to feed or not to feed visiting cat

I have a friend... no really, it isn't me... but my friend is being visited
by a cat who she said looked skinny when she first started coming around.
So she was feeding her and would let her in only to part of their house when
the weather was bad. She comes twice a day for food and always leaves at
night and sounds to me like she prefers it outside, but likes my friend as
she has left her dead presents on the doorstep. She says she otherwise
looks to be in good shape - just skinny.

All of a sudden the cat showed up with a collar on and a note attached to
the collar saying this cat doesn't belong to you so stop feeding it. So
now, of course, the cat is visiting regularly and deploying her best feed me
tactics which can be so hard to ignore coming from such a cute face.

What should my friend do? I want to say if the original owners cared so
much about what the cat was eating they wouldn't let it outside where she
can hunt and kill her own food. Or if there's a medical reason - that she
should only be eating a special food - again why let her live so much of her
life outside where she can eat plenty of other critters on her own. And
besides which, the cat is in my friend's yard - her private property. So
seems as though she could just as easily send a note back telling them to
keep their [un-collared until now so that no one would know if it were
stray, feral, or belonged to someone] cat out of her yard if they don't want
her to feed it. If they're so concerned about it's well being, keep it
inside where it will be safe from passing cars, dogs, foxes, diseases, and
good hearted people like my friend who are saving the owners some $ on their
cat food expenses.

But then, I guess if the cat can hunt as she's showed, then she can also
feed herself and maybe the owners wishes should be respected and she should
be left to be on her own.

In your opinions, how should I advise my friend?

Thanks,
Lydia

In article ,
enlightened us with...

But then, I guess if the cat can hunt as she's showed, then she can also
feed herself and maybe the owners wishes should be respected and she should
be left to be on her own.

In your opinions, how should I advise my friend?


If the cat is skinny - feed it. The owners obviously aren't caring for
it very well.

If the cat were supposed to be on a special diet, it should not be
roaming about. If the owners want people to leave it alone, they should
take care to keep it on their property.

Cats that make kills don't always eat the kill. When I had a large
backyard as a child, we let our cats out. They'd often make kills, but
we never saw a bite taken out of them (dead carcasses on the porch).
They'd be totally intact - just dead.

Also, area wildlife can be poisonous to eat, depending on your area and
the use of pesticides and critter-control chemicals. Cats (or any
predators) rarely catch totally healthy adult animals. They go for the
sick, weak, old, or young. If they get a sick one, it could be deadly. A
person I know that lets their cats out lost one when it ate a poisoned
mouse from the neighboring farm.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
Hey, if you got it flaunt it! If you don't, stare
at someone who does. Just don't lick the TV screen,
it leaves streaks.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

In article ,
enlightened us with...

But then, I guess if the cat can hunt as she's showed, then she can also
feed herself and maybe the owners wishes should be respected and she should
be left to be on her own.

In your opinions, how should I advise my friend?


If the cat is skinny - feed it. The owners obviously aren't caring for
it very well.

If the cat were supposed to be on a special diet, it should not be
roaming about. If the owners want people to leave it alone, they should
take care to keep it on their property.

Cats that make kills don't always eat the kill. When I had a large
backyard as a child, we let our cats out. They'd often make kills, but
we never saw a bite taken out of them (dead carcasses on the porch).
They'd be totally intact - just dead.

Also, area wildlife can be poisonous to eat, depending on your area and
the use of pesticides and critter-control chemicals. Cats (or any
predators) rarely catch totally healthy adult animals. They go for the
sick, weak, old, or young. If they get a sick one, it could be deadly. A
person I know that lets their cats out lost one when it ate a poisoned
mouse from the neighboring farm.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
Hey, if you got it flaunt it! If you don't, stare
at someone who does. Just don't lick the TV screen,
it leaves streaks.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

The tone of the note attached to the collar does not sound friendly to me.
The owner sounds like a real piece of work. Having someone care enough to
feed one's cat should be the worst that can happen to a cat left outside.

My advice? You're the cat's friend, not the owner's friend so do what you
want.

--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

The tone of the note attached to the collar does not sound friendly to me.
The owner sounds like a real piece of work. Having someone care enough to
feed one's cat should be the worst that can happen to a cat left outside.

My advice? You're the cat's friend, not the owner's friend so do what you
want.

--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

In article ,
enlightened us with...

But then, I guess if the cat can hunt as she's showed, then she can also
feed herself and maybe the owners wishes should be respected and she should
be left to be on her own.

In your opinions, how should I advise my friend?


If the cat is skinny - feed it. The owners obviously aren't caring for
it very well.

If the cat were supposed to be on a special diet, it should not be
roaming about. If the owners want people to leave it alone, they should
take care to keep it on their property.

Cats that make kills don't always eat the kill. When I had a large
backyard as a child, we let our cats out. They'd often make kills, but
we never saw a bite taken out of them (dead carcasses on the porch).
They'd be totally intact - just dead.

Also, area wildlife can be poisonous to eat, depending on your area and
the use of pesticides and critter-control chemicals. Cats (or any
predators) rarely catch totally healthy adult animals. They go for the
sick, weak, old, or young. If they get a sick one, it could be deadly. A
person I know that lets their cats out lost one when it ate a poisoned
mouse from the neighboring farm.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
Hey, if you got it flaunt it! If you don't, stare
at someone who does. Just don't lick the TV screen,
it leaves streaks.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

The tone of the note attached to the collar does not sound friendly to me.
The owner sounds like a real piece of work. Having someone care enough to
feed one's cat should be the worst that can happen to a cat left outside.

My advice? You're the cat's friend, not the owner's friend so do what you
want.

--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

I wouldn't respect the owner's wishes if
the cat is clearly skinny/underfed and is
also allowed to roam freely.

I totally agree. The cat is clearly not receiving proper care. If I were
in this situation I think I would make the cat effectively "disappear"
if you know what I mean... ;-)

Megan (hoping the cat ends up in a caring home - nudge-nudge wink-wink)



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

wrote:

I wouldn't respect the owner's wishes if
the cat is clearly skinny/underfed and is
also allowed to roam freely.


I totally agree. The cat is clearly not receiving proper care. If I were
in this situation I think I would make the cat effectively "disappear"
if you know what I mean... ;-)

Megan! I hope you don't mean "disappear" in a mafia sort of way.. -
nudge nudge wink wink...


Megan (hoping the cat ends up in a caring home - nudge-nudge wink-wink)



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

From: "Karen M."


wrote:

I wouldn't respect the owner's wishes if
the cat is clearly skinny/underfed and is
also allowed to roam freely.


I totally agree. The cat is clearly not receiving proper care. If I were
in this situation I think I would make the cat effectively "disappear"
if you know what I mean... ;-)

Megan! I hope you don't mean "disappear" in a mafia sort of way.. -
nudge nudge wink wink...

I think she's thinking more like a witness protection program

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm