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People Are Sharing Photos Of Their Best ‘My House, Not My Cat’ Encounters (40 New Pics)
InterviewHave you ever had a cat just show up at your doorstep and act like it's their house? It's a strange, yet amusing occurrence that seems to happen to a lot of people. These "home invaders," as we like to call them, are usually friendly and well-fed, leading us to believe that they may have a home somewhere, but they seem to enjoy the thrill of visiting new places and making themselves at home.
If you're a cat lover, then you'll definitely want to check out the Facebook group "My house, not my cat." This group is filled with hilarious and heartwarming photos of random cats who have decided to visit people's houses and make themselves at home.
As a member of the group, you can share your own photos of unexpected cat visitors and read the funny and heartwarming stories of other feline lovers. It's a great way to connect with other cat lovers and appreciate the quirky and lovable nature of our feline friends.
When you're done checking out these feline intruders, be sure to take a look at Bored Panda's previous posts about the group (click here for part 1, part 2, and part 3).
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This Girl Often Sneaks Into My House, Eats My Cats Food, Naps On My Favorite Chair And Violently Tries To Style My Morning Bed Head While Try To Peacefully Drink Coffee. She Is Not My Cat. She Is Chaos
My Orange Boy Brought Home A Boy. You All Could Have At Least Put A Tie On The Door. Judging By How Close They Are, I’m The Last One To Meet This Dark, Handsome Stranger
Came Home From Kroger To Hear Some Screaming, And Found This Little Guy Running Around
Bored Panda reached out to a cat behaviorist Kasia with some questions regarding our furry friends. The cat behaviorist gave us some insights into why cats are likely to be attracted to visiting new places outside of their own homes and territory.
"Cats are naturally curious animals and they have a strong instinct to explore their environment. They are also territorial animals, and they like to mark their territory by leaving their scent in new areas. So one possible explanation for why cats like to visit new places is that they are naturally drawn to the unfamiliar territory as a way to explore and potentially claim it as their own." Kasia shared with us.
My Bathroom, My Lap, Not My Cat. I Got Home From Work At 6am And This Guy Decided To Follow Me Inside. Oh! And He Has Some Extra Toe Beans
My Kitchen…. Absolutely Not My Cat…. Think She’s Expecting Food?
I Have Been Holed Up At Home Sick For The Last Week. My Cat Will Have Nothing To Do With Me. I Sat Out On The Back Patio This Morning For Some Fresh Air And Sunshine, Feeling Pretty Sorry For Myself. Along Came Our 'Not Cat' From Over The Back Fence. To Keep Me Company. Yeay For My Not Cat!
"Cats also have a keen sense of smell and may be attracted to new scents and textures in unfamiliar places. Additionally, cats are predators and may be drawn to new areas because they sense the presence of prey, such as small animals or insects.
Another factor that might come in to play is cats' genetics and early experiences, some cats tend to be more curious and adventurous while others are more content with staying close to home.
Overall, the desire to explore and investigate new places is a natural instinct for cats, and it is an important part of their well-being."
We Generally Leave Our Bathroom Window Open At Night For Ventilation And Bathroom Door Shut To Keep The Rest Of The House From Getting Cold… Switched On The Light - Opened The Door
He Walked In And Made Himself At Home. Is This A Halloween Blessing?! My House, Not My Cat
This Wondrous Lovebug Just Strolled Right In To The Meeting House We Were Doing Our Game Night At. Apparently He Lives At One Of The Surrounding Businesses And Has Decided He Owns The Street
Given the topic of this article, we asked the cat behaviorist if perhaps she could share some tips on how those of us who are allergic or simply don't want uninvited guests in our house could prevent the felines from coming in.
"If you don't want cats visiting your home, there are a few things you can do to discourage them." She said. "What happens the most often from my experience is that people leave trash that is easily accessible for curious cats to reach. Keep your trash securely covered: Cats are often attracted to garbage because it contains food scraps and other interesting smells. Keeping your trash in a securely covered container can help keep cats away."
We Have Enjoyed Our Daily Visitor To Our House For Months
Today we noticed the owners had moved out of their house and our 'not cat' was gone. We spent the day in mourning for our cute little visitor. I broke the news to my son, as he loved being greeted by him each afternoon. Then, late in the afternoon.....This happened! He either came back to visit or he was left behind. He will be will looked after
My House, My Bedroom, My Bed. Not My Cat
My Hotel Room, Not My Cat. Monkey Is The Sweetest Boy. If I Knew The Hotel Room Came With A Cat I Would’ve Asked If I Could Pay More
"If you don't want cats in your house or yard you could also try removing some of the shelter options: If there are areas of your yard that provide shelter or hiding spots for cats, such as bushes, trees, or sheds, try to remove or trim them down." Kasia shared.
"Lastly, if you really want to keep the purrfect intruders away you can use scent deterrents. Cats have a strong sense of smell and can be deterred by certain scents. Some people have had success using citrus or mint-scented sprays or placing citrus peels around their property."
He Comes, Takes A Nap And Leaves. No Idea Where He Comes From
I would leave a warm blanket like that out all the time in my house if it would attract a handsome kitten friend that way
This Fuzzy Boy (I Think) Had A Sudden Urge To Check His Email. This Is My Computer. This Is Not My Cat
Meet Mikey, First Time He Came A Few Months Back, Now He Regularly Visits Me, Gets Cuddles, Eats, Sleeps Like There's No Tomorrow, He Seems Like He Was Someone's Pet But No Collar, No Chip. He's Adorable. He Owns The House As His Own I Love Him So Much And Get Sad When He Doesn't Come
And for those of you who happened to find the fluffy intruders in your house, here are some tips on how to act if you spot one that you do not recognize!
"If you find yourself with an unexpected feline visitor, there are a few things you can do to help the cat and ensure that it is taken care of. First, check for identification: If the cat has a collar and ID tags, contact the owner to let them know where the cat has been found. If the cat is microchipped, it may be a good idea to take it to a vet or animal shelter to be scanned for a chip if you are sure this isn't just your neighbor's cat paying you a visit." Kasia said.
Our Long-Term MHNMC Had Some Babies
Ooh. I'll have the grey & white one. And the black one. And the other one. Gosh-darn-it, I want them all. You can never have too many cats.
I started reading your comment in disbelief "what? just one?? are you insane???". Then I read until the end and it's okay. I had a cuppa and I am calm now.
Load More Replies...Oopsie poopsie. I try to TNR all my mhnmc cats. 13 the last 3 years and counting.
I had a friend whose cat had a litter once and they didn't know who got her cat pregnant until she saw the random orange kitten amongst all the white ones... then she knew. 😂 was quite funny. He immediately got neutered after that oopsie. I'm guessing either dad or mom is grey.
Please although kittens are sure enough cute, we need to start fix'n our male and female cats. Let's get a do'n folks.
I love how you never can have just a one cat, they always comes in packages, one way or another
Ahhhhh... she brought you her babies 😍. I have a family like that, kept them all 😁
I’ll take that one, & this one, & that one too, plus the other one & that one.
Oh gosh - they are adorable! I took in two kittens that were born to a wild cat in my area and caught them from under my neighbour’s porch where there mama abandoned them this summer. I strongly suspect the father is this wandering barn cat I feed periodically.
AAAAMMMYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD GIMME ALL OF THEM TOOO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
My House, My Shoes. Not My Cat Asleep With His Face In Them
I Was Wondering Why This Plant Had Died. Get Home From Work…. Not Our Cat, But Enjoying The Sunshine Nonetheless!
"If the cat seems stressed make sure to provide a safe space as well as complimentary food and water before it calms down. And most importantly, be patient! Cats can be shy and skittish around unfamiliar people and environments. Give the cat time to adjust to its new surroundings and try to avoid overwhelming it with too much attention."
Our House, Not Our Cat
We Had A Bad Leak In Our Bathroom That Resulted In A Lot Of Water Damage Downstairs So I Left The Back Door Open Every Day To Air The Hall... And This Little One Started Walking In Every Single Day And Making Herself Very At Home
This Is Newton
After about 2 months of him showing up twice a day for food because I thought he was a feral, he showed up with this lovely ribbon and note attached to him, letting me know he has a home. Poor newton got caught he still stops by every day. I think he thinks this is his house, too
That's a great story!! I didn't use a ribbon, but When I told my neighbor the cat she has been feeding is mine, she picked it up and wouldn't let me take him home. She has two of my cats now...I shouldn't be on this thread. :( It's killing me.....for real. *slams the door on her way out*
Husband Was Grilling Chicken On Our Porch With Our Poodle. “Mike” The Cat Belongs To The Neighbor But Thinks Our House Is Pretty Cool. We Live On 3-4 Acres Per House So He Makes A Significant Trip To Visit
This Gorgeous Boy Keeps Visiting! Although He Knows Hes Not Allowed In The House He Does Try!!! Ive Named Him Mr Big Balls... I Think You Can Figure Out Why
This Is My House, I Have 2 Cats, Neither Of Them Ginger
I Have Two Cats. Not These Two Though
He Found The Tuna Cupboard And Bravely Went For It. The Only Issue Is That I Have Never Seen Him Before In My Life
My Desk, My Laptop And My Knees… But Definitely Not My Cat. And Was Absolutely No Help Marking. Sadly
We Do Not Own A Cat, Yet The Footstool Under My Desk (Or At Least The Blanket On It) Has Apparently Become The Place To Be For The Neighbours' Cats
"Hey Henry have you heard about the blanket stool at the blue house...you've got to try it"
This Is My House. I Do Not Have A Cat
Glad I Bought New Patio For Not My Cat!
We Own A Duplex. My Daughter Lives Next Door With My Grandson. Orange Cat Is My Daughter's The Other Cat Is Not Ours. He Walked In Like He Owned The Place. We Call Him Sneakers
Not A Thought In His Head. Not A Care In The World. My Yard, My Chair, Not My Cat. (Yes, He Is Alive. I Checked)
One Of My All Time Favourite Photos Of Our Neighbour's Orange Boys Being Little Creepers. Ivan (White And Orange) Tends To Show Up After It Rains For Whatever Reason And Loves Belly Rubs. Leo (The Window Licker) Meows Like He's Telling You All The Latest Gossip And Makes Grumbling Noises If You Touch Him While He's Eating
My House, My Door, Not My Cat. What Does He Want?
My House, My Dining Room, My Armchair. Very Much Not My Cat. In Fact He's Not Anyone's Cat. He's A Very Spicy Feral. Handsome Though
My Fridge, Not My Cat
One Of My Neighbor's Cats Just Making Himself Comfortable In My House
'my House Not My Cat' Had A Sixth Sense That It Was Steak Night And Volunteered To Be The Official Taste Tester
My House, Not My Cats. But They Are Such Good Cats
Not Our Cat, Assisting Me With A Charity Yoga Challenge And Getting Comfy In Our Son's Room. He's Called Zimba (The Cat, Not My Son). We Don't Feed Him But He Drops By For Tummy Rubs About 10 Times A Day
I can't believe how many people let their cats wander around outside and into other people's yards, houses, cars, etc. I think that is pretty irresponsible. My sister used to do this and the coyotes would kill them. I always said she wasn't raising cats she was raising coyote treats. Keep your darn cats inside, other people may not like them using their flower beds as litter boxes.
It's a super common thing here that cats go outside. There's no wild animals here. Don't judge people for doing do. Not every country/city has coyotes or other dangers. My neighbors cat comes to visit me a few times a week. She cuddles with me on the couch and goes home at night, is well taken care off and fed. Just living her best live getting attention from multiple people ☺️ Not all cats are meant to be inside imo.
Load More Replies...Just a tiny reminder since many comments say “take the cat it’s yours now”. Cats are notoriously “unfaithful” but it suck’s when someone assume they can claim your cat just because he likes visiting your house. My old cat loved visiting neighbours, was not funny when I had to pay new neighbours for al cat-stuff they bought for “their new indoor cat” that just happened to be our goofy fluff for him to be released
Yes. When I was a child we had an indoor outdoor cat. One day the little girl down the street tried to tell me it was her cat! Just because the cat visited in the daytime. I was like - I don't think so!
Load More Replies...Cats love their homes and their humans but may be very social. Please check to see if it's someone else's cat. Our neighbor lost her cat to someone who decided "friendly cat now my cat" and it was sheer luck they found each other again! Reiterate: PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT IS YOUR CAT NOW. Check for chips, check around, but do not think a cat is yours until you have established 1. it is without willing human owner and 2. it needs your home.
Absolutely! Day one my neighbors cat walked inside my living room I took a picture and put it in the neighborhood's app before giving it anything. Owners were found immediately and told me she was super social and asked me not the feed her. Which I still don't but for the past year she visits me several times a week. Cuddles with me on the couch for hours and then goes home again. I'm loving every minute of it. When I'll be selling my house in a few months I'll have to make sure the new owners love cats too 😅
Load More Replies...If you have a notmycat repeatedly visiting and want to keep it, the easiest way to find out if it's free to take is to buy a cat collar with a message capsule. Then write in: Is this your cat? Please call and then your number. If it has an owner they'll see the capsule and hopefully call you, then you know for sure. If it walks around and wears the collar but no one calls, it's most likely an abandoned cat or a runaway who don't belong to the neighborhood. You can then take them to the vet and have them look for a chip and give them a heads up to ask around if someone misses a cat. I'd also tell the lokal shelter that you found a cat and intend to keep it, but are willing to give it back if the owners are looking for it. But at that point it's very unlikely that anyone ever comes.
As a kid we had a cat for 3 years. Went missing, then 18 months later turned up like he'd been gone 5 minutes, wanted feeding a complained his bed in the corner was gone.
I don’t get random cats cause of my dogs but I have 4 and one of the females comes home smelling like an old lady a few times a week. I live i. The middle of nowhere in the forest. And my closest neighbors aren’t old women.
So I Am not the only person who has smelled their cats lovely fur and said "Where the heck have you BEEN??" lol!
Load More Replies...I'm not allowed to go outside or open the doors because cats want to adopt me! There was a small tear in our patio slider screen and a tiny pregnant cat insisted this was her door and walked into our living room and sat and looked at us like "do you gave food". No we didn't, yes, we went to the 24 hour grocery store to get her food and a litter box and kept 2 of her 5 babies. Then a Maine C00n adopted my mom by sitting under our corn hole game. Then a tiny tortoiseshell tried to adopt us 2 days before my foot surgery. She climbed up my walking boot to get to my face. Luckily an amazing woman my husband worked with took her in. (We searched for the owners on all cats and found no one. They were all happy to be indoor cats so I don't know how they got here)
Where do u live cause I would love to be there if u have so many cat encounters (not actually asking where u live lol)
Load More Replies...I believe that cats should be kept indoors, and if they do go outdoors, it should be in an enclosed area like a catio. Yes cats do have a negative effect on the local wildlife, and unfortunately you do get people who are very cruel and put out poison because cats dig in their gardens to do their business. I also believe you should always neuter your pets, this obviously stops cats from wandering around looking for mates. Any cat can get used to being kept indoors, just make sure to provide them with enrichment so that they don't get bored.
If they are already feral it's very hard to make them happy in your home if they're afraid of humans. In such cases take them to the vet, have them neutered and treated for any diseases or ailments they may have and let them go. Some supposed ferals may actually have once been pets and can easily settle back into a family home but if they stay wild they will never be happy. It's alway a case by case situation, always decide which is best for the cat's happiness.
Load More Replies...These cats are just trying to find a place to feel safe. That’s why so many come by just to nap. They feel safe enough in your house and around you to let their guard down and sleep.
I remember one time we found this stray cat who was very skinny, we took her to the vet and she didn't have any of those chip tags things that can identify them, we took her home and fed her and tried to see if we could take her in, sadly our other 3 cats didn't like her, but then we had a stroke of genius, we called my grandfather who lives alone no pets and asked him if he could watch her for a little while, he said OK and we went to the store to buy a litter box, cat toys, and food for her, we told him where to go to get more litter and food and stuff, and then one day he called us saying, is it OK if I keep her, we were like hell yeah, that being our plan the whole time. Now he face times us every day to tell us what they did that day and how shes doing. hes now had her for five years.
I'm not allowed pets at my house but I mean,,, if they just show up for a visit who am I to decline? That'd be horribly inhospitable.
Load More Replies...You don't get to the top of the most invasive species list by waiting for an invitation!
My Not My Cat is a fluffy black girl kitty that used to belong to our neighbors but left bc their dog didn't like her. She has to live outside as our male cat doesn't like her but we feed her and she loves affection.
I already have two cats, but i which another one would do this to me.. cats are just 👌👌
I haven't had random cats in my home, but I've had cats follow me home. I've got lots of videos of my cat friends and I always feel really special when it happens
My husband has the same problem. ALL cats just adore him. I think it's cute and funny.
Load More Replies...When I was young neighbors moved and left their cat behind. Heavily abused. We took him in. He was 3 at the time. He recently died at the beautiful age of 24. Spent his last 10 years with my parents in France. Running through fields and sleeping in front of the stove. 🥰 Never understood the abuse (obviously) or leaving him behind. He was the sweetest cat ever and he'll forever be in my heart ❤️
When I was a kid there was a crazy black Manx cat living on our block, his name was De-tail. He liked to go into houses and walk up and down the piano keys.
No reason to be surprised. Cats domesticated themselves by walking in and making themselves at home.
I live out in the woods. A sweet tortie girl came by, obviously hungry, we gave her some chicken scraps. She kept coming back, I realized she was pregnant. She gave birth under our shed to 3 boisterous boys and a beautiful ginger girl the spitting image of her papa. (A skittish ginger tom, rarely seen.) We let her stay to raise them safely, and she honored us with the privilege of watching her babies while she hunted or napped. Then she got preggo again and started the whole process over the next year! (Luckily, we were able to get ginger girl fixed in time.) We turned Mom and babies over to a rescue once the 2nd litter was partly weaned, mostly due to sibling rivalry between the litters. And that is my "my house, not my kitties, but totally my babies" story. All 9 have found lovely homes up north by now.
How exactly do cats get INTO people's houses??? What cat-sized space is open in your exterior walls??
Cats can manage to get in through about anything. My mom had her parrot killed in her living room on the second floor, cat climbed there somehow. I've seen cats getting in through a small rip in a window screen and also opening the doors with their paws or by jumping on a handle of doors that weren't locked
Load More Replies...We shared our neighbors cat when I was a kid. Tiger was called Fred at our house. He would come in the cat door, sleep on our couch, and come for loves. We had to put him out when his staff called him for dinner. He preferred our house to theirs I guess. Fred ignored their calls.
My house is like an attraction park for cats, they come to my front yard and roof in the backyard. Owner or not I always try to befriend and feed them and thanks to that I got to befriend a pregnant calico cat and she left me her babies and the 3 generations after that, kinda adopted a dumped white cat and a black baby (with a full family that feeds him very well) comes and play in our roofs and even came to drink water once XD
Note: So far the ones I have adopted where street cats and I stopped feeding the black cat once I met his owner
Load More Replies...So many posts say “he” showed up. Are males more transient or are people assuming gender?
people tend to see cats as feminine which makes me assume there were a lot of unneutered kitties around
Load More Replies...We had one of those guys that was pretty common at our house. We called him Muta because he looked like the character of the same name from The Cat Returns. the last time I saw him was a few years ago, busting through the cat door during Thanksgiving dinner.
I have three cats, and I once came home and found another cat sitting in my chair. Turned out he was neighbour's.
I have a large grey NotMyCat who we've nicknamed Grayson. My grandparents also have a NotMyCat -- an orange one they've nicknamed Ed.
We had this last year. Big, very friendly black cat who came in, scared our psycho cat, and demanded food. Such a lovely cat. We took him to the vet when he was limping, where the vet found his chip and notified his owners, who came and collected him. His name was Sid, as in Six Dinner Sid as he was always hungry. He kept coming back, we kept calling them to come and get him. You may notice this is all past tense. He used up all his lives and got run over on the busy A road outside our house. It was only a matter of time. Poor Sid, he was a lovely boy
I do believe its safer to keep cats inside but not all cats are happy to be solely inside. About 9yrs ago my 12yr old 15lb orange tabby started sitting at our back door all day, looking out the window & regularly looking at me & meowing. Finally I let him out. He was gone for 2 days & i was sure Id made a terrible mistake. Then he showed up at the back door. He didnt want in, he just want food. Whenever he wants in (cold, rainy, nap-time) he sits at the back door & peeks in the window; I leave the blind on 1 door up about 1’ so i can see him. He’s usually lounging around our yard but he does wander sometimes. He’s collared & chipped. Theres several other cats in our suburban neighborhood (read: houses very close together) that wander during the day but have homes (found this out from my neighbor when i started feeding not-my-cat that showed up in my driveway every day). We’ve the occasional trash panda but theyre almost domesticated. He’s safe, & much happier w/ his outside time.
TL:DR - Dont judge people, and certainly dont accuse them of not taking care of their cat(s) without knowing the facts about that owner and that cat.
Load More Replies...Some communities allow feral colonies to deal with the Mice problem. Mice and rats are the most invasive species on the planet. Cats came in second and then only because we brought them places to deal with the Mice problem..Mice and rats are also damaging to local wildlife, and both traps and poisons only do so much, and are also bad for wildlife. Mice and rats also carry diseases and the local birds of prey can only do so much to keep up with the rodent population. Many farms keep barn cats around for a reason. Sadly there is not always a good solution to a problem. You are forced to decide between getting rid of all outside/feral cats or being safe from another black plague. (I've yet to hear of anyone advocating neuter and release for mice and rats.)
My cats are indoor outdoor the oldest one doesn't like collars so we never made them wear any
My guys are indoor/outdoor. Keep them in to long they WILL rip you to shreds. Literally. No collars tho. We live in the country and I worry enough about them I don't need worry if they hung themselves. I've seen breakaways malfunction.
Load More Replies...I can't believe how many people let their cats wander around outside and into other people's yards, houses, cars, etc. I think that is pretty irresponsible. My sister used to do this and the coyotes would kill them. I always said she wasn't raising cats she was raising coyote treats. Keep your darn cats inside, other people may not like them using their flower beds as litter boxes.
It's a super common thing here that cats go outside. There's no wild animals here. Don't judge people for doing do. Not every country/city has coyotes or other dangers. My neighbors cat comes to visit me a few times a week. She cuddles with me on the couch and goes home at night, is well taken care off and fed. Just living her best live getting attention from multiple people ☺️ Not all cats are meant to be inside imo.
Load More Replies...Just a tiny reminder since many comments say “take the cat it’s yours now”. Cats are notoriously “unfaithful” but it suck’s when someone assume they can claim your cat just because he likes visiting your house. My old cat loved visiting neighbours, was not funny when I had to pay new neighbours for al cat-stuff they bought for “their new indoor cat” that just happened to be our goofy fluff for him to be released
Yes. When I was a child we had an indoor outdoor cat. One day the little girl down the street tried to tell me it was her cat! Just because the cat visited in the daytime. I was like - I don't think so!
Load More Replies...Cats love their homes and their humans but may be very social. Please check to see if it's someone else's cat. Our neighbor lost her cat to someone who decided "friendly cat now my cat" and it was sheer luck they found each other again! Reiterate: PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT IS YOUR CAT NOW. Check for chips, check around, but do not think a cat is yours until you have established 1. it is without willing human owner and 2. it needs your home.
Absolutely! Day one my neighbors cat walked inside my living room I took a picture and put it in the neighborhood's app before giving it anything. Owners were found immediately and told me she was super social and asked me not the feed her. Which I still don't but for the past year she visits me several times a week. Cuddles with me on the couch for hours and then goes home again. I'm loving every minute of it. When I'll be selling my house in a few months I'll have to make sure the new owners love cats too 😅
Load More Replies...If you have a notmycat repeatedly visiting and want to keep it, the easiest way to find out if it's free to take is to buy a cat collar with a message capsule. Then write in: Is this your cat? Please call and then your number. If it has an owner they'll see the capsule and hopefully call you, then you know for sure. If it walks around and wears the collar but no one calls, it's most likely an abandoned cat or a runaway who don't belong to the neighborhood. You can then take them to the vet and have them look for a chip and give them a heads up to ask around if someone misses a cat. I'd also tell the lokal shelter that you found a cat and intend to keep it, but are willing to give it back if the owners are looking for it. But at that point it's very unlikely that anyone ever comes.
As a kid we had a cat for 3 years. Went missing, then 18 months later turned up like he'd been gone 5 minutes, wanted feeding a complained his bed in the corner was gone.
I don’t get random cats cause of my dogs but I have 4 and one of the females comes home smelling like an old lady a few times a week. I live i. The middle of nowhere in the forest. And my closest neighbors aren’t old women.
So I Am not the only person who has smelled their cats lovely fur and said "Where the heck have you BEEN??" lol!
Load More Replies...I'm not allowed to go outside or open the doors because cats want to adopt me! There was a small tear in our patio slider screen and a tiny pregnant cat insisted this was her door and walked into our living room and sat and looked at us like "do you gave food". No we didn't, yes, we went to the 24 hour grocery store to get her food and a litter box and kept 2 of her 5 babies. Then a Maine C00n adopted my mom by sitting under our corn hole game. Then a tiny tortoiseshell tried to adopt us 2 days before my foot surgery. She climbed up my walking boot to get to my face. Luckily an amazing woman my husband worked with took her in. (We searched for the owners on all cats and found no one. They were all happy to be indoor cats so I don't know how they got here)
Where do u live cause I would love to be there if u have so many cat encounters (not actually asking where u live lol)
Load More Replies...I believe that cats should be kept indoors, and if they do go outdoors, it should be in an enclosed area like a catio. Yes cats do have a negative effect on the local wildlife, and unfortunately you do get people who are very cruel and put out poison because cats dig in their gardens to do their business. I also believe you should always neuter your pets, this obviously stops cats from wandering around looking for mates. Any cat can get used to being kept indoors, just make sure to provide them with enrichment so that they don't get bored.
If they are already feral it's very hard to make them happy in your home if they're afraid of humans. In such cases take them to the vet, have them neutered and treated for any diseases or ailments they may have and let them go. Some supposed ferals may actually have once been pets and can easily settle back into a family home but if they stay wild they will never be happy. It's alway a case by case situation, always decide which is best for the cat's happiness.
Load More Replies...These cats are just trying to find a place to feel safe. That’s why so many come by just to nap. They feel safe enough in your house and around you to let their guard down and sleep.
I remember one time we found this stray cat who was very skinny, we took her to the vet and she didn't have any of those chip tags things that can identify them, we took her home and fed her and tried to see if we could take her in, sadly our other 3 cats didn't like her, but then we had a stroke of genius, we called my grandfather who lives alone no pets and asked him if he could watch her for a little while, he said OK and we went to the store to buy a litter box, cat toys, and food for her, we told him where to go to get more litter and food and stuff, and then one day he called us saying, is it OK if I keep her, we were like hell yeah, that being our plan the whole time. Now he face times us every day to tell us what they did that day and how shes doing. hes now had her for five years.
I'm not allowed pets at my house but I mean,,, if they just show up for a visit who am I to decline? That'd be horribly inhospitable.
Load More Replies...You don't get to the top of the most invasive species list by waiting for an invitation!
My Not My Cat is a fluffy black girl kitty that used to belong to our neighbors but left bc their dog didn't like her. She has to live outside as our male cat doesn't like her but we feed her and she loves affection.
I already have two cats, but i which another one would do this to me.. cats are just 👌👌
I haven't had random cats in my home, but I've had cats follow me home. I've got lots of videos of my cat friends and I always feel really special when it happens
My husband has the same problem. ALL cats just adore him. I think it's cute and funny.
Load More Replies...When I was young neighbors moved and left their cat behind. Heavily abused. We took him in. He was 3 at the time. He recently died at the beautiful age of 24. Spent his last 10 years with my parents in France. Running through fields and sleeping in front of the stove. 🥰 Never understood the abuse (obviously) or leaving him behind. He was the sweetest cat ever and he'll forever be in my heart ❤️
When I was a kid there was a crazy black Manx cat living on our block, his name was De-tail. He liked to go into houses and walk up and down the piano keys.
No reason to be surprised. Cats domesticated themselves by walking in and making themselves at home.
I live out in the woods. A sweet tortie girl came by, obviously hungry, we gave her some chicken scraps. She kept coming back, I realized she was pregnant. She gave birth under our shed to 3 boisterous boys and a beautiful ginger girl the spitting image of her papa. (A skittish ginger tom, rarely seen.) We let her stay to raise them safely, and she honored us with the privilege of watching her babies while she hunted or napped. Then she got preggo again and started the whole process over the next year! (Luckily, we were able to get ginger girl fixed in time.) We turned Mom and babies over to a rescue once the 2nd litter was partly weaned, mostly due to sibling rivalry between the litters. And that is my "my house, not my kitties, but totally my babies" story. All 9 have found lovely homes up north by now.
How exactly do cats get INTO people's houses??? What cat-sized space is open in your exterior walls??
Cats can manage to get in through about anything. My mom had her parrot killed in her living room on the second floor, cat climbed there somehow. I've seen cats getting in through a small rip in a window screen and also opening the doors with their paws or by jumping on a handle of doors that weren't locked
Load More Replies...We shared our neighbors cat when I was a kid. Tiger was called Fred at our house. He would come in the cat door, sleep on our couch, and come for loves. We had to put him out when his staff called him for dinner. He preferred our house to theirs I guess. Fred ignored their calls.
My house is like an attraction park for cats, they come to my front yard and roof in the backyard. Owner or not I always try to befriend and feed them and thanks to that I got to befriend a pregnant calico cat and she left me her babies and the 3 generations after that, kinda adopted a dumped white cat and a black baby (with a full family that feeds him very well) comes and play in our roofs and even came to drink water once XD
Note: So far the ones I have adopted where street cats and I stopped feeding the black cat once I met his owner
Load More Replies...So many posts say “he” showed up. Are males more transient or are people assuming gender?
people tend to see cats as feminine which makes me assume there were a lot of unneutered kitties around
Load More Replies...We had one of those guys that was pretty common at our house. We called him Muta because he looked like the character of the same name from The Cat Returns. the last time I saw him was a few years ago, busting through the cat door during Thanksgiving dinner.
I have three cats, and I once came home and found another cat sitting in my chair. Turned out he was neighbour's.
I have a large grey NotMyCat who we've nicknamed Grayson. My grandparents also have a NotMyCat -- an orange one they've nicknamed Ed.
We had this last year. Big, very friendly black cat who came in, scared our psycho cat, and demanded food. Such a lovely cat. We took him to the vet when he was limping, where the vet found his chip and notified his owners, who came and collected him. His name was Sid, as in Six Dinner Sid as he was always hungry. He kept coming back, we kept calling them to come and get him. You may notice this is all past tense. He used up all his lives and got run over on the busy A road outside our house. It was only a matter of time. Poor Sid, he was a lovely boy
I do believe its safer to keep cats inside but not all cats are happy to be solely inside. About 9yrs ago my 12yr old 15lb orange tabby started sitting at our back door all day, looking out the window & regularly looking at me & meowing. Finally I let him out. He was gone for 2 days & i was sure Id made a terrible mistake. Then he showed up at the back door. He didnt want in, he just want food. Whenever he wants in (cold, rainy, nap-time) he sits at the back door & peeks in the window; I leave the blind on 1 door up about 1’ so i can see him. He’s usually lounging around our yard but he does wander sometimes. He’s collared & chipped. Theres several other cats in our suburban neighborhood (read: houses very close together) that wander during the day but have homes (found this out from my neighbor when i started feeding not-my-cat that showed up in my driveway every day). We’ve the occasional trash panda but theyre almost domesticated. He’s safe, & much happier w/ his outside time.
TL:DR - Dont judge people, and certainly dont accuse them of not taking care of their cat(s) without knowing the facts about that owner and that cat.
Load More Replies...Some communities allow feral colonies to deal with the Mice problem. Mice and rats are the most invasive species on the planet. Cats came in second and then only because we brought them places to deal with the Mice problem..Mice and rats are also damaging to local wildlife, and both traps and poisons only do so much, and are also bad for wildlife. Mice and rats also carry diseases and the local birds of prey can only do so much to keep up with the rodent population. Many farms keep barn cats around for a reason. Sadly there is not always a good solution to a problem. You are forced to decide between getting rid of all outside/feral cats or being safe from another black plague. (I've yet to hear of anyone advocating neuter and release for mice and rats.)
My cats are indoor outdoor the oldest one doesn't like collars so we never made them wear any
My guys are indoor/outdoor. Keep them in to long they WILL rip you to shreds. Literally. No collars tho. We live in the country and I worry enough about them I don't need worry if they hung themselves. I've seen breakaways malfunction.
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