Hello. Am I wasting my time giving a cat semi-skimmed? I mean will it just turn its nose up at it? Or is it not bothered that it didn't get the cream?

Quite a lot of cats are lactose intolerant, and it produces a range of effects ranging from, at the lower end, stinking the whole house out to, at the upper end, making the cat quite ill. I'd avoid giving cats milk altogether.

so just a bowl of water? Do they drink water?

They'll drink water, although how much and how often depends on what they're eating. Providing plenty of water is a must if they're on dry food.

Well I don't know what it eats. Its my neighbour's and it uses my pad as a cut-through when escaping from my other neighbour's dog. So I though it might like a drink-stop on the way through. I'm certainly not about to start buying it Kitteh-Cat. That's the owner's responsibility.

I don't think your neighbour would like having to pay vet fees in order to make their cat better after drinking milk that you provided. They might even ask you to contribute.

I would just leave a bowl of water down for it and leave it at that.

ok, thanks.

You can buy lactose free milk from the supermarkets as some human people are lactose intolerant too.

But I wouldn't feed someone elses cat without their permission, for all sorts of reasons.

Yes my cats have had water since they were kittens. I tried to gve them special cat milk but they wasn't interested and preferred water.

If you have to ask whether cats drink water, could I strongly suggest that you are not sufficiently knowlegeable to offer this - or any - cat anything at all.

You can by all means suggest that I am not sufficiently knowledgable re cats. This is why I am asking the question. Are you saying that I should boot this cat out, whenever it jumps through my window and decides to contaminate the surfaces in my kitchen, and leave its molt on my duvet cover when it decides to take a nap. I like animals. I find myself giving more to animals than humans in fact. I am happy to let this cat wander about my place if it feels like it. I'm happy to let it satisfy its curiosity. I've always lived on the first floor or top floor before this one so have never been in this situation before. My sister, who lives in London, gets a stray wandering into her home and she even feeds it. Its the mangiest looking creature I have ever seen and can't think that its a good idea to let it into her home, but she does. So if you think I should shoo this neighbourhood cat from my home, then just say so.

That's entirely up to you. Do what you want - I'm sure you will... rather like the cat - but don't give it anything to eat or drink.

My cats have semi skimmed milk diluted with 50% water.

We have a neighbour who gets quite fed up when she sees her own cat sunning himself on the window board of someone else's house.

Our cat drank milk for over 20 years.

.

So do mine, they have warmed semi-skimmed milk in a pan and then a drop of warm water added.
They were getting too fat, so we cut their milk down to half milk and water. Theres been no complaints. They wont drink water by itself.

Since it's not your cat I wouldn't put food or water down for it. It's your choice if you let it sleep on your bed. Do you know where it lives? If so, let them know their cat is in your house quite a bit. If they are ever looking for it to go the the vets or whatever they have one more place to look.

One of my cats eats mostly dry food and he drinks water, my other cat is mostly raw chicken wings and wet food and I never see her drink.

BTW since you let it sleep on your bed I would check it very carefully for any sign of fleas. Sharing my bed with a cat is one thing, but with fleas is quite another. If your bedding is very pale then if you spot black specs those could be flea dirt. They will stain red or pink if you put some on a bit of white paper and wet them. Otherwise use a very fine tooth comb and comb it over some white paper.

Of course they'll drink plain water, they choose not to because u provide them with something else. That's fine, but don't presume that it means they won't survive with out it!

I've always given both my cats semi-skimmed milk. They have a water bowl out permanently and I give them milk a few times a week.

The reason cats are better off not having milk is because they lose the ability to digest milk - effectively they become lactose intolerant - once they are weaned. After that, if it is suddenly reintroduced, drinking it can cause stomach upsets and diarhoea. I believe humans are the only animals that continue to have milk and dairy products throughout their lives so many (but not all) remain capable of digesting it.

Anyone reasonable reading this thread will think well of you that you want to feed this wee cat. Its nice that you care.

And the sky wouldnt fall in if you gave him a wee bit tuna. Perhaps there's always hope for human race while they are willing to share food with random wee cats.

However, you've asked for advice so the thing is that actually IMHO you are probably best not to feed it.

If you were to give normal milk to my cat it'd get diarhorea. Its intolerant to lactose though, not poisoned by lactose, so a little milk is ok and she sometimes manages to get the last of my cereal bowl to no great harm.

However, I'm the one who feeds her and cleans up her poo. This is partly how I check on her health. I cant monitor everything coming in and out of her body, but you keep a general watch so I don't want her fed by anyone else.

Also, this cat is someone else possession, so feeding the cat might annoy your neighbour. Feeding a stray is very different.

And by putting out food for the cat, you are encouraging it. You might regret this later.

Thanks everyone who has replied. I only moved in a few weeks ago and haven't met my neighbour yet properly so, as someone mentioned earlier, I think its probably best to tell him/her that their cat wanders into my flat occasionally and see what they say. I won't put any food or drink down for it. I know they like to explore and everything but I'll make sure it can't get in while I'm not here, incase my neighbour needs to take it to the vet or something. Thanks for your suggestions.