Am i over reacting? Help please!

[furbutt]

This is not about my yorkie but my cat. I am quite upset at the moment maybe you could give me some advice.

My cat casey has been a house cat for 8months (shes now a year old) She is a very special cat, very friendly and we love her so so much. We thought it was crule keeping her in all the time but we was just so worried because she is so friendly and special to us and we where worried someone would steel her or she'd run off, but a few months ago we decided to let her outside. She is sooo good and enjoys going outside, the moment we shout her she comes running and never goes to far. She is normally waiting by the front door when we return home and always want s to be inside with us when we are home. The past few weeks everytime we call her sometimes she does not come and is never waiting outside for us when we return home. We thought it was because she was enjoying her time outside more. When it gets dark we always make sure we bring her inside but the last few weeks she has not come when called and sometimes just returns home at 10pm!!!! A few times we have had to go out looking for her but we didnt find her but she always turned up at the front door sometimes very late at night. We'd joke that she has been on a riht adventure to not come when called!

The people across the street love her too and often come to se her and talk about her all the time to us which we thought was nice (we are quite proud of what a lovely cat she is). But i was talking to them the other day and i found out they had been feeding her. I was a little shocked and upset but never said anything but its playing on my mind but thought i was over reacting. Anyway last night we where calling her for ages and in the end we put out shoes on and wondered around the streets looking for her, i was getting so worried but then she turned up at the front door i thought she has been enjoying herself far to much to come home.

Tonight me and Andreas got home and we shouted for casey and she was in the front garden of the people across the street. Casey came running and they came across to see Poppy and they told us that last night casey was in their house!! This must have been why she didnt come home till late! I dont know how long this has been going, I was upset and worried, i dont want casey thinking that there house is home.

I am so upset I dont want to let casey out anymore and really feel like keeping her at home. I dunno what to do am in tears. She really is a special cat and we love her so so much. The lady told me that her house has no cat flaps which means casey must have been in their house with the doors closed and thats why she didnt come home. I really dont know what to do about it I feel so upset that OUR cat was in their house being fed. They have cats of there own and as much as i love that they like casey i just think its over stepping the boundrys letting her into their home and feeding her (she gets love attention and lots of food at home)

I was thinking about going and having a poliet word with them but i dunno if they would feel offended and i dont want to upset anyone because i dont think they are doing it to make me feel upset, i just think that they think they are being nice. I think i am going to keep Casey inside for a few days but thats upsetting because she loves to go outside. Ugh i really dont know what to do.

Cant anyone help me on this subject am i just over reacting? I am so upset i dont want to lose my casey to the people across the road and i dont know if i am just over reacting.

Ugh sorry that was so long just really upset
xxxx

[trin7]

A polite word to them should help. Just explain that you can't go to sleep or get on with your own schedule until she's inside and that you really worry about her when she's not close to your house. This should be enough. To them it's probably not a big deal if they already have cats. Good luck and no, you're not overreacting.

[speleogirl37]

Maybe I'm an overly suspicious person, but it seems to me that they might be up to no good. They feed it and take it into their home? I don't know. Just doesn't seem right to me.

[chachi]

I had a super sweet cat like that and a neighbor started feeding it and ended up keeping it. I would ask them not to feed her because she now doesnt come home when called. They may just keep doing it though because people dont seem to honor cat ownership the same as dog since cats wander

[Lizzie07]

I don't believe it is any more responsible to let a cat out unsupervised than a dog. Cat's kept strictly indoors live longer, healthier lives. Please, keep your cat indoors. Not everyone likes cats, either. Did you see the video about the cat a lady put in the trash can? Your cat, being friendly, is more suseptible to abuse by a sickie than a feral, IMO. Plus there are all the dangers to a cat that there are to a small dog, ie, cars, poisons, and larger animals.

[EarthAngel]

First, I surely don't think you are over reacting that your neighbor is feeding and keeping your cat in her house. But I want to say one thing about my own experience with my most favorite cat in my life, Charlie. He went outside and would come home while being called from my car on the way home. One day he must have gotten into someone's garage and licked antifreeze from the garage floor. He died from that.

So, my advice would be first to please not let out your dear cat and if you still want her to be able to go out, I would tell your neighbor nicely but firmly I don't want you feeding my cat or keeping her inside their house.

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by Lizzie07

I don't believe it is any more responsible to let a cat out unsupervised than a dog. Cat's kept strictly indoors live longer, healthier lives. Please, keep your cat indoors. Not everyone likes cats, either. Did you see the video about the cat a lady put in the trash can? Your cat, being friendly, is more suseptible to abuse by a sickie than a feral, IMO. Plus there are all the dangers to a cat that there are to a small dog, ie, cars, poisons, and larger animals.

I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I have a cat who is strictly indoor cat. She only goes outside on the 2nd floor deck (with no steps to the lower level) and that's it. Cats can adapt to being an indoor cat with no problem. I've had cats my whole life. Every cat we had that was an outdoor cat died within 5 yrs (in an urban setting). They either were hit by cars, poisoned, or ran away. We learned our lesson after about the 3rd cat and decided that no more outdoor cats. Ever since then, all of our cats have been indoor cats and have lived up to 15 yrs. One of my friends had an indoor cat who lived until 23.

[yavenay]

Also if you are worry about it being cruel to keep your cat indoors, it's not. Cats can adapt to any setting. My cat has been in an indoor cat her whole life. You can leave the front door wide open and she will not try to go outside. In my neighbhorhood, we have all kinds of little critter that could easily have her for supper. I would find being killed by a fox, or tortured my some sicko much more crueler than keeping her as an indoor cat.

[furbutt]

I didnt think it was so wrong to let Casey outside. We did keep her as an indoor cat for 8months and she was fine, just thought she would like to be ouside in the fresh air a little, wish i had never let her out now. She is in the house now and i wont be letting her out again. We love her so much i really dont want to lose her to the people across the road. Its a mother and son and as harsh as it sounds i dont think there all together with it (if u know what i mean) Some people in the street have had problems with them before but me and my OH never have and we have always been friendly. Dont like that they fed Casey and let her into their house tho so i think its time she goes back to being a house cat, i dont want anything bad to happen to her. I feel terrible i let her outside after all them horror stories. So glad shes back home and safe where she belongs. Thank for all your replys xxxxxx

[furbutt]

Originally Posted by yavenay

Also if you are worry about it being cruel to keep your cat indoors, it's not. Cats can adapt to any setting. My cat has been in an indoor cat her whole life. You can leave the front door wide open and she will not try to go outside. In my neighbhorhood, we have all kinds of little critter that could easily have her for supper. I would find being killed by a fox, or tortured my some sicko much more crueler than keeping her as an indoor cat.

Sorry if i upset you by saying i thought it was cruel to keep casey inside all the time. I didnt mean anything by it i just mean i thought she would have liked to go outside and i wasnt letting her. I just wanted what was best for my cat i didnt mean anything bad by that i'm sorry xxx

[yorkielady06]

I have to agree with the above statements. I feel that a responsible cat owner keeps their animals (cat, dog, ferret, bunny, etc) supervised or enclosed at all times. They should not be allowed to roam free as too many things can happen. There are too many dangers in this aweful world, from cars to cougars to foxes to hawks and yes even EVIL people. I am glad you have decided to keep Casey inside and that is where Casey belongs.

[Rhetts_mama]

Originally Posted by Lizzie07

I don't believe it is any more responsible to let a cat out unsupervised than a dog. Cat's kept strictly indoors live longer, healthier lives. Please, keep your cat indoors. Not everyone likes cats, either. Did you see the video about the cat a lady put in the trash can? Your cat, being friendly, is more suseptible to abuse by a sickie than a feral, IMO. Plus there are all the dangers to a cat that there are to a small dog, ie, cars, poisons, and larger animals.

I agree with this wholeheartedly! We had something on the news here in Atlanta last night. A woman was walking her dog through her apartment complex and her dog pulled her over to a spot on the ground. Someone had put out petfood mixed with pills. Luckily, her dog didn't eat any of it. There are sick people out there.

Plus think about all the dangers there are in crossing the street! Drive down any busy street and you'll see the results of that contest far too often.

And since cats don't tend to wear id tags, they are more likely to get picked up and taken in by animal control as strays.

[furbutt]

Sorry if you all think i am irresponsible for letting Casey outside but LOTS of owners let their cats outside i didnt think there was any harm in it. I am sorry i now know better and i will be keeping casey inside from now on

[TwoforFun]

I honestly don't think they meant any harm. They fed the cat and probably felt bad the cat was wondering the streets that late. I would have a friendly talk and say that you don't want her to be fed so she can return home to eat.
You are lucky that you have neighbors that like animals as much as you do. There is nothing wrong with the cat being outside whats wrong it's the sick people lurching to do harm.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by furbutt

Sorry if you all think i am irresponsible for letting Casey outside but LOTS of owners let their cats outside i didnt think there was any harm in it. I am sorry i now know better and i will be keeping casey inside from now on

I dont think your irresponsible and Ive had indoor and outdoor cats.