This cat keeps hanging around our backyard..

For the past week or so this cat has been visiting us daily. I don't think he's a stray; when I put out a little bit of food and water just in case he wasn't very interested, just nibbled here and there. But every time I come out he meows at me and circles me, rubbing up against me and when I sit down he'll often climb into my lap and curl up, purring happily. And when I go back inside he'll meow at me from the window for a few minutes before laying by the back door (he leaves eventually, but always comes back every now and then.

I also have a cat, Henry that goes in the backyard in the morning. The other cat seems very interested in Henry; he'll trot after him and mew at him, and even though Henry is clearly displeased with it, he (the other cat) will just sit/lay down in front of Henry and watch him even if Henry starts to hiss. (Don't worry, I never leave them alone). And if Henry's inside he'll mew at him through the window-- until Henry or, more often than not, Callie (my other cat) hisses and hits the window with her paw.

Anyway.. I'm just wondering why this cat randomly showed up and is so persistent? Are his owners out of town maybe? I've never encountered a more affectionate cat (he seemed quite trusting/non-skittish from the start). Just not sure what to do I guess..
Here's a picture, by the way (he's gorgeous)--http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/2189/dfsdg1qz6.png

How old do you think he is? Maybe he was an outdoor kitten and is looking for some well needed attention and affection. It also sounds like a great relationship with your other cats, especially outdoor kitty! If he isn't seeming very hungry or thirsty, chances are he is someones very affectionate kitty, or your neighbors feel the same way about him and are also feeding him! Some kitties, though few, are very easy going, generally affectionate kits! Sounds like a great visiting friend!

You're story is funny, as we have been having a tuxedo cat hanging around on our porch. If we are on the porch, he'll want to have us pet him. (I think he belongs to an older couple a few houses down.) He is really friendly and will mew outside our door. He has even peeked into our windows at Ares and Hypnos and mewed at them. (They are indoor cats and I don't even think they have noticed him to be honest ) Yesterday, Keith and I were leaving to do some shopping. He was on the porch and tried to slip into the house!!! (That would be a recipe for disaster.) I would never let him meet our cats, but I often wonder if he wants playmates? I really have no advice, but agree that your visitor's behaviour is bizarro

In my case, friendly strangers have come around but always shooed away by my territorial alphas. It is not uncommon really. I have two very curious and friendly cats who have visited my neighbors although not on a regular basis since they too have cats as territorial as mine.

I'm not sure how old he is.. But he certainly looks fully grown. Maybe 2 years or so?

I've seen other cats around the neighborhood on a regular basis, just not this one (until last week) which is why I wondered if his owners were gone (hopefully not permanently) or something like that, but apparently he's getting fed somewhere, so.
I marvel at his patience, though; one day he was out there for 3 whole hours following/sitting in front of henry as calm as a monk, doing the sloow-blinky eyes at him.. whereas Henry hisses, stares and tries to sneak away unsuccessfully. Callie's met him too (which didn't go well), but for some reason Henry is the object of interest here.

We moved into a new home and had a visitor kitty - obviously owned by someone because she had a flea collar on. We took it off and applied Advantage. She looked very healthy, and was very friendly and talkative. We took pictures of her, printed them out (on regular paper), wrote a note with our phone number on it, and stuffed the thing into all our neighbor's mailboxes. We don't live in a block-grid layout - if we did, I'd have gone out in a three block radius. We just went a mile up both ways on our road.

Her owners called. We confirmed she's spayed, and we explained why we removed the flea collar. They were sweet, and offered to pay for the Advantage. We just delivered the rest of the treatments to their mailbox. She's an indoor-outdoor kitty, and we just give her pets when she's around - but now we know who she belongs to.

If no one had called, we would have trapped her and gotten her to the vet to be spayed. Then we would have either tried to adopt her out, or taken care of her as an outside kitty.

Laurie