Multi-household cats

[dinahsmum]

Yes, I did get that the right way round - I want to talk about cats who seem happy to have more than one home. (I'm sure there was a children's book about a cat who had six homes, ate six suppers, got a tummy-ache and was taken to the vet six times, had six lots of pills etc ... but perhaps I dreamt that? )

Jules and Nae have posted today about neighbours who are a pain in tempting cats away but I have a theory that many cats (being life's great chancers) look to make sure they are comfortable and deliberatley cultivate more than one home where they know they can be safe and will get food.

I can speak from experience with one of our past cats - Roger - who had an 'uncle' (a single, elderly, man) near the two houses we lived in whilst we had him. To the first he was 'Abert' and he was sad when we moved and took his Albert away, the second just lived over the back fence and if Roger wasn't in our garden then that is where he could be found.

We had one/two other cats at the same time, who were happy to be one-home cats.

Anyone else think some cats just like to extend their options?

[Donna]

I think to a degree that cats are opportunists so the idea of finding another "home" seems realistic. I do think, however, that they are encouraged by people who do not understand the worry and sadness to the pet owner when they tempt their cat away.

Both cat and neighbours equally to blame methinks.

[Naomi]

Moli has 2 definate homes. Our immediate next door neighbour (who knows better than to feed Mol's) and obviously ours. I have no objection to her wandering off it's the people who think they are being kind by feeding someone else's pet and not realising the damage they could be causing.

[Booktigger]

Ginger has more than one home, and it does bother me, as he is overweight, and my neighbours dont always know when he is in their house, so how they can keep an eye on him eating food there is beyond me, plus they never check for him before goign to bed, and just tell me I should go in to get him when they are in bed, but I can't do that. I think his stems from living on the streets for 3 years (and still incredibly friendly and affectionate), I think he survived by playing up to people for food and shelter, and dont think he will ever stop it. He has been found in 6 houses apart from mine, he is generally good at finding cat owners homes, only one hasn't been!! And then I think he sneaked in for a check and got shut in.

[John]

I feed my next door nieghbours 2 cats.they are out all the time day and nite.all weathers.in these circumstances I think it is ok to feed some one elses pets and if they want to come into my house for a bit of shelter I think this would be ok

john

[Booktigger]

I think in those circumstances it is OK - as long as they are not overweight and you are not contributing to that, and as long as there are no health probs, as if they are on a special diet, you could end up making them ill. i used to feed one of my neighbours cats occasionally as she didn't eat a lot at home, and if she really enjoyed something here, I would take some round for her next meal - odd part was, she wouldn't eat them at his house, even though in some cases it was the same tin/bottle/bag. i did always used to tell him though, in case she wouldn't eat anything else and he worried about her.

[CathyW]

barnaby was always moving in else where, he had one woman convinced he was ill treated n starved that she was going to call the rspca on me !!! i had to show her just what food was there for him, he was just one of lifes crafty cats.