I have a 5 year old cat. He is red and has his own temper (I got him from a refuge as a 3 month old kitty). My cat loves people, so he is showing off to anyone passing by and they all stop to rub him and he loves that.
He is the kind of cat who follows me to the supermarket (walks behind me like a dog), waits outside and comes back home with me. He is also the kind of cat who will come and get me, if I am chatting with someone outside, bite my leg a little and show me very clearly that I should come home. He is very different from other cats I have known and there is no telling him what to do.
He can't stand not having freedom. He sleeps a lot (well he is a cat!) and when he does not, he likes to be at the window, in out, in out... etc.
I moved once because of him. My neighbor was going crazy because his cats were reacting to my cat's presence by peeing on his bed (at least, this was his version, dah!).
The second time around, people came to me and complained that I shoul dnot let my cat go out when it rains, because it is terrible for a cat to be in the rain. I did not move. I pretended that I knew nothing and asked them "what can I do, he does want to go out..." so I had to listen to their advise on how to deal with my cat.
He goes to visit people and of course, since I am a foreigner, the only reason why he does that has to be because I do not give him enough love, enough food, enough care.
However, everyone around eventually fell in love with him and understood his special character, and left me (nearly) in peace.
I was still accused of abusing him because I went to work and he was indoors all day (sleeping!)... This apparently is not ok for a cat (even though by nature, they sleep about 20 to 22 hours per day! I think what was more bugging for them was the fact that a single (foreign) Mum was working full time.... This seems to be a no-no...
I moved to a new place and my "old neighbor" (from my former flat) wrote to me and demanded to know the reasons why I abandoned my cat when I moved.
My cat was then relaxing on my bed so I simply sent a photo and asked "you mean, this cat?" I got no answer. They saw a cat looking like mine (many red cats are similar!) and immediately assumed that the foreigner had left her cat behind.
I had been here 2 days when the neighbor came to complain that she would call the police on me because my cat was on the balcony for one hour "asking" to come in and I did not let him in. This was between 5am and 6am in the morning. The neighbor said the cat was "knocking" on my balcony door. Dah! I was sleeping! She said that I must let him go out. I explained that I just moved but she objected and said the cat should be outside. pfff! I thought "how rude" and I closed my door.
Now, 6 months down the line, she feeds my cat, because I obviously don't feed him (if I did he would not eat her food). She used to bring food in front of my door (in my garden, even if I locked the gate). I told her to not do that, so now she feeds him in her house.
He sleeps here, and he does not stay at my window anymore, as soon as I open for him, he goes to the neighbor's home, waits at the door and eventually disappears inside. He does not eat here much. He had become quite fat (I did not know why) and now I pay attention.
She says that he obviously does not recieve enough love because he comes to her for rubs.
The other night, my cat went out at 20:00 and at 21:00 she came to ring my bell to tell me to let him in because it was "too cold." We live in a village where everyone has at least 2 cats, there are tens of cats outside, but she seems only concerned about mine. She said it is because I abuse the cat and do not take care, so she cannot stand this.
When she is home, she stays in front of her door and speaks to everyone passing by. My cat was with her on Thursday and she kept showing people my house. I wondered why everyone just listened.
I am asking the Tierschutz for a letter and I wanted to go to the police, Surprise, the police is her and her husband!! This is a new development. The former tenant told me that it was better to be in good terms with them, and this is why no one crosses them, because if not, this woman made your life miserable. She said it happened before.
I don't know what to do. I feel like I am living near "la famiglia"... or the Cartel people or something... I definitely cannot move, but I am having a really hard time. I can't sleep in on week ends, because I am worried of what will happen if she finds my cat outside (he goes out around 5am every day)... I am stressed out everytime he goes out and now that I see him going to her door, even more...
It is my tragedy of the moment... as if I needed that. I thought she was just nosy and had nothing else to do, now I am worried...