Stray vs Indoor-Outdoor Behavior

daftcat75

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There's what seems from all appearances to be a stray cat in our apartment community. He's very friendly. Perhaps too friendly. While most everyone in the complex agrees he's a friendly cat and they wish him no harm, the property manager has reported that she's received a complaint or two about him. Specifically, he has tried to follow people into their units.

Would a cat who has a home be so eager to enter another home?

I'm thinking this cat was once a pet but turned loose when neuters were illegal under Covid shelter-in-place orders. I am thinking if he had a home, he wouldn't be so eager to enter others. Or are some indoor-outdoor cats just super-confident and friendly like that?

If you're curious as to what's going to happen to this cat, his saga is being tracked in the Caring for an Orange Cat thread. He showed up last on the camera with a new collar. Plot twist! I'll update that thread when I've caught up with him again and inspected his new bling.
 

FeebysOwner

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I have seen several posts on this site about cats who travel from 'home' to 'home' and are willing to enter multiple houses. Most of them seem to be outdoor cats who are left to roam the area around where their supposed 'owners' live. Not sure where a lot of them reside (US vs. other countries), but it does seem to be a trend for some cats/owners. Once the cat is welcomed to a few places, fed, and treated well, they are most likely to visit again - and, try other houses to get the same treatment. Until they are chased away, or threatened, they probably aren't inclined to stop trying to "meet" new people.

The curious thing with O.C. (from your other thread) is what has changed where someone has put a collar and a tag on him?
 
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daftcat75

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I have seen several posts on this site about cats who travel from 'home' to 'home' and are willing to enter multiple houses. Most of them seem to be outdoor cats who are left to roam the area around where their supposed 'owners' live. Not sure where a lot of them reside (US vs. other countries), but it does seem to be a trend for some cats/owners. Once the cat is welcomed to a few places, fed, and treated well, they are most likely to visit again - and, try other houses to get the same treatment. Until they are chased away, or threatened, they probably aren't inclined to stop trying to "meet" new people.

The curious thing with O.C. (from your other thread) is what has changed where someone has put a collar and a tag on him?
That might have happened Saturday. As I mentioned in the other thread, I thought I spotted a neighbor engaging him on Saturday. I was driving out of the complex. When I tried to circle back around to see if he was still there, I saw same neighbor loading a cat carrier into her car. I wonder if this neighbor took him for a chip scan and decided to keep him or otherwise outfitted him with a collar. All I have to go on is video with the collar and the glint of light off it that looks like an ID tag. 🤞 I'll post an update to OC's thread when I have one.
 
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fionasmom

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There is a children's book called Six Dinner Sid which is about a black cat who eats at 6 different houses. My Daddy Cat,years ago, first had a collar on when he came to my house, but within a few days it was gone. He had evidently been left by his owners and hung around at my house until I finally adopted him and made him an indoor cat. It was reported to me by neighbors that he would go into their houses if there was any open entrance, eat their cat's food if there was any, and then sleep on the sofa. It is such a mystery with these cats what their story is.
 

Willowy

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Some cats are gregarious. The Bustopher Jones types, I guess you'd say ("he doesn't haunt pubs, but has 8 or 9 clubs, for he's the Saint James' Street cat").

It's fun to have a neighborhood cat like that, but it also makes me anxious, because you never know if one of your neighbors is a jerk or not until it's too late. I prefer indoor-outdoor cats to be somewhat standoffish with strangers. But as long as everybody is nice it should work out.
 

Kieka

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Link will happily enter any house whom he's befriended and doesn't have a cat already. Rocket and Fury are slightly more skittish of strange houses. All three are indoor/outdoor and well fed.

Luckily, the one person who Link felt comfortable with passed away and everyone to live there since has had small dogs. All three of them are pretty hesitant with strangers in general. The boys bolt from strangers even in our house while Rocket gets a safe distance to watch.
 
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daftcat75

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Update from the other thread. OC has been picked up by a neighbor. I guess they are keeping him. (Status: Rehomed.)
F78BD158-D125-4FCC-8060-D68324A51F97.jpeg
 
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