Cat behavior is a great reminder that just because you think of some piece of property as yours, this is just a human legal formality and hardly applies anywhere else.

Cat owners already know that their pets will range as far and wide as they can manage, but what is truly confusing is when one encounters a cat that isn’t even theirs.

The “My house, not my cat” Facebook page is dedicated to those hilarious, if unnerving moments when people come home to find a strange feline just hanging out.

So get as comfortable as the cats here, upvote your favorites, and be sure to comment your thoughts below.

I Now Apparently Have My Own Orange. This Dude Showed Up At My House, Ran Inside And Refused To Leave. No Microchip And No Claimants. He Now Responds To The Name Carrot Cake

This Little Fluff Wandered In And Decided My Wife’s Crochet Basket Was A Comfortable Bed

This Is Bob. Bob Sits On The Porch And Meows Very Early Every Morning Until I Go Out And Fill Food Bowls

Like many solitary predators, cats are territorial. This might sound a bit strange, given that they tend to pay precisely zero rent, and, indeed, often actually cost their owners more in security deposits. But, in general, cats do understand the concept of territory and space, marking their own and fighting interlopers when they feel threatened.

What might make this entire thing somewhat difficult for humans, is the fact that cats, particularly outdoor cats, might decide that someone’s house is now theirs and never mind that this person isn’t even their owner. However, as this list shows, many cats are at least quite chill around humans, which is fortunate, since they will literally fight, tooth and nail, for their own territory.

Went To My Friend’s House The Other Evening. She Went Through To The Kitchen To Make A Drink

My House Not My Cat

My Work, Not My Cat This Is In A Truck Manufacturing Workshop With 30+ Guys And This Cat Is Adored By All And Gets So Much Attention It’s Hilarious

If you are particularly unlucky, the cat that isn’t yours but is in your house will do its best to make it their own home with the cat legal code, i.e. marking their territory with urine. In best-case scenarios, the cat is marking just by walking around, as their paws have scent glands that other cats can detect. The fact that you can’t detect them doesn’t appear to make any sense. However, some male cats will also pee on your property, just to let you know who is in charge.

These Two Showed Up On My Porch A Few Days Ago Looking For Food And Love

This Gorgeous Boy Had Been Coming To My House For Breakfast For Years

This Frail Old Boy, Who Is Not My Cat, Is Always Trying To Get Into My House

Actual cat owners will note that, unlike most of us, cats really do like to use the entire three dimensions of space in the room. While we mostly sit on some objects mere feet from the ground, cats will “guard” their territory from the highest point they can find. If some of your items need to be pushed aside, then so be it.

My Husband… Not Our Cat

Not My Cat Caught Breaking Into My Bathroom. He’s Very Cute, Very Rowdy And Didn’t Apologize For Barging In

Shortly After We Moved To A New Neighborhood, A Pretty Little Cat Showed Up At Our Door And Came Inside The House For A Tour

Interestingly, one factor that might push cats into “your” territory is competition with other cats. After all, hunting grounds, shelter, and water sources aren’t something cats like to share with their feline compatriots. So, in a sense, the “feline distribution system” might almost be a real, ecological phenomenon, where certain cats end up “pushed” into the hands of a human.

My House, My Sleeping Teen, My Grey And White Cat (Lentils), But Not My Tabby

Left The Living Room, To Go Make Coffee In The Kitchen. Apparently I Left The Front Door Open Too. I Have 2 Cats. This Is Not One Of Them

My Mother-In-Law Heard Meowing And Opened The Door And This Baby Waltzed Right In

My House. My Rad Skeleton Dude, Gerald. Not My Cat. He Now Belongs To Gerald

So This Guy Showed Up The Other Day. He Had A Chip, So With The Vets Help, We Were Able To Contact The Owner

I Told This Boy He Wasn’t My Cat For 2 Years. A Year And A Half Ago I Finally Caved And He Is Now My Cat. He Purrs Every Time I Tell Him He’s My Cat And He Has A Home

Don’t Even Know Who’s This Guy Is But He Makes Himself Home Everyday

Bought A Microchip Cat Flap To Stop Other Cats Coming In And Stealing Food

Two Weeks Ago, I Came Home Late And Heard The Neighbour’s Cat Meowing Repeatedly And Roaming In Front Of The House

I Called My Cat In From The Dark. He Came Running In. Turned In The Lights… This Is Not My Cat

I Only Have One Grey Cat (The One In The Middle) And There Are At Least Two Identical Ones In My Neighborhood Who Keep Coming Into My House

Uh, Not Sure Whose Cat This Is Or Why It Is In My Bathroom, But I Should’ve Knocked First I Guess

My Wheels, Not My Cat. She Really Wants To Get In My Hallway (Forbidden!) And Her New Tactic Is Waiting By My Door And Hopping Onto My Lap In The Hope Of A Free Ride In

In This Photo Are A Nmc And A Mc Hanging Out In My House Together. Orange Tabby Is A Stray Nmc. It Is Over 110 Degrees Here In Phoenix I Couldn’t Leave Him Out In The Heat, Could I?

This Little Man Ran Into My Apartment When I Went To Go Outside. He Arrived On The 21st Of October. His Name Is Octavius But I Call Him 21 Savage

Went Upstairs To Make My Bed. This Fella Says No. My House, My Bedroom, My Duvet… … You Guessed It. Not My Flippin Cat

Found This Cat In Labor On My Porch Today

This Handsome Fella Keeps Using My Cats’ Cat Door To Let Himself Into My House

My House, Not My Cat. He Comes And Goes

My Balcony, Not My Cat

Everyone, Meet Louie. He’s My Landlord’s Cat, And Even Though He Lives In A Different House He Comes And Hangs Out With Me Every Day

Definitely “My House Not My Cat”

My House, I Guess It’s Now My Cat

Mama Cat Still Bringing Kittens Because She Knows They Will Get A Good Meal

I Finally Got One! Neighbour’s Ex-Barn Cat

I Got Home From Work And Found This Interloper On My Dining Room Table

My Washing Machine. Not My Cat

Not My Cat. Or Should I Say… Wasn’t My Cat

Was Staying In A Gorgeous Farmhouse In West Cork When This Sweet Little Girl Bounded In & Made Herself Comfy On The Sofa

My Carport, Not My Cat

This Guy Is All Banged Up From Fighting With Other Strays. He Decided To Take A Rest In My Bed

My Bathroom, My Bath Mat. Definitely Not My Cat…. Can Confirm Definitely A Cat Since He Kept Me Company While I Went To The Loo

Came Home From School Drop Off, Opened My Door, And Here You Go! I Don’t Own Any Cat

My Sailboat, Not My Cat

Definitely Not Our Cat. It Goes On Walks With Us Now. We Have No Idea Who Owns It. Lol

My Hotel Room, Definitely Not My Cat. Heard Him Meow In The Rain And He Just Walked In As If He Owns The Place (Actually Think He Does)

She Came Out Of My Baby’s Room, Then Enjoyed The Sofa. We Don’t Have A Cat

My House Not My Cat

Source: boredpanda