I havent been on here for a while, but I'm hoping that you guys can give me some help - this is a long post!!!
On Thursday 16 May, we realised that the man who lives opposite us and has a cat had not been at home at all during this time, but that his cat was outside. He had clearly gone on holiday, leaving at 8.45am on Sunday 11 May and as he'd done exactly the same thing last year (went on holiday for 2 weeks leaving cat out) I called the RSPCA up to report him.
I got the most awkward of 'advisers' as all he kept saying was 'well if the cat's not indoors and doesnt have access to food and water, we cant do anything' - to him it's apparently ok for a cat to be left outdoors all the while as a cat can 'fend for itself and hunt for food' - I replied that one of our cats would be hunting for 'tins of cat food' as he's no hunter.
Anyway - after me basically arguing with this bloke he said he'd pass it onto the Inspector for our area. On Friday last week I got a phone call from the inspector who said that he'd come round,and had spoken to this chaps neighbours (one side of a terrace of 3 - the chap's in the middle). They told the Inspector that the other neighbour the other side of him, was feeding the cat and letting it in the house. I asked if anything would be left for the man, the inspector said no as he said he was happy that the cat was being fed and shelter being provided - I simply said 'well you can only go by what you've been told by someone that's not actually doing that for him'
Anyway - we've been keeping an eye out on this neighbour that's apparently feeding/sheltering the cat - Tuesday he wasnt home till 11.15pm - but by 10pm I was feeling so desperate for the cat that I went over and put some food near her front door. It was the first time that she'd come over to me (as normally she keeps her distance from us/our house as we have 3 cats) she WOLFED the food down as she was that hungry.
Angry that the cat was clearly not being looked after I called the RSPCA up, and sure I got the same bloke (due to his attitude and accent) - he was very unhelpful and said 'well the Inspector is happy theres nothing that can be done' - I said that the Inspector should be made aware that the bloke who is apparently looking after her is not being fed properly and that teh shelter is not being provided. He would not pass the information onto the Inspector, nor would he put a note through to the Inspector that I wanted to inform him of further information, but was told to 'monitor the situation for the next 3-4 days and let us know what happens' - what b****y good is that in 3-4 days I have information now!
AFter that phone call I burst into tears as it feels like no-one gives a damn about this poor cat that I faxed a complaint to the RSPCA in that i felt that the case was not being dealt with properly.
Anyway - the bloke who's 'looking after her' got home at 11.15pm on Tuesday, he got home at 9.30pm on Wednesday and tonight as I type this he is stilll not home - so how is that looking after a cat, feeding it properly and providing shelter?
Tonight we're really concerned for her - she nearly got hit by a car that came into the road tonight (as she must think it's her 'daddy'), we saw her trying to get into a house nearby as teh front door was open (reason for this is till January this year, the previous occupant let this cat spend time in his house, assume feed her, so she must be confused as to why she cant go in that house when the door is wide open now) - and then tonight when I opened our front door to call our cats in I see her sitting underneath our car, which is a first.
I had put a dish of food out the front (as one of our guys missed his tea, so left it out the front for him) and she came over sniffed it, but seemed too 'edgy' to eat and went off back under the car. But the thing that we're more concerned about is that she was trying to get into our house - she just wants to be indoors, but cant be. If we had no cats, I dare say she would be sitting in our living room, but we have to think of our 3 cats welfare too as it'd probably freak them out - unfortunately we dont live in a large enough house that has a room that we could put her in overnight.
I really feel like ringing the RSPCA up again, but I jsut know I'll get the same bloke, with the same attitude that its fine to go on a 2 week holiday, leave your cat out all the while and hope that the neighbour that says will feed / let cat in the house will do.
What would you guys do???