reappeared today, playing outside.
At the end of the day, I know they are not abused, kicked, mistreated in that way so therefore I am glad. I know that the cats can probably handle being outside the majority of the time. But I just dont agree with them being outside in this weather, all night. I guess as I do not want to get into a full scale war with next door, I am gonna have to button it and try my best not to have their cats in our home
If the cats weren't fed, semi feral, unable to be handled, had bones showing or were showing signs of being injured then I'd say report them and protect the cats. I'm cat mad. That's not what you're saying though.
Two of my cats have been in three neighbours hours, I'm friendly with them and when I go in they follow me in for a nose. Luckily we are a cat loving culdesac which is fab. (Not sure if one of the neighbours who has been targetted for the cat toilet garden would agree. :-( )
Honestly if you did report them because the cats were out at night I'm sure they wouldn't be interested in the slightest, so it's not worth reporting for nothing.
As I said one of mine wants to be out at night, (though have kept her in) during this cold spell it doesn't mean I should lose my cats. I think you're concerned but reporting her would be an overreaction.
If you are still worried is there anyway you could provide some kind of shelter (thinking dog kennel with blanket it in or similar in your garden so if they do want shelter they can get it. To be honest though if mine don't come in, they find somewhere cosy for the night without my help.
If she wasn't so prickly, I would speak with her myself. But if I did knock on her door to talk to her about the treatment of her cats I am pretty sure she would tell me where to go!!
I am not a busy body, nor do I think I know best or have a high opinion of myself and perhaps if her cats were revelling in the snow I wouldnt mind so much. But as they seem desperate to come in and meow at the door, it makes me so sad. But maybe I should just harden up and be thankful they are not being abused.
If they meow long and hard enough at her door, she'll let them in. She'd have to be a hard faced cow not to, for people like us we couldn't hear them without having to answer. for her manybe just the annoyance of the noise would make her open the door.
Perhaps you are making it easy for her to ignore them because you are meeting their needs?
Sorry just thinking out loud here, you are doing right by the cats and as a fellow cat lover hats off to you.
BUT
You don't want to be in neighbours wars over something you can't help with. Sorry.
Good for you though and respect to you too for caring. xxx
I couldn't have done that, that's where I would fall flat on my face! Just as well I dont have your neighbour.
It can be difficult when there's the possibility of nasty retaliation from the current neighbours.
The only compromise I can think of is to perhaps consider putting a cat kennel http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en&expIds=25657,27744,27753&xhr=t&q=buy+cat+kennel&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=UA_4TPK0DcXIhAePtZzQBg&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDkQrQQwAg in your garden for "your" cats to use when they are outside which can also be coincidentally be used by the other cats (though they might need to be tempted inside with snacks).
Haha, well I wouldn't have normally done that, but after knowing how pissed off she (next door) is getting , I am trying to do my best to stop them coming in. I actually miss them! Such lovely cats, but I know it is no good having them in. We hope to move mid 2011, what will the cats do without us then? Probs best if we do distance ourselves even though it is hard. Thankfully this part of the country isnt reaching -5, -10 etc so although it's very very cold, I guess it could be worse
I am liking that, thankyou. I may well have to get one for "our" cats