Taking on a near neighbours cat

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

We have a cat that comes into our garden, sleeps on our garden furniture and is currently sitting with our 2 cats and our Jack Russell - no hissing, all very gentlemanly and getting on together. We’ve posted on our community Facebook page and have been told that he belongs to our next-door-but-6 neighbour who needs to rehome him in sad circumstances.

We are looking for another cat and think this could be the cat distribution system at work but how do we manage a rehome when his current home is so close? Any ideas?

Thank you.

 

[Equi]

are they moving away at all? If not just say you’ll keep him and ask they don’t let him into their house again or feed him. The cat will realise he gets fed at yours only.

 

[SEL]

If they close off their cat flap & you feed him then he'll relocate.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We were acquired by our current cat via the ‘cat distribution system’ - love that phrase! She’d relocated herself from a cottage a couple of hundred yards away.

I take it that the current owners are happy for you to take over ownership of the cat? That’s how it was with us, and it makes it much easier. If they just keep him shut of their house it sounds like he’s mostly moved into yours anyway.

Enjoy your new-to-you cat!

 

[Cloball]

Also how we ended up with ours, make sure you get the microchip details changed if the cat has one. You'll need permission from the owner as they'll get emailed.

 

[Tiddlypom]

^^^^ Echo this about updating the microchip details. Also changed to new registered owner at the vets - same practice as the original owners, so got access to her previous vet history, which showed just routine stuff once she had been spayed.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My parents took on their next-door neighbours' cat when they relocated. M&D already had their own cats and 2 Labs, which William was used to and got on well with. The house was sold and AFAIK he never bothered trying to go 'home' but the house was empty for a while before the newly married couple moved in.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Update - we decided that we are too close for adoption. We couldn’t bear the thought of him being barred access to the home he has had for the last 8 years but we do know that he is being taken care of.