As mentioned in my introduction, I do plants.

So my neighbors (the folks living in the building across and upstairs) have a black cat which I have seen numerous times hanging out on the balcony. The other night a few friends were over and this cat crawled under the patio fence and came up to us.

Now, this cat thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced pizza pie. I don't think it's been home at all in at least 2 days. I'll put it out on the porch so it can wander off, but it just picks a corner or a chair and goes to sleep, or meows until I let it back in. I gave it some water and fed it a little. I don't know what's going on with the owners or if it can even get at its food at home (having seen it on the balcony so much, I can only figure it managed to slip out the front door). It's sleeping on my lap right now, and in general starts purring like crazy whenever I touch it.

I plan on making the owners aware of the fact that their cat has been hanging out with me. I'm going to wait a few more days and see if it persists in sticking around or if it's just being fickle and will go home. In any case...could it be that this cat has chosen to be my familiar? I wasn't really looking for one, and I'm ignorant enough on animal magick not to be able to tell for sure. But it seems to respond to full sentences, and once when it was on the other side of the fence I called it and it came immediately even though I was not offering food.

*sigh* The last time anything animal related happened to me, I had an incredibly vivid dream about a fox and a few days later my car was stolen. I'd thought in the dream it was my spirit guide because the dream was so vivid, but after my car was jacked, I looked up what foxes meant, and guess what? Sometimes they represent theft or trickiness.

Cats have no concept of ownership, they simply adopt whom they please. Looks like this is the case with your new cat    However, letting the "owners" know that the cat is safe while visiting you might induce them to let her keep visiting, if you want.  There is a great article called "Familiars and other magickal assitants".  Type that in the search box.  Lots of info there that might help you decide about the relationship you're developing.  And congratulations on being adopted!  

Oh, I don't know.. cats do have a sense of ownership in that they feel they own everything with in their line of sight.

I think the relationship you are building with the cat is great. If the cat feels that you are a better home than its owners, you may be dealing with a case of neglect. How does the cat look?

I am the proud servant of two black cats, but since I have had to put my female outside, I believe I have officially become the apartment complex's crazy cat lady--which is really fitting, since I am a librarian, and we already have this reputation. Since I put my female out, two other cats have adopted me, and many others frequent my back porch. I new that one of the starving little kittens was special, because even though she is feral, she immediately formed a bond with me. She requires more eye to eye contact than I have ever seen in a cat other than my actual familiar. I tried to avoid naming her, but gave up.

If this cat wants to be your familiar, it'll stick around, but even if it just wants to be a friend, you've been blessed.

I don't know the owners personally, but I think they have a new baby. I know for a fact that there is a dog involved. It seems like they just put the cat and the dog on the balcony...the cat is fed and looks healthy, but I doubt it's getting very much attention (especially if I'm right about the baby).