I live in a ground-floor flat. About ten days ago, I was doing a bit of a tidy-up and the patio door in my kitchen was open. It was a lovely sunny day when suddenly a cat walked in—a tabby with beautiful green eyes. He was meowing and started rubbing himself against all my furniture. I thought it was a female in season at first, and told her I didn't have a boyfriend here to introduce her to and that she could go and look elsewhere! Actually, it's a little male. He spent an hour here, came back the next day and stayed all day, then the day after too... right up until the moment he decided not to go back out in the evening (to go home?) and stayed to sleep with me... We're living together now; it's been ten days. I'm quite torn because he surely has a family in the neighbourhood, but at the same time, he has no collar, no microchip, and no tattoos... No one has claimed him anywhere. Is it possible he was put out? Abandoned? When I open the door for him to go out, he flatly refuses. I've already had to go out and buy wet food, dry food, and a litter tray. We're always cuddling; he purrs as soon as I go near him. He's incredibly sociable—cheeky, even—considering how quickly he's taken over my flat (my sofa, my armchair, my bed, and even my pillow!). But I don't know where he's come from or how old he is... I'll have to take him to the vet now, but I'm just gobsmacked by the whole thing... This cat literally fell from the sky, and I have to say he's certainly landed on his feet with me; I'm absolutely dotty about him... My little squatter is just too cute. I wanted to know if this has happened to anyone else and what to do...
Translated from French
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He gets put out in the evening (apparently he’s the one who wants to go out).
But once he's outside at night, he can't get back into his owners' place because they don't have a cat flap. They’ve put an outdoor cat shelter out for him to spend his nights in.
But recently, the cat has been coming to my place in the evening. When it's raining or cold, he miaows for me to let him in. Then he’s really affectionate and lovely. I open the window for him to leave, but he just stays inside looking out. He doesn't want to go; I have to reluctantly force him back out.
I have a tiny ground-floor studio with a garden, and if I were to keep him overnight, I’d have to leave the window open so he could go out to do his business (meaning it gets freezing inside). I’m also worried about getting into trouble with the kitten’s owners (he must be between 6 and 10 months old) if they find out he seems to prefer me.
It breaks my heart not to help this cat (especially when it's raining or -5 degrees out). What are my rights and responsibilities? What can I really offer him in my tiny 20-square-metre place? He’s a cat that loves being both indoors and outdoors. I have no choice but to put him out when I go to work during the day. I just don't know what to do.
Especially since I’ll be moving in a year's time to a small studio flat without a garden.
Also, when he arrives, I give him a bit of dry food, some wet food, or sardines: he scoffs them as if he’s starving. Then he just stays at my place for cuddles, a rest, a sleep, or a play. He doesn't ask for more food and just doesn't want to leave.
My neighbours have a lovely kitten.
He gets put out at night (apparently he’s the one who wants to go out), but once he’s outside, he can’t get back into his owners' place because they don't have a cat flap. They’ve set up a little outdoor kennel for him to spend his nights in.
But recently, the cat has started coming to my place in the evening; when it’s raining or cold, he miaows for me to let him in. He’s such an affectionate, lovely little thing. When I open the window for him to leave, he just stays inside looking out. He doesn't want to go, and I have to reluctantly force him out.
I live in a tiny ground-floor studio (about 200 sq ft) with a garden, and if I were to keep him overnight, I’d have to leave the window open so he can go out to do his business (so it would be freezing). I’m also worried about getting into trouble with the kitten’s owners (he’s between 6 and 10 months old) if they find out the cat seems to prefer me.
It breaks my heart not to help this cat (especially when it’s raining or -5 degrees outside). What are my rights here? What can I really offer him in such a small space? He’s the kind of cat that likes being both indoors and outdoors. I have no choice but to put him out when I go to work during the day. I just don't know what to do.
Evening,
This has happened to us twice.
The first time was just like your situation. A cat started coming into the garden, and then as the days went by, she’d come a little bit closer each time. She started hanging around the door, then she began letting herself in, then she started begging for food while we were eating, then she started curling up on the bed, and in the end, she just never left! After asking around the village, it turned out she didn't belong to anyone, so she officially became ours.
The second time was quite similar. The cat started taking an interest in our place and would pop in whenever he felt like it. I wondered if the same thing was happening again, so I checked with the neighbours, and it turned out he actually belonged to our next-door neighbour but just felt quite at home with us. We had to stop letting him in all the time, but he kept trying until we moved house.
They do say it’s the cats who choose their homes! 😁
I’d suggest that if he isn’t microchipped and someone comes to claim him, you ask them for some proof that he is definitely their cat. This could be something like a photo of them both together.
The same thing happened to me. You should take him to the vet to check if he's microchipped. I'd suggest putting up some posters around your local area and, if nobody claims him, you could always adopt him if you want to 🙂
That's what I did when a cat turned up one day; I went to a local rescue to see if he was chipped and now he's basically my cat XD
