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Help! Neighbour trying to steal my cat!!
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Frugalista
Posts: 1,747 Forumite
I am soo angry, I don't know where to start :mad:. Sorry in advance if this is a bit long and garbled.
We live in a very rural area - a small collection of houses and farms (approx 12), not enough to even be classed as a village. Our cottage is in the middle of fields and is approx ¼ mile from the nearest road (fairly quiet country lane).
Following the death of our last, much loved, moggy I decided to fulfil a longheld wish to own a Siamese. We did all our research (the type we wanted was the Classic/Traditional) and, eventually, bought from a breeder who also had kennels. We have quite a few dogs and felt that kittens reared around dogs would be better able to cope with all the noise and bustle of a multi dog household. We chose two half brothers - both quite different characters - and have never regretted our decision to buy Siamese.
Our boys are now just over 2½ years old. Because of where we live, we have always allowed them to be outdoor cats - play in the fields surrrounding us. They always came home for their meal. Cat A was always very adventurous and his "patch" got bigger & bigger. Then he started to go missing. We asked down at the nearest farm if they had seen a Siamese, but No. He would always turn up after a few days, stay for a day or two, then disappear again.
A couple of months ago I received a phone call from a woman who lives approx 3 fields away, asking if I owned a Siamese. When I said "Yes, we have two." she was not happy. She said she had spent 14 months trying to tame him :eek:. I asked her why on earth would she think he was a stray and she told me some story about "a large number of cats" being dumped near their farm. Yeah! Right! pick the expensive looking pedigree why don't you. (Edit: I actually phoned the local vets and they knew nothing about so-called dumped cats) I politely requested that she stopped feeding him, did not let him in her house, and shoo'd him away. She kept saying things like "Oh! he's so handsome" and "He's such a lovely cat". I repeated my request and that was that.
He was still going missing. I took to stopping at the farm on my way home and calling him - he was always down there - I would put him in car and drive him home. I spoke to her (phone) on a number of occasions, asking her not to feed him and explaining that we were besides ourselves with worry when he didn't come home, and that his brother was missing him and not eating so well without him there. Nothing changed.
The other day I drove down there and knocked on the door. Both she and her husband answered the door. Her face fell and she asked me in. She said she would go and fetch him as he was asleep on her bed. Her husband told me that he "liked his home comforts" and sat on the sofa with them at night then slept on their bed!! She came back with him upside down in her arms like a baby, kissing him, and wouldn't hand him over!!! I had to physically take him from her. To say I was livid would be an understatement! Then she tells me she has flea treated him!! I turned and got out of there before I said something I would regret.
I have been in touch with the Citizens Advice, Cats Protection League (for advice) and Siamese Cat Rescue (for advice). I have been advised to send her a solicitors letter or tell the police he has been stolen (if he goes again). However, because this is such a small community, I was thinking of writing a friendly but firm letter expaining that if this happened again I would be forced to take legal action. Can anyone advise me over the wording of such a letter, and the situation in general.
Sorry this is so long!! Many thanks
We live in a very rural area - a small collection of houses and farms (approx 12), not enough to even be classed as a village. Our cottage is in the middle of fields and is approx ¼ mile from the nearest road (fairly quiet country lane).
Following the death of our last, much loved, moggy I decided to fulfil a longheld wish to own a Siamese. We did all our research (the type we wanted was the Classic/Traditional) and, eventually, bought from a breeder who also had kennels. We have quite a few dogs and felt that kittens reared around dogs would be better able to cope with all the noise and bustle of a multi dog household. We chose two half brothers - both quite different characters - and have never regretted our decision to buy Siamese.
Our boys are now just over 2½ years old. Because of where we live, we have always allowed them to be outdoor cats - play in the fields surrrounding us. They always came home for their meal. Cat A was always very adventurous and his "patch" got bigger & bigger. Then he started to go missing. We asked down at the nearest farm if they had seen a Siamese, but No. He would always turn up after a few days, stay for a day or two, then disappear again.
A couple of months ago I received a phone call from a woman who lives approx 3 fields away, asking if I owned a Siamese. When I said "Yes, we have two." she was not happy. She said she had spent 14 months trying to tame him :eek:. I asked her why on earth would she think he was a stray and she told me some story about "a large number of cats" being dumped near their farm. Yeah! Right! pick the expensive looking pedigree why don't you. (Edit: I actually phoned the local vets and they knew nothing about so-called dumped cats) I politely requested that she stopped feeding him, did not let him in her house, and shoo'd him away. She kept saying things like "Oh! he's so handsome" and "He's such a lovely cat". I repeated my request and that was that.
He was still going missing. I took to stopping at the farm on my way home and calling him - he was always down there - I would put him in car and drive him home. I spoke to her (phone) on a number of occasions, asking her not to feed him and explaining that we were besides ourselves with worry when he didn't come home, and that his brother was missing him and not eating so well without him there. Nothing changed.
The other day I drove down there and knocked on the door. Both she and her husband answered the door. Her face fell and she asked me in. She said she would go and fetch him as he was asleep on her bed. Her husband told me that he "liked his home comforts" and sat on the sofa with them at night then slept on their bed!! She came back with him upside down in her arms like a baby, kissing him, and wouldn't hand him over!!! I had to physically take him from her. To say I was livid would be an understatement! Then she tells me she has flea treated him!! I turned and got out of there before I said something I would regret.
I have been in touch with the Citizens Advice, Cats Protection League (for advice) and Siamese Cat Rescue (for advice). I have been advised to send her a solicitors letter or tell the police he has been stolen (if he goes again). However, because this is such a small community, I was thinking of writing a friendly but firm letter expaining that if this happened again I would be forced to take legal action. Can anyone advise me over the wording of such a letter, and the situation in general.
Sorry this is so long!! Many thanks
"Men are generally more careful of the breed(ing) of their horses and dogs than of their children" - William Penn 1644-1718
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.
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Comments
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Sorry but it looks like he has adopted your neighbour.0
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No, she has admitted she took 14 months to get near him. She has gone out of her way to entice him."Men are generally more careful of the breed(ing) of their horses and dogs than of their children" - William Penn 1644-1718
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.0 -
Keep your cats in for a few months. That's all you can do really.
Apart form that, microchip them immediately (in case of future ownership dispute) and put collars on with address.
Our last cat disappeared the day some neighbours moved...guess where she went :rolleyes:British Ex-pat in British Columbia!0 -
Frugalista wrote: »No, she has admitted she took 14 months to get near him. She has gone out of her way to entice him.
Well, it looks like it's let him go/come to a financial arrangement/do what Withabix says and keep him in/tag or proceed with the legal action.
I hope someone comes up with a letter template that you can use.0 -
They are both microchipped luckily. They were done as kittens. I am keeping them both in at the moment but, as they are used to having free rein, they are not happy boys! And, believe me, Siamese let you know when they are not happy AT FULL VOLUME!!"Men are generally more careful of the breed(ing) of their horses and dogs than of their children" - William Penn 1644-1718
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.0 -
So your cat prefers her house to yours
I think you are going to have to keep your cat locked in if you dont want it to roam0 -
you could spend the next 14 months enticing your cat back0
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According to the Citizens Advice, cats have the legal right to roam (unlike any other animal) and just because he does is no way an indication of neglect or absolvement of ownership (their words, not mine). She has already overstepped the mark by medicating him without my permission. The vet was horrifed when I told them - apparently, if I had unknowingly treated him with a different product the following day - it could have killed him!
I love my cat and am not prepared to hand him over just because this woman has taken a shine to him. I cannot understand how a so-called animal lover would put another owner through this."Men are generally more careful of the breed(ing) of their horses and dogs than of their children" - William Penn 1644-1718
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.0 -
although you paid for the cat, it is an animal not an object or slave. If the cat has found a new master, not much you can do about it, same as you cannot instruct someone not to pet/feed it.
You're real options is to sell the cat to her or keep it locked up (which would no doubt make all parties unhappy
) 0 -
This sounds terrible, It is such a rare occurence that I suppose the only way to go is the threatening legal route. Must be horrible to have you dream cat being enticed away!
Good luck with whatever you do, it would be a shame to have to keep the cat indoors for months, but unfortunately that may also be necessary.0
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