Guilty of Feeding Neighbor's Cat

[shellyk]

I had a question about weird cat behavior but I just realized that I am guilty of feeding my neighbor's cat and how bad that potentially could be.  We have new neighbors next door and we haven't actually me them.  The woman is the sister in law of the owner of the house who we don't get a long with so there wasn't a big incentive to get to know them... They went away for the weekend and left their cat at home.  He kept coming over to our house so I fed him.  Guilty.  Weeks later he keeps coming over so I keep feeding him.  It never dawned on me that he might be on a restricted diet, have health issues or that it was just wrong of me to feed someone else's cat!  Yesterday after I fed him and he stayed around like he wanted to be petted.  I petted him and he hissed at me.  Then he head butted me so I thought he wanted to be petted but he hissed at me again.  Why would a cat head butt me and hiss at me too?

 

[Draco]

Welcome!!

I think if an owner allows their cats to roam, they should know other people may feed, or even take them in thinking they're strays/lost. If that's the case, they should write on the collar "Restricted diet, do not feed. I am owned, do not take me" or something along those lines.

If you are worried, I suggest contacting the owner and ask them.. it'll be a great way to break the ice with them and become friendly.

Do you have your own cats? If so, the kitty may be smelling your cat on you and hissing in protest of the smell. Sounds like he wants to be friendly, but smells something on you. I could be wrong though!

 

[shellyk]

I never thought about the smells on me.  We have two dogs that he runs away from when he hears them!

 

[cocheezie]

I run the local outdoor (an occasionally indoor) cafe for the neighbourhood cats. At least that's what it feels like. My neighbours know this, and I've always asked about special needs. Two neighbourhood cats were kidney cats (they gave me some of their food for when the cats showed up), one cat was old and dying and I was told that I was welcome to get him to eat anything  It's best to ask about special needs, and not just food. One neighbour doesn't want his cats anywhere near the road. He wants them to think of the road as a bad, scary place that they are scared to cross. He asks me politely to shoo them home if they come across the street for a dining experience. (We get maybe 30 cars a day on our street.)

 

[kibmufxy]

He can smell your cats or dogs. They are not responsible  cat owners to leave the cat all weekend when they went away  with no one to feed it.