It may feel like no big deal to offer food to a hungry-looking cat visiting your yard, but a Saanich family at the centre of a dispute with a 鈥渃at-napping鈥� couple in their neighbourhood, are urging people to think again.

Thanks to their neighbours offering food and shelter, Dan and Kirsten Slamet say two of their pet cats have been permanently coaxed away from their home.

And according to the couple, they are not the first family in their neighbourhood to have a pet succumb to the charms of the serial 鈥渃at-nappers.鈥�

They estimate up to six cats have been 鈥渢aken over鈥� by the couple over the course of three decades.

鈥淚t's a habit,鈥� said Dan, who has lived in the neighbourhood with his wife and two teenage daughters for almost 17 years. 鈥淚 don't think they're waking up in the morning with an intention to be untoward, but their actions have resulted in some significant disquiet on our end.鈥�

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, has backed up the Slamets' claims, recalling "multiple issues" with other cats.

鈥淭he couple seem to have this need to kind of take over cats," he said. "They鈥檝e had a lot of cats in their house over the years.鈥�

The anonymous neighbour says they too almost lost a cat to the couple 20 years ago.

鈥淭he cat just made a beeline for their backdoor when I let her out, and I thought, well they're feeding her,鈥� he said.

But the cat owner was quick to intervene, changing the feline鈥檚 behaviour by keeping the animal indoors until the couple left for work.

For the Slamet family, however, the story does not have a happy ending.

After reluctantly giving up their cat Percy 10 years ago because of the couple's actions, the family are facing the same problem with ginger tomcat Pumpkin Spice, who belongs to 16-year old Jeannie Slamet.

When Dan and Kirsten gave their daughter the feline for her birthday six years ago, the couple asked their neighbours to not feed or house the cat.

鈥淭hey consented,鈥� said Dan.

To make sure they got the message across, the Slamets' cat also carried a tag attached its collar, which said, "Do not feed me."

But as the years have passed, the Slamets say the couple have not kept their promise, and in recent months they have gone weeks without seeing the cat.

鈥淲e occasionally see the cat, but very rarely as he鈥檚 living with [our neighbours],鈥� said Dan. "My daughter and family are devastated to lose a second member of our family."

Under the eyes of the law, while a cat is considered someone鈥檚 property, as Pumpkin Spice is still allowed to roam, the actions of the Slamets' neighbours are more a question of morals, rather than a legal matter.

In an emailed statement, the BC SPCA said if the cat was 鈥渘ot being permitted to leave the neighbour鈥檚 home,鈥� the original owner should contact the police.

鈥淚f the neighbour is just offering the cat food and water and the cat is still free roaming, the police likely will not respond, as the cat would not be considered 鈥榮tolen鈥�,鈥� said the spokesperson for the animal charity, who noted the BC SPCA recommends cats should be kept indoors.

The Slamets say they had tried to keep Pumpkin Spice indoors for the first year they had him, but the feline鈥檚 persistent escape attempts forced them to allow the cat more freedom.

鈥淗e was such a 鈥楬oudini鈥� and so insistent on getting out,鈥� said Kirsten Slamet, who regards Pumpkin Spice as one of the family.

鈥淚 miss having him around,鈥� she said. 鈥淧ets are something that brings you joy, and if you don't have the animal you don't have that feeling.鈥�

Despite multiple requests for their neighbours to stop feeding and housing their pet, the Slamets have had no success.

鈥淚 struggle with the fact that I know Pumpkin has not been to the vet in more than a year if I remember correctly, and he needs vaccinations,鈥� said Kirsten.

Ultimately the family want their cat to return home, but if their story can help others and raise awareness, the family has said it will bring them some comfort.

鈥淭he goal is to have our cat home to rejoin the family he belongs to,鈥� said Dan. 鈥淏ut that would require some participation from our neighbour 鈥�. perhaps to a very similar proportion another goal would be to have this prevented for other people.鈥�