Does anyone else have half a cat?

One of my cats was very inquisitive with the neighbours, checking them all out. Fortunately they accepted him. He did this once too often and got locked inside a house that was being renovated after the builders had left. They say curiosity killed the cat but I rescued him when I found out where he was.

When you said half a cat I thought you meant a cat with a bit missing like ours who was in a RTA and lost a leg!

In answer to your question we did have one who once who visited several of the neighbours, and we also were visited by a cat who had a disc on his collar saying not to feed him.

We had a visiting cat from the house a few doors away. We never fed him or anything he just came to visit every so often. He used to sit on our laps and lounge around and when he was ready would just leave. We found out afterwards that he visited another family as well. When his owner found out she asked us not to let him in anymore, so that was the end of that.

A beautiful Persian Blue used to visit my parents and make himself at home. His furious owner would often arrive to collect him - insisting that they didn't allow him in.

That was pretty impossible in summer with doors and windows open - and difficult at any time as he'd shoot through the back door when they had the cheek to hang the washing out or go to the bin!

My daughter’s cat visits several of her neighbours, battering on their cat flaps! He comes home when he’s ready but she is regularly shamed by his behaviour.

What a welcome visitor you have there giulia.

Our cat Rosie was well loved and fed at home but a wanderer. She was very loving when home but obviously had a whole other life beyond the cat flap. It was clear that she had one regular 'mistress', for want of a better word, as she regularly came home smelling of the same beautiful perfume.

Totally unrelated but reading this has caused me to recall when our cat went missing. It was at the time of the change over to North Sea gas and installation of new pipes was necessary. The pipe fitters lifted the floor boards to replace the pipes.
The cat went missing but after a couple of days we heard a faint meowing.
Up came the carpet and the floorboards and there was the cat. No idea why he remained silent for so long.

There is a wonderful children’s book on this theme ‘Six Dinner Sid’, I often gave it to children as a birthday present.

My son has a cat visitor who stays for hours, very well cared for and a lovely personality and wears a tag saying ‘please do not feed me’ . The owners obviously know he must get get away from home ?

*fed

I had a cat once who decided being a cat in a multi-cat home wasn't to his liking, so he moved out and went to live nearby. He would come back once a month or so to visit, but wouldn't stay. He once came back, having had surgery, with a nicely shaved and stitched wound, so clearly was very well looked after!

LucyLocket, my DD had Six Dinner Sid as a child. My DGS has it now and loves it too.

I looked up that book and think I will add it to my collection. Thank you. Cats are such funny creatures. We had one that ended up spending a lot of time next door as he got older; my mum did get a bit jealous and put it down to the cat getting dementia.

I think this is quite usual. My two used to visit my neighbour until they got too old to climb over the fence.

This book features one very bad cat who goes from house to house stealing all manner of items. It's in verse and if you like Hairy Maclary, you will like this one for very young kids.
We had two brothers when we lived on France and they would sneak into the houses to visit the guests on holiday. When we moved to London they used the same tactic up and down the street and would be gone for a day or two.

LucyLocket55

There is a wonderful children’s book on this theme ‘Six Dinner Sid’, I often gave it to children as a birthday present.

I remember that!

Our friends had a cat which went missing for months. They couldn't find her anywhere despite searches then one day she strolled in again as if she'd never been away.
They found out where she'd been when her new 'owners' came round, were most indignant and wanted her back, but alas, she was back home again where she first belonged.

Cats aren't very loyal.

Vets, during lockdown, said owners were bringing their cats in to be examined because they thought their pets were ill and losing weight. The loss of weight was caused because the cats were staying with their owners and not visiting other homes.

Our last cat who died when he was run over by a car ,would go missing for 24 hours at least once a week. My son came to see us and showed us his Facebook page and there was our boy quite at home on a strangers lap.They wondered if he was missing or lost as he was happy to visit with them and even stay overnight on ocassion.They lived 3 miles away!

He also visited the couple across the road who had 2 cats of their own ,we found out when we came home from the shops and saw him sitting inside their window .They too were happy to have him .The two we got 6 months after he died dont go far and never stay out but we do get folk coming to the door to let us know they are on the roof or up a tree chasing squirrels .I'm coming back as a cat next time they have a great life and no responsibilty

This sounds typical of cats to me!
My stepdaughter has a cat 'part of the year'. He disappears randomly, lord knows where, but she has now learnt not to worry & go looking for him, not to dispose of his stuff, & to just expect him when his holiday is over!
When I first read your post, giulia, I thought you meant sharing a cat with family,like we do. My daughter and family have moved in with other family while they look for a new, damp-free, place. They couldn't take their cat so he's staying with us for awhile!
At hers he regularly went out, but he's decided to be a house cat at ours.

I had a cat who used to go about her daily catty business but came home every night. I just assumed she was out and about during the day. My next door neighbours were selling there house and being nosey I had a look at it on Rightmove. I was somewhat surprised when I came to the photo of their bedroom as there was my puss, sprawled across their bed sound asleep.

Thanks everyone for your interesting comments.

I never give food to Peppo - that would be disrespectful to his owners. They are well aware that he comes to us for his water and we all laugh about how crafty he has been taking over two households instead of one. We notice he often comes to us on Tuesday and Friday mornings: that's when the lady comes to clean next door and she obviously kicks him out while working!

Ps: I so agree with you PADDYANN54 about coming back as a cat in the next life! Have always thought that.

Proportions are hard to calculate precisely here. We have a cat with 3 legs, who adores spending time with my neighbour. So probably more like Adrian Moles' cat - 3/4s. lol

My bloke has had a couple of cats that visit him (with my encouragement). One of them was a very shy boy, who gradually became friendlier over the years. His owner was away all day and he didn't have a cat flap. He became very attached to my bloke in his last year and also developed a real appetite, which was satiated with titbits. He spent a lot of time indoors sitting on bloke's lap and having a bit of comfort.

We found out later he'd had cancer and was on cat chemo and steroids, which were stimulating his appetite. I'm so pleased he had somewhere to go when he was outside for the day (who puts a cat out when they're ill?) in his final year.

I have half a cat, an unwelcome visitor from next door, who waits until I have fed my cats, then comes in through the cat flap and steals their food. I caught him this morning when I found him trapped in the kitchen by one of my cats who was outside and wouldn't let him out. I managed to smack him once for the first time, for which I make no apologies,before he escaped but will make sure I have a jug of cold water to empty over him in future.