Can you ever 'own' a cat?

Threatening legal action! What does she thinks going to happen, get joint custody?!

Here's Luna

Absolutely 🌷🌷 my Siamese maggots own me!

LadyGracie yes, such lovely photos to see, I think they are posing, nice to have something bright and warm to enjoy (as an alternative to the headlines.

Capers, the cat 'before'. She was so calm and just there with you. She came from people who bred dogs and had a marvellous air of complete superiority whenever she encountered a dog. A friend once came around with their dog and Capers came back through the cat flap and confronted the dog, just to make it clear we said, whose house this is. Her coat was so beautiful and she was a beautiful being.

LesterGran I disagree. You obviously have a very different experience with cats.

All cats are adorable despite their faults and foibles.

The pictures here are beautiful, don’t they look like they are posing?

As the saying goes, dogs have owners and cats have staff. Sometimes they are happy enough with your service so they'll show you some admiration in return. Just a bit.

Meet the boss, Ollie.

When I can pin Molly down to take a photograph you will see an almost exact copy of Mia, their colouring and markings are remarkably similar.
Molly is seven and a half and my treasure.

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I've just seen the beautiful cats on the previous page - let's all post our cat pics.

The black and white cat is my much-loved and much-missed Phoebe who had to be PTS last April.

The grey and white cat is my little rescue cat, Mia, who has settled in wonderfully well... also much-loved.

Buddy is downright gorgeous!!

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Buddy

Some funny comments on here, odd cats, and a few odd humans too. No point generalising about cats, huge differences in habits and temperament, we've had all sorts, the latest is fairly ancient, has been outside but clearly isn't overly interested in the outside world, and though deaf is exceptionally sensitive. Others we've had have been largely outdoor cats, noisy, or quiet, stroppy, or so laid back as to be almost horizontal.

We did have one who adopted us, after several months we discovered she was from the next road, took her back, within a couple of days she was back - for good. Presently we get visited by a cat from over the back, but we realise he mostly turns up when there's a lot of children noise, and he prefers peace and quiet. So, don't bother making stereotypes.

The OP story, about a cat who moved house, sadly some folk don't realise that their sweety-pie cat may just leave home? I knew a couple, they both worked, had no idea their loving cat actually spent weekdays at an old couple who were neighbours, snoozing on their sofa or watching the telly. Then at teatime it snuck back 'home' for when they got back. For years they didn't realise they were sharing a cat, until a chance meeting and conversation.

We used to have a neighbour who had three cats and a dog. The cats were never allowed in the house and the dog was never allowed out. Come the winter of 2010, when there was thick snow and the temperature dropped to minus 10 the cats still weren't allowed in. One of my neighbours took two of them in and the third found a home in the next road. After a few days one of the two obviously decided it was a bit crowded with him and his mum and the resident cats, so he came through our cat flap, hid quietly under the Christmas tree for a couple of days, and then stayed for the next 15 years.

I would hate to be called the cat lady. I built and ran a cattery as well as writing a weekly newspaper column about taking care of them. One sunny afternoon at our villa in Spain, a cat appeared next to the pool, totally ignoring the residential cats in our cattery. He rolled over onto his tummy and I stood over him. Finally I tickled him and he walked inside our villa where he stayed until he became ill and died. He could usually be found asleep on my lap. Cats choose you. I don’t have one now for various reasons.

I love Molly

My cat was originally adopted by my sister, who died suddenly. He came to live with me unexpectedly, and has been such a wonderful loving companion, on his terms, naturally. I think in lockdown he saved my sanity, I was profoundly deaf, so nobody to chat to, no radio, and a very long wait for my cochlear implant. Really he has been a life saver for me.

Our neighbour had 3 cats. We both worked and provide weather was Ok they would all go out. Her three spent their days creating a nest and sleeping in my border each had their own tree to settle beside. My cat however, would climb onto her porch roof and into the window and sleep on her bed. At night they could be found hunting across the fields until late. The next door up often needed rescuing from the loft of the bungalow the other side of me, getting in through the boiler air vent.

Our first cat selected us from 7 other households, having given each house a 2 week trial period. He was with us for over 15yrs. We lived in several places before settling down in one house. We feed them, (so long as it's not the same flavour as yesterday) we love them ( on their terms and only if they're in the mood) and they 'tell the time' (by using the fur on their paws - only joking but their circadian rhythm is faultless ) So, whilst I hold with the phrase 'cats are independent', if we do what they want does that make us slaves?

I certainly have an emotional connection with my old boy.

Here's the monster, he's so much like a dog but without the emotional connection you get with a dog.

My cat has always been my cat and would disappear outside orbehind the sofa if anybody else had the temerity to enter the house. Then I fell and broke my hip, I was in hospital for nearly two weeks and in the meantime my neighbour had my key and fed and fussed the cat regularly, she also got the extremely fussy boy to eat different food whiich he wouldn't contemplate eating from me. He now lets anybody come in the house, he eats what I give him and has changed completely. He definitely had me well trained.

Sago I had to laugh. You would probably appreciate Australia where, because of the devastating effect on native fauna, cats must be kept indoors or kept in outdoor enclosures.^

DD used to take her cat for a walk on a lead when she lived in the city.

Molly