My cat's neighbor won't leave my house.

Early this year I moved to a new neighborhood and this beautiful cat approached us through the backyard the first day we moved in. No collar. Very friendly and it looked hungry. I've never had a cat before, so I fed him plain cooked chicken and some water. He would come roaming around every once in a while and then he started staying with us but never overnight. He would come looking for food, so I got him cat food. I figured he must've been an abandoned or lost cat. For two months I kept feeding the cat whenever he came. I had published posters with a picture of the cat to get him back to its rightful owners. I had done this because the cat had started to come to my house every other day looking for food. After seeing the posters our neighbors approached us and said that it was their cat. They explained that the cat is an outdoors cat and has been roaming around the neighborhood for 4 years now. They said we were more than welcomed to continue playing with him (my 2 year old loved him).

However, the cat started to show in front door every single day! Then he wouldn't leave the house whenever I would open the door for him leave.

I started to become concerned cause fall is approaching and he is still roaming around but coming to my house looking for shelter. I would of course let him in since the weather is now 7°C (44° F). But I know he isn't my cat. One night I picked up the cat, knocked in my neighbors front door and returned their cat. I explained he had been coming to us a lot but with winter approaching he needed to be home.

Hours later the cat is meowing at my front door!!!!!

This was 11 PM when it happened. I felt bad for leaving him outside in the cold so I let him in. Three days later the cats owners comes to our house saying to stop letting him in, that he is an outdoors cat and has been roaming around for 4 years, but that we can still pet him and play with him outside, just to not let him in. I said, okay. I want no issues with my neighbor. They took the cat but then left him outside their driveway!!! Not even putting him inside the house. That same night the cat came back to house. I didn't let him in, but instead I picked him up and left him in front of his home. Every single time he would follow me back home. The owners weren't even home.

I feel like approaching them today telling them "hey, keep your cat inside if you don't want us opening the door for him. Winter is coming." But my husband is telling me to leave it alone.

What should I do? Is it normal for outdoors cat to behave this way?

RESPONSE:

To those saying the cat doesn't like being indoors, I respectfully disagree. Before the neighbor came to ask us to stop opening the door for him, he would meow and stare at our window until we let him in. This would happen either all day or at night time (11 PM) After drinking water and eating little food (I had reduced the feeding at this time cause I knew he had owners) he would not leave the house, especially with the weather getting colder. Instead he would get comfortable in my couch and sleep. I would actively have to put him outside myself for him to go back home. Or when we would leave by his own account, he would come back about an hour later.

Again, I've never been a cat person as dogs were my go to pet. I currently have no pets. Which is why I was asking if this is normal outdoor car behavior. I just find it wrong to leave your pet outdoors with the weather getting cold and it will only get colder with winter approaching.