A Stone cat owner is urging people to think twice before feeding someone else’s pet after her own cat began spending most of its time away from home, missing medication and gaining weight.
Chloe first raised concerns on a local Facebook group after noticing that her cat, which wears a tracking collar, was spending long periods near the top end of Victoria Street.
She believes someone in the area has been providing food and water, encouraging the cat to stay away from home.
Several months later, the situation has continued, with Chloe saying her pet has returned home only a handful of times.
In a further message to A Little Bit of Stone, she said:
“The cat from my post had only come home a couple of times in the past few months. I know where she is roughly as she has a tracking collar on.
“But my cat has gone from being a very healthy weight, to being overweight and unhealthy thanks to whoever thinks it’s acceptable to feed someone else’s cat.”
Chloe had previously explained that she had been unable to give her cat medication for several weeks because it was spending so much time elsewhere.
Her cat is a rescue that spent the first couple of years of its life outdoors. Although Chloe has tried keeping her inside, she says doing so makes the animal miserable.
She added:
“It’s just so incredibly frustrating!”
Why feeding someone else’s cat can cause problems
It’s easy to see why someone might offer food to a friendly cat that regularly visits their garden, particularly if they believe it has been abandoned or is struggling to find food.
However, a cat that appears hungry isn’t necessarily homeless.
Cats Protection advises against feeding unfamiliar cats unless there is a particular welfare concern, such as the animal being seriously underweight.
Extra food can encourage an owned cat to keep returning to another property rather than going home. It can also interfere with a controlled diet or cause problems for animals with medical conditions.
For pets requiring regular medication, spending extended periods away from home can make it difficult for their owners to maintain treatment.
Even if a cat seems perfectly happy accepting food, its owner may be trying to manage a condition that isn’t immediately obvious.
What should you do if you’re worried about a cat?
If an unfamiliar cat regularly visits your garden and you’re concerned it may be lost or homeless, there are ways to help without immediately offering it food.
The RSPCA and Cats Protection recommend checking for a collar or identification tag, asking neighbours whether they recognise the animal and looking for local missing pet reports.
If you can safely transport a cat that you genuinely believe is lost, a local vet can scan it for a microchip. The chip may help identify its owner and reunite them.
If you cannot safely transport the animal, a local rescue organisation may be able to help arrange a scan.
Another option is a temporary paper collar with your contact details and a message asking whether the cat has an owner. This gives someone the opportunity to get in touch if their pet returns home wearing it.
Cats Protection provides further guidance in its advice on what to do if you find a cat .
If an animal appears sick, injured or in immediate danger, contact a vet for advice rather than waiting to see whether it returns home.
A friendly visitor may have a home waiting
Chloe’s experience is a reminder that even well intentioned actions can have unintended consequences for someone else’s pet.
A cat visiting your garden might enjoy a little attention, but that doesn’t mean it needs feeding or somewhere else to live.
If you’re concerned about its welfare, checking whether it has an owner is a better starting point than assuming it needs a new one.
