What Is Cat Seduction?

What is Cat-Seduction?

Pet Detectives Definition

Cat Seduction

Noun

‘The action of seducing a cat tempting or attracting a cat.’

‘Purposefully enticing a cat which already has an owner away from its home usually with the lure of food.’

Cat seducers fall into two broad categories. Feeders and keepers.

The Feeders usually notice a cat visiting their garden and over a period of time start to form a bond with the cat and in order to increase and prolong the visits will start to give the cat treats and then food. Feeders usually have no other intention other than for the cat in question to spend more time in their company.

This group is primarily populated by elderly people who may live alone many of whom will have previously owned a cat some may mistakenly believe the cat is a stray, some may live in sheltered accommodation that prohibits cat ownership.

Essentially the person involved wants to have all the joys and pleasures of cat ownership but without any of the responsibility.

The keepers form a much stronger bond with the cat visiting their property and often give the cat a new name. The feeding usually starts early on with the Keeper using strongly scented high value food, such as fish or chicken with the intention of luring the cat into their home.

They will often remove a cat’s collar and will actively encourage the cat to remain in their home some will even lock the cat in an upstairs room. This group set out with the sole intention of taking possession of the cat.

Keepers are often referred to as hoarders, collectors, or crazy cat ladies. We use the more appropriate term of Cat Poacher.

This group are often repeat offenders some may have obtained possession of several cats belonging to different owners.

In extreme cases Cat Poachers will travel away from their homes in search of more cats often using a high value lure to tempt the cat and then snatching the unfortunate creature and bundling it in a shopping bag or personal shopping trolley.

Ironically, the word poach is derived from the middle English word ‘pocchen’ meaning ‘bagged, enclosed in a bag.

Warning Signs of Cat Seduction

• A cat may change its eating routine and even start to leave food but with no obvious sign of weight loss.
• The cat is likely to be absent from the family home for several hours at a time and not respond to recall, eventually the cat will not return overnight or leave the family home for several days at a time.
• On returning the cat may have a distinctive aroma, of perfume, tobacco, human body odour or muskiness.
• If worn cat collars are often missing when the cat returns home.

The Pet Abduction Act 2024

Most incidents of Cat Seduction fall outside of the Pet Abduction Act which only applies when a cat is taken as opposed to detained. It is therefore unlikely that the police will respond to reports of Cat Seduction.

For more advice of Cat Seduction please email info@thepetdetectives.com

Colin Butcher

The Pet Detective