We have two cats and two cats is plenty for us, especially from a cost perspective. They are both older cats, 16 and 12 respectively, and both have medical issues that require medication and food. The 16 year old has been on her regiment for about 18 months, and the 12 year old has been on his for over two-thirds of his life. So, they’re by no means in any jeopardy.
But, as I said, the medication and food is expensive. So, two cats is just fine for both Mrs. Beagle and I, and I’m sure even the cats would agree that they’re fine with just each other.
There’s a third cat that is in disagreement with this, or so it would seem.
A few weeks ago, I was cutting the grass in the backyard, and was a little startled when I noticed an animal sitting watching me from the edge of the wooded area at the back of the property. Turns out it was a cat. As I moved toward the back of the yard with my mower, it eventually ran away. I didn’t think anything of it until a couple of weeks later.
I was coming down the stairs when I heard an awful racket coming from the kitchen. The 12 year old cat was going beserk. I went in there to find that the stranger cat was sitting right on the other side of the sliding glass door. My cat was not amused but the other cat was calm as kings, just sitting there as if nothing was happening. Eventually I went out and chased it off.
The cat has returned on a fairly regular basis. I’m guessing that it ‘belongs’ to a nearby neighbor who treats it as an outdoor cat. I haven’t heard either of my cats go too crazy, just some growling, but it still irritates and concerns me.
I’ve seen the cat in the front yard, as well, so I’m afraid that he’ll wander into the garage if the door is left open, and could then make its way into the house if we’re not careful. That wouldn’t be good.
Especially with the colder weather coming, I’m hoping that this cat doesn’t look for a warm place or think that because we have cats that it’s welcome. Because it’s not.
I have confirmed with a couple of the neighbors that they’ve seen the cat and that it has gone up on their decks as well, so at least I know it’s not singling us out as it’s only place it wants to make itself known.
On the other hand, we usually get squirrels digging up the backyard as they bury nuts, and I haven’t seen as much activity this year, so maybe the cat is scaring them off. That wouldn’t be so bad, I guess.
Have you ever had an unwelcome visitor? How do you discourage kitty loitering?
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We had an entire family of cats that lived in our bushes. It was a momma with three or four kittens. We didn’t do anything about it. They kept the bird population down, which is pretty out of control with all of the feeders around me. I didn’t want to call animal control because they’re feral and they just put them down. So I hope they moved on and had happy lives.
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Whenever it leaves our property, it tends to head toward the same spot, so I’m guessing it is an outdoor cat belonging to someone else or has set up shop elsewhere. I have no plans to call animal control, but at the same time, I really wouldn’t want a litter of kittens out there either.
Have you thought of calling to see if anyone is reporting a missing cat? I mean from the looks of it this cat isn’t going anywhere and if someone is feeding it you can bet its going to stay around. And hopefully it doesnt make its way into your home. I have never had that problem. I mean some cats have had kittens by my apartment window before but thats about it. In time they disappear. Plus my dog usually discourages them from staying around.
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I’ve asked the neighbors in the vicinity, who have reported seeing it but don’t know who if anybody it belongs to. Getting into my house would be an absolute disaster as I’m sure there would be some major drama when my cats caught wind of the intruder.
We have one cat and that’s more thsns enough for us. He had an infection a few years ago and now has to be on special food that I swear costs more than our food. The best way to not invite loitering cats is to not feed them. Feed them, and they’ll be coming back.
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Both of our cats are on the special diet and medicine thing as well. I agree, it costs just about as much to keep them going as it does us, and they weigh one-tenth or less what we do!
If you want to discourage kitty loitering, don’t offer any food. Otherwise, they tend to return.
We never put any food outside, especially since it’s a wooded area and we have enough squirrels and racoons as it is.
The neighbour’s cat used to come by and annoy my cat. I set out plants to make it difficult for him to jump onto our balcony and made sure to terrorize him with a broomstick if he did come. Haven’t seen him in a few months!
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I’ve seen this cat jump and to put plants and such that would deter it would be a ridiculous undertaking, and cats usually find a way anyways. At this point I hope it just doesn’t become any more intrusive than it is. I could live fine with where it is now in terms of how much it comes around and how long it stays.
For us, one cat is all we can handle. Our cat came to us as a stray. Then we got our loud, big Beagle who was also a stray. Now we don’t seem to get cats coming around anymore because the Beagle barks at anything that moves outside.
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Gotta love the Beagle!
When we got our rental duplex, there were some cats that we’re pretty sure used to live in it as whenever we left a door open they’d be trying to walk in and were always scrounging around for food in the area. We never left anything out for them, and eventually they learned not to come in. I would have worried more about them, but they were clearly getting enough to eat as a couple were actually kindof chunky for strays. Your cats might just scare this one off with their meowing and puff-tails one of these days.
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The cat doesn’t seem bothered at all by ours getting upset so who knows? Your story reminds me of when I had a temporary assignment down in Florida about eight years ago. The company rented a condo for me and the cat that lived with the people below took to hanging out around my place and eventually started following me in for awhile here and there. I imagine after I moved out, the next people probably had a hard time keeping him away
I completely understand. About a year ago, a pit mix puppy must have sensed we were dog people and literally dug under our fence to get into our back yard. Then it started whining at 1am (apparently to be let in). Scared the heck out of me since I thought one of my indoor dogs was whining downstairs, but they were quiet as can be. But when I opened the back door, a muddy entity started running at me. I slammed the door in his poor face before realizing what he was. We fed him and watered him and left the gate open in case he could find its way home before the morning. I wasn’t looking forward to the calls I was going to make before listing him on Craigslist. Luckily, he let himself out and I actually saw him with his owner a few months ago, lol.
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You’re lucky that once you fed him, he didn’t try to make your place his new home.
I understand too. We have three cats, one 15 years old that needs special food. We too have stray cats roaming up and down our block. We actually get worries/scared occasionally because one of them looks like a really skinny version of our black cat, but different eyes. We’ll look out our front window, see the black cat, and panic thinking our cat got out some how. He loves to zoom outside if we leave screen doors not latched all the way in warmer weather.
Of course whenever our black see strays roaming around, or chipmunks/squirrels to close to the house, he gets all growly and puffy. It’s always amusing seeing him get almost twice it’s size. Our other cat Sterling, who is a chubby puff ball (part maine coon we think), only growls if there are stranger people or cards in our driveway. He’s a good guard cat! LOL.
My cats could care less if there’s anybody outside, they only react if someone comes in (and usually it’s the one cat running to the basement to hide!)