Real-life MMD: Should we pay vet's bill for the cat our neighbour stole from us?

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Money Moral Dilemma: Should we pay vet's bill for the cat our neighbour stole from us?
By the time our kitten was two years old, he rarely came home and we suspected another neighbour was feeding him, as we saw him around occasionally. He seemed happy, so we eventually got another cat to replace him. Fast forward six years, I get a knock on the door by the old lady he's lived with since 2006. She said he needs to see the vet, but as a pensioner, she can't afford to pay and as the cat is microchipped and registered to us, can we pay? As she effectively stole our disloyal cat, I’m inclined to say "no", but I'd feel bad if it means he won’t see a vet.
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By the time our kitten was two years old, he rarely came home and we suspected another neighbour was feeding him, as we saw him around occasionally. He seemed happy, so we eventually got another cat to replace him. Fast forward six years, I get a knock on the door by the old lady he's lived with since 2006. She said he needs to see the vet, but as a pensioner, she can't afford to pay and as the cat is microchipped and registered to us, can we pay? As she effectively stole our disloyal cat, I’m inclined to say "no", but I'd feel bad if it means he won’t see a vet.
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Note: Please remember that these are real-life Money Moral Dilemmas and while we want you to have your say, please remember to be nice when you respond.
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To be honest, if someone cat napped my cat in 2006 and came knocking in 2013 for money towards vets bills, I'd tell them to sling their hook.
Will you be happy to pay a 2nd and a third etc time if there's a need?
Hard to do but don't pay.
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
― John Wooden
Our neighbours cat moved in with us many years ago, as we had a cat flap (and no cat) and they didn't. We did nothing to encourage her, including not feeding her, but she lived with us for about 5 years until she died. All that time they fed her in their porch but she lived with us, with them paying the vets bills.
The only awkward times were when we went on holiday and had to ask next door to look after their own cat!!
I would be inclined to either pay up (just think of all the money the original owner saved on cat food, flea treatment, etc. by leaving the cat's costs to the old lady) or accept responsibility for the cat and take it back into their care or rehome it to someone who can afford it.
I agree completely. It would be so difficult, but I wouldn't pay.
I can't believe that she had the cheek to come and ask you!
That said, if she came to ask I think it's a sign that she does care about her pet, and I therefore think she'll find the money she needs. Right now, she's just pushing her luck.
If all else fails, remember, keep calm and hug a spaniel!
tbh - I do think its a bit of a cheek, but perhaps this lady is desperate? and wouldn't ask if the cat didn't need help? It must have cost her a lot to come and ask - talk to her and find out what the problem is?
After all this time, I do think its her cat and she should be responsible for the vet bills, but I think you should at least offer to pay for the cost of transferring the chip details to her.
Agree with the above 100%
Personally I would pay the vet bills as I would feel very bad for abandoning the cat.
I know it's horrible to think that it won't get treatment, but that's the case with thousands of cats all over the country - you can't pay for every cat. I would suggest that, as someone else has suggested, you point her towards the PDSA - by all means, make a donation to the PDSA as they rely on this to operate, but you need to draw a line somewhere.