Attention cat owners - Open tray of cat food left outside our house

[MissWiggy]

Ive just gone outside to put the rubbish out and seen an open tray of cat food left on our pathway. Perhaps I'm being over cautious but give the recent spate of cat incidents in the area I thought this was odd and has definitely put me on my guard.

We do have 2 cats and so I feel that whoever has done this seems to be making a point that they know that we have cats. I'm just baffled as to why they would have left food out.

This has happened in the last 45 minutes or so as when I went out earlier this evening it wasn't there.

Hopefully there is nothing to worry about but just thought I would make others aware.

[lilolil]

I have made SNARL aware Might be worth giving Boudicca a ring or text. 07957 830490

[MissWiggy]

Thank you lilolil.

I wasn't sure whether I was over-reacting or not.

I've just had a quick walk up and down our road and there is no other food left out.

There's something about this that makes me feel quite uneasy - I'll drop Boudicca a text.

[singalto]

Did you dispose of the food that had been left out?

[MissWiggy]

Yes I did.

[singalto]

I'm glad you spotted it and dealt with it. It's so odd and worrying, isn't it..

[intexasatthe moment]

Could a cat or a fox maybe have pulled the tray of food over and onto your footpath ????

[MissWiggy]

Yes it's very odd.

No ot definitely hadn't been put there by another animal. It was one of those individual trays of food and save that the lid had been peeled off, the top was untouched.

I'm sure it's all innocent but I would ask that people don't leave out food for other people's pets (someone has very kindly contacted me saying she knows someone who does this and she has also asked them to stop).

[lilolil]

Might be worth checking that it was her or one of your neighbours

[MissWiggy]

Yes I have given her my address so that she can check with her friend and ask her not to do it again if it was her.

I know my neighbours well and I know that they wouldn't put food out.

[Medusa]

Would you feel okay about saying what road this is? My cats are not happy to be locked in at night and I'm wondering about the risks involved.

[Delainie]

Hello Misswiggy, I've asked my friend and she says that it wasn't her, I know she wouldn't lie. It is quite worrying that someone has done that. I would not risk leaving my cats out at night as not only is a sick individual mutilating poor cats, there is much more risk of getting hit by car. My brother lives in Goodrich and thru the night the cars speed like crazy, there has been a few hit whilst out at night on Goodrich. I treat my cats as I would my children, they may like staying out all night but can't!!

Hope it doesn't happen again re tray of food, the sicko is doing all around the m25 , such a vast area he/ she has killed cats and foxes, which includes Peckham, dulwich, and on streets with no cameras and usually during the dark hours. If I was told a sicko was going around at night mutilating and killing people I could choose to go out or not, cats don't know what's happening and its down to us to keep then safe as we do our children!!

[Jennys]

If Medusa, you are on Facebook, please read the SNARL posts about the person who is killing cats and foxes. I feel we all really need to keep our cats indoors at night while there is somebody out there mutilating animals on a regular basis. Your cats will get used to being shut indoors after dark, I am sure.

[Medusa]

^ I know exactly what's been going on. I have tried to lock my cat flap and furry beast no 1 crapped on my bedroom floor. Twice. While glaring at me. I have three of them and they will not use a litter tray if I lock them in. It's not always quite as simple as just 'keeping them indoors at night'. I wish it were. Any tips on getting cats to cooperate without staging dirty protests?

[singalto]

Medusa, I agree with Jennys: the cat killer is still very active and your cats should really be kept in, however much they might dislike it. My cats get a few treats once they are safely locked 🔒 in.

[Medusa]

I'm not disagreeing! I bought a new cat flap specifically for this purpose last year. I'm saying my cats have other ideas and I can't deal with 3 cats crapping their indignant hearts out everywhere. Those of you who've started keeping free-range cats in: how did you make the switch and how did you deal with adjustment problems?

[jaywalker]

Think we should cool it: and yes, I do have a cat.

It is highly unlikely this is anything other than a cat present, or a fox disturbed.

Cats are crepuscular creatures: they need to go out to express themselves as felines. It is wrong to keep them in when they want to go out unless there is clear and present danger (like a big fox in the garden). They give us a lot: we should respect their independence.

Some will die when out: but far more from cars than from serial cat killers.

[singalto]

Medusa, my cats have a couple of litter trays and have got used to being kept in at night. Jaywalker, I don't lock the cat flap until about 8pm. It is pitch dark by then and my cats are pretty happy sitting above the radiators!

[Lynne]

On the subject of cat flaps, our neighbours were burgled through theirs. They'd got quite a big one and the thief dismantled the outer rim and crawled through. Must have been a child or an exceptionally thin adult. Then took their car keys/car and anything valuable lying around, and left through the front door.

So don't be tempted into a larger sized cat flap, seems to be the message.

[Jennys]

We also lock the cat flap at 8ish. By then the cats are already indoors. They don't even ask to go out again. We bought an extra litter tray and now have 3 trays for two cats. The litter is changed as soon as it needs to be.

[Fly]

Some cats need a litter tray each and won't share. We have 3 cats.two share one but one needs his own personal tray.

[Peachpie]

.

[Lynne]

Could be someone feeding foxes?

[dimples]

Where in belvoir ? I live in belvoir and nearly all my immediate neighbours have cats ! ?

[singalto]

Peachpie, did you remove it? I'd be worried in case here was something nasty in the mush...