The Case of a Curious Cat

[Jaguara]

Agree with Togakure & Chuchip regarding cats behaviours.

They are not disloyal...but if you treat them badly, and they find a better deal...don't expect loyalty.

It is very possible that this cat was abandoned, otherwise it is just in at least a semi-neglectful home.

We have a block of apartment buildings out back and every year there is a batch of cats that are left behind by owners who move. Sometimes these cats even have collars. You can watch as their condition deteriorates.

Anyway, first thing to check is if there is a collar & tags. Not having them is no guarantee, though. My cat regularly loses (deliberately?) her collar in our hedges. After losing 3 in a week, we stopped bothering. You could try putting a collar on, with an attached note as someone else suggested, to try and find if it does have an owner. If it is not used to a collar though don't count on it staying on for long.

[Banquo's Ghost]

tibilicus, since you appear to be in England, you should check the cat for a microchip. Usually, if you feel (gently) around the scruff of the neck, you may find a nodule around five millimetres long. If it has one, it's a simple matter to take it to the local vet who will scan it and tell you the owner. Or of course, notify the RSPCA - from your description, it may have been abandoned recently (its condition getting worse) as sadly, more people are losing their jobs and thus think it is a solution to throw a cat out to rely on its own devices.