Stray Cats

For about 5 weeks we have had daily visits from a lovely grey and white cat. I don't hate animals (contrary to what some believe!) but I don't consider myself an animal lover either. Gradually over the last 5 weeks this cat has pushed the boundaries more and more and we are now at the stage of buying food for it. It also has its own bowls, a new collar and the children have named it fluffy. Little Z insists it now belongs to us, but how do we know if it actually is a stray? I feel like we are stealing the cat from someone. It doesn't look particularly scruffy which makes me think that prior to coming to us it has been well looked after, so how can we be sure that it doesn't still belong to someone else?

The other issue is that little Z is allergic to cats. I know what you're thinking, why take on a stray cat when one of our children (and, incidentally, the children's uncle Seany) is allergic to cats? Well, I quite agree. That doesn't stop the cat from coming here every day and even if we refuse to let it in the house it doesn't stop the children from playing with it (or, in big J's case, trying to ride on it) in the garden. In any case, like most people, we like to leave our back door open during the nice weather and the cat doesn't ring the bell.

My solution is to give the cat to my mother-in-law who will take in any stray animal, but I am fighting a losing battle getting Postman Pat (my husband) & little Z to agree.