My Cat Keeps Going to the Neighbour's House
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 11:45 am
So, I never thought I'd have to come to a forum for this issue but I'm running out of ideas (not that I had any in the first place) on how to remedy this issue.
I currently have two cats living in my house, both two years old, that have been living with me since they were 8 / 9 weeks old. They're actually related (mother's are sisters) but that's not too important. When they were introduced they lived alongside my older cat, who would've been about 11 at the time, but he passed two months ago. I mention that because that's around the time when I noticed this issue.
These neighbours are next-door, and their back veranda overlooks my backyard, and my back fence comes right up to their veranda. My cat, Erwin, had always gone over to lounge on their veranda and I never minded because he stayed outside and only really ventured out to soak up the sun and whatnot. My other cat, Levi, never goes outside the yard. He's very homely and pretty much stays inside all day.
After Fluffy, my older cat, passed away and my grandma (who lived with us) went into nursing, Erwin hasn't really spent much time at home. I didn't notice at first, because we have a fully-furnished but uninhabited upstairs where he used to hang about and sleep, but I realized a few weeks ago that he isn't staying up there anymore. Now, I'd noticed the neighbours feeding him once or twice and I've always told them to stop but they're that type of old-people who don't really listen to you, so they'd either ignore me or just forget or cave to his mewing. He's been going over more and more and it's gotten to the point where I have to physically lock the cat-door to make him stay inside, because I can only call him over for breakfast and dinner and as soon as he's got it he shoots right out and over to their house.
It's like he doesn't live with me anymore. I feel like I'm the neighbour getting visited by someone else's cat. And Erwin's not as affectionate as he used to be. He wasn't overtly cuddly to begin with, but he won't even entertain the idea of curling up on my bed, in my room or anywhere near me. And what's worse, is that the neighbours let it slip that he comes into their house at night and sleeps with them in their beds! And worse, still, is that the nieghbours have a cat already and they have a cat door built in, so Erwin has access whether I like it or not, and the poor other cat probably has to deal with my buddy invading his space all the time.
And for those who are wondering, he and Levi get along just fine. They play fight sometimes but never go out of their way to avoid one another and aren't overtly violent. They're perfectly content sitting together and hanging around the other. I'm only away from the house when I'm at school and whenever I decide to head to the shops, but I'm usually at home so I don't really consider his need for their company justified. And I had to call him (loudly) for a good 10 minutes after school today because he would not leave their house. (read: it took 10 minutes of me screaming for them to get the hint and shoo him off).
To them this doesn't seem like too big of an issue, but my cat is never at home, barely lets me pet him and only comes home for food, meanwhile for them he cuddles up in their living room and sleeps in their beds and eats their food! Is there anything I can do to get my cat back? Or any way I can approach them that'll make them stop letting him into their house?
I currently have two cats living in my house, both two years old, that have been living with me since they were 8 / 9 weeks old. They're actually related (mother's are sisters) but that's not too important. When they were introduced they lived alongside my older cat, who would've been about 11 at the time, but he passed two months ago. I mention that because that's around the time when I noticed this issue.
These neighbours are next-door, and their back veranda overlooks my backyard, and my back fence comes right up to their veranda. My cat, Erwin, had always gone over to lounge on their veranda and I never minded because he stayed outside and only really ventured out to soak up the sun and whatnot. My other cat, Levi, never goes outside the yard. He's very homely and pretty much stays inside all day.
After Fluffy, my older cat, passed away and my grandma (who lived with us) went into nursing, Erwin hasn't really spent much time at home. I didn't notice at first, because we have a fully-furnished but uninhabited upstairs where he used to hang about and sleep, but I realized a few weeks ago that he isn't staying up there anymore. Now, I'd noticed the neighbours feeding him once or twice and I've always told them to stop but they're that type of old-people who don't really listen to you, so they'd either ignore me or just forget or cave to his mewing. He's been going over more and more and it's gotten to the point where I have to physically lock the cat-door to make him stay inside, because I can only call him over for breakfast and dinner and as soon as he's got it he shoots right out and over to their house.
It's like he doesn't live with me anymore. I feel like I'm the neighbour getting visited by someone else's cat. And Erwin's not as affectionate as he used to be. He wasn't overtly cuddly to begin with, but he won't even entertain the idea of curling up on my bed, in my room or anywhere near me. And what's worse, is that the neighbours let it slip that he comes into their house at night and sleeps with them in their beds! And worse, still, is that the nieghbours have a cat already and they have a cat door built in, so Erwin has access whether I like it or not, and the poor other cat probably has to deal with my buddy invading his space all the time.
And for those who are wondering, he and Levi get along just fine. They play fight sometimes but never go out of their way to avoid one another and aren't overtly violent. They're perfectly content sitting together and hanging around the other. I'm only away from the house when I'm at school and whenever I decide to head to the shops, but I'm usually at home so I don't really consider his need for their company justified. And I had to call him (loudly) for a good 10 minutes after school today because he would not leave their house. (read: it took 10 minutes of me screaming for them to get the hint and shoo him off).
To them this doesn't seem like too big of an issue, but my cat is never at home, barely lets me pet him and only comes home for food, meanwhile for them he cuddles up in their living room and sleeps in their beds and eats their food! Is there anything I can do to get my cat back? Or any way I can approach them that'll make them stop letting him into their house?