Neighbor luring my cat off my property

Idk if this is in the right section of forum But I need advice. I have indoor outdoor kitties. They have their own kitty door to come and go as they please. They spend most of the day outdoors but come in to eat and sleep at night. 1 of my cats has recently been roaming to a neighbors patIo. My others cats are too scared to leave my property. Well these neighbors know the cat is mine, she has a collar and a tag that has cats name, and my number and address on it. I have spoken with them and told them I was worried about my cat and they said they didnt mind my cat being on their patio or dock. I even told them I didn't want neighbors feeding or allowing my cat in their house as I was trying to keep her home. She was going there for a few hrs then coming back and staying inside my house. Well, i found out yesterday when I went to get my cat after she had been gone for 2 days, that they have been feeding her and bringing her indoors since the day she was roaming off my property. They were putting out large bowls and plates of food and she is becoming overweight now and not touching any of the food I put out. With it being cold at night, she always came in and didn't go outside except during the few hrs of warm weather. It's gone from 24 hrs not coming home to 48 hrs not coming home. I have to repeatedly go to neighbors house, which is across a thin strip of woods to get my cat and they continue to keep putting food out. How do I stop this and keep my cat indoors? I don't want to lock her in a room or a crate but she bolts out the door if no one is holding her. And last time I went to get her she refused to come near me at all and I had to harness and carry her back home. I know the neighbors may think she's beautiful, but she's not their cat and they already have indoor cats. They even had nerve to ask me if she would be going into heat becuz they wanted kittens to take care of. She's too old to have kittens and I have the kittens from her only 2 litters which are now adult cats. She's a purebred Norwegian forest cat. She is also a calico. They started putting out large bowls and plates of food and water after they walked by my place and saw my cats on my porch. I have a dog so I can't prevent the dog outdoor access just to keep my cat indoors. My only option seems to be to confine her to a room with scratching post, litter box, food and water, and plenty of toys. Do I call someone on the neighbors for purposely luring my cat to their property and bringing her into their house around their cats? Or do I just continue to tell them to stop feeding my cat and taking her in like that?

Because your cat is going to their property, there isn't a lot you can do. I think the only thing to do is to keep her home and take her out on a harness. Could you fence in an area outside for her?

You should also know that cats can get pregnant at any age. She is not too old, and should really, really be spayed if she is allowed outside.

talkingpeanut said:

Because your cat is going to their property, there isn't a lot you can do. I think the only thing to do is to keep her home and take her out on a harness. Could you fence in an area outside for her?

You should also know that cats can get pregnant at any age. She is not too old, and should really, really be spayed if she is allowed outside.

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I agree with everything said here. She really should not be outside at all especially if she is not spayed. It is dangerous. IMO the neighbors are the least of your concerns. My cats are not  allowed outside ever but if they were, I'd rather have them visit someone who obviously cares about them than someone who would cause them harm. Are there other cats in the area that they feed or is the food that they put out just for your cat? 

Unless the cat is something like 16 years old, she's not too old to have kittens. If she isn't spayed, is allowed outside, and doesn't get pregnant, she may have something wrong inside her, you should have that checked out.

Anyway, your neighbors have as much right to put cat food out as you do. If your cat goes over there that's not their problem. If you don't want your cat going anywhere you should take steps to keep her on your property. Keep her inside, build an enclosure, etc. It is the animal owner's responsibility to keep their animals on their own property, not the neighbor's responsibility to change their habits to avoid attracting the animals.

Willowy said:

Anyway, your neighbors have as much right to put cat food out as you do. If your cat goes over there that's not their problem. If you don't want your cat going anywhere you should take steps to keep her on your property. Keep her inside, build an enclosure, etc. It is the animal owner's responsibility to keep their animals on their own property, not the neighbor's responsibility to change their habits to avoid attracting the animals.

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Gosh, I could not disagree more. The OP has specifically asked these people not to feed her cat & they are disregarding her wishes. They even let her cat inside their house. My outdoor cats roam to my next door neighbors occasionally. My neighbors ignore them completely because my cats do.not.belong.to.them.

Primula said:

Gosh, I could not disagree more. The OP has specifically asked these people not to feed her cat & they are disregarding her wishes. They even let her cat inside their house. My outdoor cats roam to my next door neighbors occasionally. My neighbors ignore them completely because my cats do.not.belong.to.them.

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What if they are feeding other outdoor cats? Should they not eat because her cat wanders over to their house? As for them letting the cat in, is the cat going in on her own or are they openly inviting/luring her in? 

If the OP does not want her cat going to their house, there is only one way to prevent it. Keep her in the house. If she wants to give her outside time, she can teach her cat to go for walks outside using a harness and leash or by enclosing an area in her own yard for her cat to use. 

Kat0121 said:

What if they are feeding other outdoor cats? Should they not eat because her cat wanders over to their house? As for them letting the cat in, is the cat going in on her own or are they openly inviting/luring her in? 

If the OP does not want her cat going to their house, there is only one way to prevent it. Keep her in the house. If she wants to give her outside time, she can teach her cat to go for walks outside using a harness and leash or by enclosing an area in her own yard for her cat to use. 

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I still disagree. These people have blatantly disregarded the OP's wishes - indeed, they have done the exact opposite of what she wants. Not the way I would have handled it if I were the neighbors.

Well, sure, it would be nice if the neighbors respected the cat owner's wishes. But they made it pretty clear they aren't going to. And the cat owner has no control over that. By law, it is the animal owner's responsibility to keep their animals on their own property. I, for one, am not going to stop feeding my ferals even if the neighbor's cat decides she likes my food better.

They take any animal not with a collar on to the animal shelter. They put out the food and water to lure and trap cats over and then take them away.. But mine has a collar with ID tag and they keep thinking they can use my cat to breed with their male cats they have. She's old and can't really be handled and I am telling them tonight that she is my cat, not to come on my property and not to lure or bring my cat or any of my other ones off my property and telling them that I don't appreciate them shaving my cat and cutting her fur. I live in a secluded area that is a good walk away from their place. I'll be taking her to get vet treated and will be confining her to a part of my home where she cannot get outside. I went to get my cat once and caught them trying to pick her up and bring her inside.

I agree with Kat0121 and Willowy, so I'm going to add my voice as well.

Yes, it'd be great if neighbors were neighbors like they were in my grandparents neighborhood/era. But that's just not how the world is any more and that has to be accepted.

That's not being uncaring, that's just being realistic. That's just one of the dangers of allowing any pet to roam free. 

I'm not being mean to Malý Hezký by keeping them inside. I'm keeping them safe.

melbox said:

They take any animal not with a collar on to the animal shelter. They put out the food and water to lure and trap cats over and then take them away.. But mine has a collar with ID tag and they keep thinking they can use my cat to breed with their male cats they have. She's old and can't really be handled and I am telling them tonight that she is my cat, not to come on my property and not to lure or bring my cat or any of my other ones off my property and telling them that I don't appreciate them shaving my cat and cutting her fur. I live in a secluded area that is a good walk away from their place. I'll be taking her to get vet treated and will be confining her to a part of my home where she cannot get outside. I went to get my cat once and caught them trying to pick her up and bring her inside.

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I'm sorry you have to do that and are having that experience.

Just to people who are quoting law and saying the world isn't that way. Without know where the OP is you can't say what's law. It varies from region to region.

As to neighbors behavior. I am in Southern California about 40 miles from LA in a large city. We have 3 universities, 1 college, 3 major freeways, 4 high schools (graduating classes of 1000-2000 students) just to give a picture. My sisters cat is indoor/outdoor and he visits her neighbors who homeschool everyday. He watches them in their class (on the enclosed patio) and hangs out most of the day. Her neighbors know it's her cat and don't feed him. She gave them his treat jar and refills it so they can treat him (but no more than 3 a day). My cats are indoor/outdoor and Link is the problem child. Everyone loves him but I've told my neighbors he is on a special diet and gets sick if he eats different food. Which is sorta true. He's been grain free his whole life and when someone fed him a grain food he had diarrhea. I keep a small jar of treats next to the front porch and if a neighbor wants to give him a treat they can. It works well and only one really does come over to treat him. But one neighbor did want to take him in because he's pretty. I talked with the and explained that if they wanted to pay his vet bills and special food costs they could and call him theirs or they could enjoy his visits, not feed him and not let him inside. They decided for the enjoying his company option but that's also knowing that neighbor is cheap and never had a pet survive more than a year. If it had been someone who wouldn't listen I would probably have to take the OP route or cat proof the yard to keep him in. Which just would suck. But I think that's more of a single idiot then saying it's how our society is. All my neighbors are friendly and we talk. One guy takes care of lawns for the seniors for free and will do ours when we are on vacation. We talk. We interact. It's not the time it the lack of people wanting to interact outside of cell phones.

i have had her for 2 yrs. she was someone's show cat so she spent her early yrs carted around in a kennel to cat shows and never let outside or treated like a companion. I guess Owners thought she was getting too old and when they moved they just put her out and I rescued her. She's a loving cat and acts as kinda a mommy to my other cats and loves people and attention. Shes considered a senior cat and I don't mind that she goes to a neighbors to visit but it's not right if she is forced into someone's home and allowed to be bullied by a bunch of unaltered male cats and for her to be badly groomed when I handle the grooming. They were giving her people food. things like steak, turkey, fish, and putting it in huge Tupperware bowls. After catching them in the act and telling them nicely not to be giving her that stuff even tho their cats can handle it. She was on a specific diet that they knew about and I gave them lists of her diet and her allergies. I recently found out also that these people's kids have been patrolling my property and neighbors during the day and then showing up at night and luring their animals off of property or pelting with BBs. And law had been called on the kids multiple times by other neighbors. So it may end up with legal dispute if they continue. My other cats are smart and refuse to even go outside unless I'm outside. Where I live it's a strict policy against animal cruelty.

It does not sound safe for her to go outside. You are doing the right thing keeping her in.

How old is she?

Beautiful cat! If you see those BB guns out, there are usually strict laws against using them in the city limits, or within so far from a house outside the limits. I would call the police EVERY time you see them, eventually either the police or the kids will get tired of the calls and stop or confiscate the guns. If your cat is outside, there is little to be done about controlling what she gets into or eats unless you are with her. I would get a kennel or cage built to let them enjoy the outside without the dangers, or keep them inside. I have several neighborhood cats that show up at feeding time, I'm sure their owners don't care they are being fed, they don't give them a warm place to sleep all winter, at least they have a full stomach. You care, but it is still up to you to keep her from danger or eating wrong, and I would keep her in fro her own protection. All the luck!

I have kept her inside for a week now. She is miserable not being able to go outside. Thanks to what those people did she now stays stuck to me, or she hides in my bathroom or bedroom. She has a UTI, she has only pooped once since I have kept her inside, she howls and digs at the door wanting out. For some reason her fur keeps getting greasy and looking like I had just given her a bath. She also has huge thick scabs on her neck, top of head, Base of tail, and her nails were clipped so short it looks like she's been declawed, her fur was sheered really short too. They made my poor Kitty sick.

melbox said:

I have kept her inside for a week now. She is miserable not being able to go outside. Thanks to what those people did she now stays stuck to me, or she hides in my bathroom or bedroom. She has a UTI, she has only pooped once since I have kept her inside, she howls and digs at the door wanting out. For some reason her fur keeps getting greasy and looking like I had just given her a bath. She also has huge thick scabs on her neck, top of head, Base of tail, and her nails were clipped so short it looks like she's been declawed, her fur was sheered really short too. They made my poor Kitty sick.

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Have you taken her to the vet?

Greasy fur can be a sign of hyperthyroid. Better get her to the vet for a blood test.

Vet told me to watch her diet and give her a mix of soft and dry food. She's getting better. Bathroom problem is going away and she is no longer feeling the need to hide. Her fur is back to being soft fluffy. She's still a little under the weather but she's getting better.