# Need advice should I take the cat or not?



## Lineth (Apr 12, 2011)

Ok, so I am moving from apartment complex next month. The dilema here is that "Blackie" a cat that I thought was a stray and whom I neutered and pay for all of his shots because I liked him and because he is super friendly turned up with a collar and info a while ago. He comes to my house everyday, eats here because the people don't feed him. He comes hungry all the time. Comes inside my house and likes to play with me and even sleeps at my house. I clean him, do everything for him because the suppossed owners all they did was to put the name tag on him because they don't take care of him at all. When I found he had owners I stop feeding him because I didn't want the owners which I don't know who they are too see him at my porch. Well, the time I did not fed him he lost a lot weight and was looking so skinny. I always see Blackie outside and sometimes some teenagers chase him and he runs away from them. My husband tells me that maybe those teenagers are the owners. Besides he always comes with ridiculous cat clothing for females. They dressed him with dresses, I guess they haven't even realized he is not a female but a boy. He hates being dressed because he came to my house and could barely walk because tangled with the stupid dress. Blackie comes every day to eat, to play, and rest at my house. He won't leave until I open the door. What should I do? Should I take him? I mean I took him to the vet, neutered him, vaccinated him, and it the papers I am the owner. I mean what kind of people would have a cat and not getting him fixed? They haven't even realized he is a boy not a girl. I just don't want to leave him here because it is clear they don't feed him. Tell me what to do please!!!!!


----------



## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

I would probably just take him since the "owners" aren't properly caring for him. Would your vet be willing to write a brief history of your visits and all you've done for the cat? I think that would cover you if any conflict were to arise about ownership. Is there an address or phone # on the collar?


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Find the owners and talk to them. If he has an owner you can get into a lot of trouble kidnapping their beloved pet. You can't steal someones cat.

Try very hard to find his owners and convince them he is better off with you. Is he microchipped? If he is, you will have a lot of problems ever taking him to a vet. 

I know what your heart and emotions are telling you but you need to be mindful of your local laws. Can you contact the SPCA and ask for advice? I just would hate to see you in trouble for trying to do the right thing.


----------



## Lineth (Apr 12, 2011)

praline said:


> Find the owners and talk to them. If he has an owner you can get into a lot of trouble kidnapping their beloved pet. You can't steal someones cat.
> 
> Try very hard to find his owners and convince them he is better off with you. Is he microchipped? If he is, you will have a lot of problems ever taking him to a vet.
> 
> I know what your heart and emotions are telling you but you need to be mindful of your local laws. Can you contact the SPCA and ask for advice? I just would hate to see you in trouble for trying to do the right thing.


I was thinking of doing that but if they say no then I still will feel bad because they don't take care of him, and that it is obvious. As a matter of fact he is here right now playing with my husband. I took him to the vet already so I don't think he is microchipped at all. Ughhhhhh will try to call the owners..


----------



## Lineth (Apr 12, 2011)

swimkris said:


> I would probably just take him since the "owners" aren't properly caring for him. Would your vet be willing to write a brief history of your visits and all you've done for the cat? I think that would cover you if any conflict were to arise about ownership. Is there an address or phone # on the collar?


Yes, the vet will do that. Ohhh I also dewormed him pay for that at the vet too because he had worms. I have papers here that say he is mine from the vet with all the info. Yes, the on the name tag it has his name and a phone number. Will try to call that number.


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Oh I totally understand. Its just that in most places cats are considered property and you could get into trouble for stealing someone's property.

Would they pursue it? who knows but if they did you could be in a lot of trouble. 

You don't want to be on Animal Cops do you?! :wink

I would contact the SPCA as they can give you better advice concerning the laws in your area for neglected animals. They also might have some ideas for you. You also need to hunt down the owners. 

Honestly, he might not have a real owner. Some kid could have put a collar on him, brought him home to the parents and said, "Can I keep him"

But you don't want to steal a cat unless you have more information and contact the spca.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You had their cat neutered. How did they react to that? Or did he stay with you during the entire recovery?


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

If I remember right, she had him fixed and only after did he show up with a collar. She has had issues for a long time with this poor little kitty.

I feel bad for the poor thing but without checking her options with the spca she could get into trouble and that would be sad as well.


----------



## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

This is what I would do: I'd call the number on the tag and say that it's MY cat, how dare they put a tag on him. If they say it's THEIR cat, I'd tell them to drop that line unless they want you to report them to animal abuse - owner rights are EARNED through CAREGIVING, not through abusive relating (starve, dress, leave outside for long periods, etc.). I'd take the cat inside the house and not let it out, let these people PROVE to the authorities that THEY are the owners. 

I can't stress this enough: *owner rights are EARNED through CAREGIVING.* Feeding and supervising are top of the list. Anyone can put a collar on a cat.


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I would agree but the law doesn't see it that way. 

One thing I am thinking and hoping is that when she contacts the SPCA they can take custody of the cat due to neglect. From there she should be able to legally adopt him through the SPCA. I have seen similar things on Animal Cops lolol But even on that show they have to go through so much to take the animal away. :?


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I don't think it would work that way. SPCA is all about education. I think that instead of outright taking the animal they'd sit down with the owners and discuss proper care and give them another chance (or 4) before they took the animal.

In this case, if it were me.... i'd rather play dumb and ask for forgiveness if they came after me than ask for permission. If they let the animal run lose anyway who is to say it wasn't just eaten by wildlife or hit by a car... how do they know you took it.


Note: Please know I'm NOT condoning stealing people's pets, but this cat doesn't seem like a pet to me. Just something they play with occasionally don't want to care for properly.


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

AWW man but on Animal cops the SPCA carry guns and handcuffs!!!!

<sigh> your most likely right.


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I couldn't be an animal cop like they have on TV...... if I ran into some of those people and I carried a gun, it would be all she wrote.


----------



## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

Not to be very greedy but I personally would take him in and adopt him. He doesn't seserve to be with some owners like them that discare for him. I reckon he would rather live with you than them because you are taking really good care of him, sound's like better than his other owners are.

It's your decision of you want to take him in. Would you like another kittie? Could you afford another?


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

MowMow said:


> I couldn't be an animal cop like they have on TV...... if I ran into some of those people and I carried a gun, it would be all she wrote.


agreed.

I like watching it though and pointing at the TV and reminding Bentley how grateful he should be 

I tried the same thing during the K9 show. "See how smart he is Bentley? See how he takes the bullet for his owner?" 

I get a yawn and if he is feeling frisky he might roll over a bit...


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Lineth is already feeding him, taking care of his medical needs, got him neutered, and he's staying the night at her house. 

She's not this cat's mistress, she's his new wife. Ordinarily, I would advise against this, but if they don't care that he's already having sleepovers, they probably won't care when she moves and he's gone altogether.


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I totally agree but will the law if it came down to it?

I am just not sure the laws about petnapping in her area. I think she lives outside the states if I remember correctly. 

I just want her to stay safe and within the law. I mean in this day and age someone could shoot you for taking their cat. Just look at some of the stupid stuff people do when they get mad :?


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

If you have papers from your vet stating that it is your cat then if the SPCA came by couldn't you just say they stole YOUR cat?

Honestly, if they can't feed it or fix it then they aren't going to pursue looking for the thing. If it were me I would go to the Humane Society (after "losing" the collar) and check for a chip. If it has a chip (which he probably doesn't if they can't even fix him) then you then you say that you have seen this stray running through your neighborhood and file a complaint. If it isn't chipped then say it was a stray and you want to keep him and I doubt they would charge you for checking for a chip. If they ever come looking for the cat and it goes far enough tell the SPCA that it is your cat. You have vet papers for him and get him chipped right away to prove it is your cat. If they can prove it was originally theirs then explain that you thought he was a stray and you took ownership of him.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Legally, she's up a tree, only because the cat has a collar with identification.

I certainly wouldn't have spent the money on neutering, or anything else, without asking if I could take over ownership. But I fear what will happen to the cat if she leaves him. 

I surely wouldn't advise removing the collar, turning him in as a stray, then claiming him after a proper waiting period. I mean, that would be wrong, right?

These people aren't likely to call around and try to find him.

So I really, really couldn't advise doing that.......

:grin:


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Well if the cat no longer had identification then she wouldn't be in the wrong. It would just be a stray cat, right? Cats lose collars very easily. Nutmeg took hers off this afternoon and has been running around nude ever since.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> Well if the cat no longer had identification then she wouldn't be in the wrong. It would just be a stray cat, right? Cats lose collars very easily. Nutmeg took hers off this afternoon and has been running around nude ever since.


Lots of harlots on the forum tonight. :grin:


----------



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Well if the cat happens to lose its collar, be sure to have all the paperwork from the vet at the house. Since the records show a long history of you caring for him it would help if the law shows up :wink

If they try and show adoption papers, well most adoption agencies have null and void contracts if the cat is let outside. I know our SPCA and rescue group have it on their adoption paperwork.

I can only hope that the cat waits to lose his collar on moving day. That way it will be harder for anyone to locate you.

It is against the law to steal someone's pet. However since you have a long history of vet records you can play dumb about the collar, even saying some fool put a collar on MY cat. lol


----------



## Niko's Cats (Aug 6, 2011)

OK, I guess I'm the bad one here but if it were me, first I'd check with my vet to see if the cat's microchipped. If not, then I'd take the cat with me. Why? Because Blackie has irresponsible owners! And if I ever heard he died from mistreatment later on, I'd feel horrible and guilty every which way. If he _is_ microchipped, only then would I contact the owners to try and take ownership.


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Lots of harlots on the forum tonight. :grin:


Just you. :wink


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Silly girl! I was talking about your nekked Nutmeg and Monkeys, the subject of the "Harlot" thread.


----------



## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

So if I put a collar on a cat I find in the street (my neighbor's cat, for example), he's mine??


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Silly girl! I was talking about your nekked Nutmeg and Monkeys, the subject of the "Harlot" thread.


Oooh, I thought you were talking about Krissy, Praline and I!! My bad! Yea, Nutter Butter is definitely a free spirit. :kittyturn


----------



## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

Hahaha Becky, I love how you joke all he time! You alway's make me laugh my head off


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Thank you Sarah, that was very sweet .


----------



## Viljaana (Oct 6, 2010)

If the there's owner's contacts, contact them. Ask what's their relationship to the cat. Do not **** them of. The chances are that they have adopted a stray too, then it is your word against theirs and as you have taken care of him. I'd say the cat would me yours. What they have done is to tease your cat by dressing him and putting a collar on him.

If they have proof of adopting the cat before you (pictures of him as a kitten), I'd try to convince them that the cat is better off with you. There no need to tell them your moving. Point to them, that you have indeed adopted a stray cat that hadn't been fixed, fed or de-wormed. Meaby they don't even care wether you take the cat or not.

But if they are willing to fight for the ownership of the cat, you must contact the authorities. Do it before they do. Tell them you have been taking care of him. When someone put a collar on him, you just though he had another home. When it was clear no-one was feeding him, you kept doing it. You gave him a home and you sould be the legal owner.

But without the permision of the other owners or the local authorieties, do not take the cat with you. I'd hate to see a good person like you to get in legal trouble for kidnapping a cat. But if you won't get his ownership and he's left with the horrible family, atleast you can say you did everything you could.


----------



## Mom of 4 (Jul 29, 2006)

I would not want them to have my phone number.

Over 30 years ago, the people living next my inlaws had a 5 month old Irish Setter puppy in their backyard. It never went inside, never had food or water left outside for it. My inlaws put a bucket of water over the fence for it several times a day and some food. We called the SPCA. They said we could go throught the legal channels, but the puppy was likely to be dead by the time they could take possession. Or we could take the puppy.
So we took the puppy. The neighbors must have been relieved. They never asked about her, put up flyers, or put an ad in the paper. We got to enjoy her for 10 years.


----------



## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Vet bills are as good as ownership in my books, I would imagine they are the making and breaking point in court cases next to microchips; the person with the cat listed as owner of the cat is the one that is entitled to the cat. Even if someone has pictures of the cat that predate that, I think vet bills trump that. Anyone can take a cat inside and snap a photo, or have previously owned the cat and then turned it out on the street. Considering that they didn't take care of the cat to the point that you thought it was a stray and he was not neutered could very likely mean that cat had never been to the vet before and that they may not even have pictures of the cat. I'd phone them up from a pay phone after you've left with the cat and tell them you've adopted the cat, you didn't realize it wasn't a stray, and that you've spent a considerable amount of money in vet bills on this cat. Tell them putting a collar on a cat does not make it theirs. That way, maybe next time they have an animal they'll think twice about allowing it to wander outside without being neutered or properly cared for, and seriously - letting a cat outside in clothing?! That's is not only cruel but dangerous for the cat. But again let me stress that I would phone them and let them know, I think it's pretty clear there are children dressing up the cat, and that their parents don't care one way or the other, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't go without knowing what happened to their cat and that he's safe.

I tried running a search online for issues like this, I came up with this:
Cats are regarded as “property” a bit like a TV or a car might be. A Cat belongs to and is owned by any person until that person signs away their ownership of the cat. Only the owner of a cat (or someone with authority from the owner) can give up their ownership rights and unless that occurs the cat remains property of the owner. Proof of owner ship of the cats can include photos and veterinary bills in your name etc.


----------



## Lineth (Apr 12, 2011)

*Thanks everyone!!!*

Well, I love Blackie and certainly would love to take him with me because I fear that if I don't he will die. The reason why I fixed him was because he was getting all the feral stray females that are by apartment and whom I feed with my own money too. I didn't want him to get all the females pregnant because there are a lot of cats as it is here. Blackie from the beggining was friendly and let me pet him. So the same day that they got him fixed I also paid for all of his shots..then vet said he had worms and also paid for all the shot for that too. Ohh he had fleas also, and I give him his montly advantage drops too. I feed him, clean him, play with him everyday. Before I got him fixed he was always outside waiting for me to get home. He even walks me to my car, and accompany me to feed the feral cats. He is very sweet, and I love him because he loves me more than my husband which it is okay since my baby girl Danna (cat) seems to love his daddy more than me lol. I guess the owners saw him and me in my porch and next thing I knew he showed up with a collar on him. I stopped feeding him, and it broke my heart because he will stay for long time at my door waiting for me to open it but I didn't do it because I didn't want any problems. Well I stop feeding him, and he lost a lot but a lot of weight..my husband was feeling bad and said that we had to feed him or he was going to get sick. I gave in and he comes her everyday. Stays sleeps here, play, drinks water everything he does here at my house. My husband says that if we don't take him he will die because the suppossed owners will not take care of him....:?


----------



## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

Personally, I think that if the owners know you were taking care of him they would have confronted you about it already. They haven't come looking for him when he spends the night/visits you; they weren't concerned when he suddenly came home neutered, and they aren't feeding him. If you take him, chances are they won't even notice he is gone. Just keep copies of your vet bills/statements, send an anonymous letter or phone call, and let the rest be. You would probably cause more trouble by contacting them to work the situation out than you would if they thought their cat just disappeared. It happens all the time to even "good" cat owners who let their cats roam outside.


----------



## yingying (Jul 19, 2011)

If I were the OP, I will just take the cat. I will NOT contact his owner, because once I do, I lose my option of catnapping. Just like OP doesn't know who the owners are, it is most possible that the owners don't know OP is taking care of the cat. So if the cat diappear, they might think he run away. Even if they do figure out their cat is taken by OP, how much effort will they put into to get the cat back? Will they trace down OP's new address, come visit to see if the cat is there? Are they willing to pay the lawyer for a law suit. That's costly and very time consuming. Since pets are treated as property and that blacky, no matter how cute he is, worth next to nothing, there won't be a whole lot money for them, may not even cover the lawyer bill. So I highly doubt they will do anything.

Even if, in the worst case, they do put up a lawsuit, OP can easily get away by saying she doesn't know the cat has an owner. A collar? She never see any collar! Can they prove they put a collar on him? Or maybe the cat lost the collar. Oh, and OP checked the microchip and there is none (do check it, if there is a microchip, then don't catnap), so she assume it's a stray cat. So OP possibly only need to say sorry and return the cat. Nothing to lose here.

OK, so I admit I'm not a model citizen here. I only obey the rules when they make sense to me. When they don't, I find ways to bend them or walk in the "grey zone". Seriously, I think North American law are more biased toward criminals. You can even drown your two-year-old baby and then clubbing for weeks without huge consequence (forgot that mother's name).


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

We can speculate about the laws where Lineth lives, but she needs to find out how they read. I know if she lived in my town...cats are not considered property if they are out roaming and don't have a chip or collar with ID. Of course we all know collars can disappear, so really it would come down to whether the he is chipped. How do I know this? I called animal control when my neighbor's was becoming a nuisance. Animal control had no authority to do anything about this cat and pretty much told me that if he "disappeared" that my neighbor had no recourse.


Personally, I would check to make sure he isn't chipped. If not, the collar would be removed and left hooked on some bush a few blocks away and the cat would move with me. Then I'd get him chipped. He's an all black cat, unless there is some unique white marking on him, there is no way he can be identified from photos. Heck I have pics of Onyx and Maggie that I'm not sure now which one it is. You have vet records. There's no way anyone is going to prove that this cat isn't yours. And honestly, I don't think they'll even look for him. And the police won't really care.


----------



## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

praline said:


> You can't steal someones cat.


Sure you can. Its really easy. Especially if you're moving. In a lot of states if someone lets a cat outside and you take them in its now your cat. I don't know where this is taking place. Maybe not even the US but I doubt the police will send Columbo out to find out where the cat went.

I have a co-worker who just took over a chipped cat that the owner wasn't taking care of. I don't know all of the details but another co-worker who is involved with a rescue helped her get around the chip issue. 

Do whats right for the kitty


----------



## Lineth (Apr 12, 2011)

*Aww thankss*

I feel better now. Blackie definetly loves being with me because I take care of him. He even watches tv. with me lol...I love him, and don't want to leave him because if I do and he dies because he wasn't taken care of..I will feel so bad...The vet papers say he is mine, and I've paid for all his medical needs..so what else do I need right?


----------



## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

TIL: This forum is filled with a bunch of Catnappers.


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

You say that like it's a bad thing :lol:


----------



## Abbie (Jan 13, 2011)

I'd take the cat.

My former neighbour used to have the most gorgeous grey Persian cat. She was allowed to roam free (standard for the UK) and was unspayed. As you can imagine, she was popping kittens out constantly. She was matted, unfed and used to lie in the middle of the road. All the other neighbours used to feed and cuddle her. Until one day she disappeared. We all thought she must have been run-over or something awful. Then a different neighbour, a big cat lover, came over all 'FBI like' and told us he had taken the cat to someone who would look after her properly. She was spayed and lived out her years with a wonderful older lady. To think the original owners must have paid a fair bit for a Persian, they were still useless at looking after her.


----------



## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Well done!


----------



## Olivers-Slave (Jul 25, 2010)

well technically, whoever is feeding and caring for the animal for like I believe 2 months is the owner of the cat. its the problem with leaving your cats with ppl for a month or two or longer when you are trying to move. if they decide to keep the cat you are kinda screwed. at least thats how I remember it in FL. 

AND whos to say that they were owners to it from the beginning? just cuz you stuck a collar and a tag on it first maybe cuz someone wanted to keep it too. 

It originally had no collar, so whos to say there isnt another person like the person that started the thread who wanted to keep it too? she doesnt know otherwise? whenever she didnt care for it it lost weight and was malnurished. When she did, it was healthy. 

I would not try to find the owners, its easier to ask forgiveness then to ask permission is what my mom always said. I'd take him in and keep him. and if owners happened to come around looking for him. then discuss things with them. and if they dont, well then there must not have been owners at all?


----------



## Dace (Apr 16, 2011)

I'd take him. In the situation described here, could the real owners care less? 
Some years ago my parents took in a cat who originally belonged to their neighbors. They were alcoholic, having quite a messy lifestyle, so they would let the cat out and ignore him for weeks, constantly. My parents started to feed him, bring to vet for check-ups and finally after 2 months took him in. Guess what, the neighbors never asked anyone if they had seen the cat. Just as if he never existed.


----------



## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> Thank you Sarah, that was very sweet .


Your welcome Becky:wink


----------

