Would you be mad if strangers pet your cat?

zissou'smom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
6,482
Purraise
8
If you allow your cat outside unsupervised, then you really don't know what they do, where they go, who they socialize with...

I pet other people's outside cats. Honestly, there's nothing overly friendly about the cat. and How can the owner be mad? When you let them out, you relinquish control (reasonably... obviously doesn't apply so far as to forgive people who harm them).

Anyway, when I have Zissou out on her leash I've had people come up and pet her. It's very strange. Like how pregnant women's stomachs are somehow public property
I probably wouldn't mind if someone asked first but to just come up to a stranger and pet their cat is weird. For one thing, cats are much more unpredictable than dogs and some would not react well to a stranger!
 

catloverin_ks

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
10,177
Purraise
1
Location
Podunk, Kansas
I dont think I would be mad, as long as they were just petting them. I have done that before, when I see a kitty and it needs some wuv, I pet it
 

miagi's_mommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 19, 2004
Messages
8,151
Purraise
1,146
Originally Posted by bemyonlyone

ok.


I hope you are able to move out of your parents' house soon.
Yeah, I have to get a job first in order to do that.
It's hard to get a job here.
I am fine with living with them, it's just the letting the cats out really, really gets on my nerves! I know Tiger is overly friendly and would let anyone pet him but Miagi isn't as affectionate. He hides when company comes over.
 

lionessrampant

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2005
Messages
4,161
Purraise
6
Location
Windy City Kitty :)
When I have my cats outside on their harnesses, I prefer that people ask me if they can pet the cats. With a cat like Raphael who is agressive or Leo who can become overstimulated, it really depends on the exact situation..Raphael is very outgoing and friendly, but redirects his aggression, so it would depend on his surroundings. Gracie is very good with strangers, so I usually let people pet her.

In a big crowded city, it's standard practice to ask first, as I'm sure it's expected to be everywhere
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #25

bemyonlyone

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
211
Purraise
1
Location
massachusetts
If a cat is with someone, I would ask or make sure it was okay if I pet the cat. I would never approach a strange cat or force the cat to interact with me, but this cat just runs up and meows, then proceeds to rub against my legs 20 times. I guess the cat is just a very friendly cat who enjoys being around people. If a cat comes up to me, I may pet it, but otherwise, I leave cats alone. And I never go up to dogs I don't know.
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
My cats are strictly indoors only- as are the rest of my furbabies- so i don't really have to worry about that. However that being said- when i bring my former foster kittens up to the animal shelter to be placed up for adoption when they're ready i get REALLY paranoid about who touches my foster babies. (i'm protective of them- after all i raise many of them from day 1 on.) If i see anyone who handles them too roughly or incorrectly- i politely show them the proper way to handle them...if it is a child- i will not let them handle them- i let the parents hold them and then show the child how to pet the kitty so that it won't be too rough or frighten them. For the most part- people there are good around them- but i always worry someone is going to hurt my little foster babies when i'm not there to take care of them anymore
 

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
I used to pet a few different cats before we moved house. One was my friends over the road so they didnt mind (that and he was a dead ringer for a kitty we used to have so sometimes i got them mixed up lol), another was a new kitty who only ever followed me up the road from this persons house when id go out. sometimes i couldnt help myself. the only cats ive seen here are the feral neighbours ones. i dont go near them.

it was different at the other house because we'd been there 19 years and knew everyone and their animals. If i saw someone go near my cats now i would be very concerned. We are not associated with anyojen here, and ive already seen kids try and scare them off our OWN property!
 

pekoe & nigel

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
916
Purraise
1
Location
Canada
Huh, I never thought someone would be mad at me for petting their cat before. Normally if I see on unsupervised outside, and if it seems friendly enough I'll go up to it and give it a good snuggle. If I saw one on a leash (never have, but hypothetically) I'd probably ask the owner if it's okay for me to pet. I feel like a dog is a bit different, I'd never pet a dog without asking the owner first, mostly because I feel like dogs can be more aggressive and can hurt you a lot worse than a cat can. Though judging from people's responses, I just might have to reconsider petting every unsupervised cat I see!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #29

bemyonlyone

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
211
Purraise
1
Location
massachusetts
Honestly, I think a lot of people wouldn't be mad. If I were in their shoes, I would smile, knowing that person must really love cats to dote on a cat they don't know. Only at a sign of trouble would I step in, like a person who clearly means to harm the cat. I hear awful stories about what has been done to some cats by sick people, so I would just watch, making sure nothing happened.

What concerns me is that this cat's person is probably away at work, leaving the cat alone for hours during the day. I mean the cat no harm, but what if someone else comes along who is up to no good? I live in a fairly safe area, but there are sick people everywhere. When I hear someone say they hate cats, my alarm goes off.
 

pushylady

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 26, 2005
Messages
16,398
Purraise
451
Location
Canada
I always pat friendly cats I meet and say a few kind words to them. After all, I am a crazy cat lady!


We take ours out on leashes. Wiggies is really friendly and often goes up to people looking for some extra love. I get offended when they don't respond well!
 

fred&nermal

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
1,167
Purraise
6
Location
Ontario, Canada
Whenever a cat approaches me in a neighbourhood, I just can't help but stop to say hello and give him a few pets. I wouldn't pet him/her if I knew my hands were filthy (unlikely). I also wash my hands when I get home just to make sure I don't pass on anything to my kittys.

My cats don't go outside. The downtown neighbourhood I live in is too congested with people, cars and other animals like stray cats, racoons and possums.
However, growing up our cat always went outside as it was a safer family neighbourhood. The yards were big, giving domestic cats alot of space for territory. Rama, my cat then, would always sit at the end of the walk around 3:30pm waiting for all the school kids to walk home and give him some attention. We really couldn't complain as it was his choice to do so. It was mainly kids, parents and the occasional postman.
 

clairebear

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2006
Messages
1,541
Purraise
1
Location
Manchester, CT
I don't mind if people pet my cats. I always pet cats that I come across if thier friendly. I've never had anyone say anything negative about it. I don't think most people mind.
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
My parents always let our cats outside too, smaller town, big yard, and not so many neighbors, so it wasn't so bad. However, even possibly well meaning people can be bad. Around the time I was 11 I happened to be taking the trash out one early evening and caught a woman with her van stopped at the edge of our yard with the driver side door open and trying to call our fluffy black and white kitty (who had a visible collar on) over. She had two young boys in the car too! Luckily the cat wasn't that friendly and didn't go to her, I yelled at the woman and she drove off looking embarrassed.


I do pet kitties I see outdoors if they come to me and ask to be petted. I found Tomas outside in my yard one night, at only 10 weeks old I didn't even consider that he might have a nearby home, kittens certainly do not belong outside alone. Now Tomas is a house cat along with Sho, no strangers petting them. Max the outdoor kitty isn't stranger friendly, though I hope no stranger tries to pet him, he has a bad habit of giving "friendly" scratches.
 

bikeman

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
341
Purraise
110
Location
Chicago suburbs
People who let their pets out for many hours unleashed have already relinquished control, so most cat owners shouldn't have a problem with a stranger coming in contact with their cat. If the cat moves towards the stranger, then it is up to the stranger how to respond.

Cats are very intuitive animals. I have found they can tell if a stranger is a prospective new friend (a cat person or not). While on walks we both have had numerous experiences with this. Cats that normally would never approach people on their own run up to us to say hello. Owners who are nearby are usually amused or puzzled. I have no hesitation to scratch their head, let them bunt up against me and tell them they're a pretty cat, etc. Just returning the greeting, same as with people. In fact, I take it as a compliment and an honor if they run up to me!

I would never pick them up, and don't stay very long. Once we had a cat begin to follow us down the block which felt very uncomfortable. We finally had to steer the kitty back to the house and tell the owner (who was working in their back yard) that the cat was trying to follow us, and they took her inside and thanked us (and also commented that the cat hated people and couldn't figure out why it would run off).

We don't let our cats outside unsupervised, so they would not be in a position to stray out front to greet strangers (including other neighborhood cats). But I did have a 50% outside tom while growing up, and had no qualms with him greeting strangers and visa-versa. We did our best to monitor his behaivior, but like with kids, you have to put some trust in them that they'll be OK.
 

jessicasoosweet

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
903
Purraise
1
Location
Houston, Texas
My cats aren't very social to people they don't know. If someone is in the house they do not know then they go to another room so if they were outside and some came near them to pet them they would just run
 

silentnate

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
1,592
Purraise
11
Location
London DHARMA HQ.
Both of our cats are indoor cats and Epona would never let them out under any circumstance. We have a few outdoor cats around our way and one we often give stokes and cuddles to (Ginger) but I have never seen the owner to speak to them. Most importantly we both wash our hands afterwards
 

lovemybabies

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2006
Messages
484
Purraise
1
Location
Home: CT; School: NY
Before Wuzzy and Zeebo passed, they were indoor/outdoor cats and they were both very friendly. They always got pets from people in the neighborhood and we didn't worry about it. But, we do live in a very close-knit neighborhood, and most everyone has cats or dogs. Everyone knows which cats/dogs belong to who
 

lokismum

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
7,020
Purraise
10
Location
The North Pole!
Jacob and Löki are indoor kitties, so this wouldn't happen. I do pet kitties that I see outside, but that's it.
 

tigerontheprowl

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
2,512
Purraise
11
Location
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
I live in a safe part of town so I have no problem letting my cats out. Everyone around here knows me and my cats so I don't have to worry too much about them. But when they are out I keep a watchful eye on them. If they stray out of my sight I'll bring them back here but for the most part they stay either in my front yard or my neighbors driveway. When it comes to strangers petting them I'm pretty tolerant but if I see someone trying to grab them or something then I'll bring them inside and ask the person to leave.
 
Top