Cat desertion problem

[Hoppelchen]

Thanks everyone -- but this kitteh is a free roamer and has been all his life, so keeping him in is torture for him. I live in a safe area with lots of gardens and in the UK is normal for cats to roam.

Unfortunately he is also is treat resistant, nothing gets him exited, neither fresh rabbit or quail innards, tuna, ham, steak -- if it's not Whiskas, he is not interested. He does hunt mice and young rats with a passion, but won't eat them either.

I had a bit of a good think about this, and mulled over all the stuff she's told me, because it's not the first cat she's adopted this way, and some of the things she's said made me go 'hmm' in retrospect, and also the collar that went missing and her clear disappointment at him being chipped (she'd asked twice even) makes me think that she has issues here -- she recently lost cats to old age and perhaps her family won't let her go an adopt officially, so, my cat just walking in to stay is probably convenient and he is a charmer too.

Think I'm going to have to inconvenience the lady and tell her to close her catflap and stop him from stealing her cat's food, so at least he has to come home once a day or twice to load up on calories. I won't even let a neighbors cat into my house (I pet them all they want in the garden!) I know she means well and perhaps cannot help herself, but when you feed an animal, you're basically claiming it, and that's not an honourable thing to do, even if you ask politely. And that is where I ought to draw the line and what makes me think that I may have a people problem rather than a cat problem.

Funny, of all the animals I have, he is the only one I really care about (well, the rest are cuddly and nutritious) and I feel almost as bad as when I lost my first boyfriend

And yes, I'm also jealous *blush* I kind of resent having my cat enticed away and amazingly, against better knowledge and maturity, I'm also somewhat upset with him for abandoning me. (wahhhhh! My cat doesn't love me anymore!)

People, eh? Mad as a box of frogs!

 

[WIChookchick]

Well I think you answered your own question...
You started out saying you released your quail into the conservatory.. was watching them a favorite thing for him to do when they were caged?
You could try to get a few more or catch some of your released ones and put them back in the cage for him to watch.

Keep an eye on your cat, and hope he stays healthy.

 

[la dee da]

Could you make a large cat run for him, so he will be home but outside at the same time? He's not a treat cat, but does he like playing? Maybe you could entice him to stay home with toys and other entertainment. If this woman likes your cat so much and he keeps going over there I'm concerned she may steal him. Good luck!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Can't say I have ever seen a box of mad frogs.

When I had my son, both my cats moved out and moved in with the downstairs neighbor, who happened to be my grandmother. They stayed with her til they died. Ungrateful little felines.

 

[chickengrl]

I had a cat that pretty much could not prevent him from getting outside. I had to move a lot with the military and he would go with me. I had an upstairs apartment. I would leave the sliding door open so he could enjoy the outside...he we jump into the nearby tree and shimmy down and be on his way. I couldn't leave windows open because he would shred the screens out to get outside. I was deployed and a doctor friend took him for the 6 months and he ripped her screen out and went to live at the neighbors barn. I collected him 6 months later. He is the same cat who used to get a special thrill out of "trapping" the 2 labradors in the back bedroom beacuse they were afraid to walk past him. When you would go look for the dogs after calling them,...where are the dogs?...he would be in the hallway and leap off to the side like ....who me? i'm not doing anything!!! i still miss that cat.

He was 20 years old when he died of old age. Still wanted to get outside to hang out.