Woman has taken back cat she abandoned

Jmoo

I posted a while back about this. We took in a pregnant cat that was abandoned, malnourished and with a 12 week kitten. We reported it to the vets, asked around, checked the microchip and was advised if nobody came forward we would need to keep her inside as she was due to give birth. She was starving and neighbours said she'd already given birth three times before at a tiny page. 

Nobody reported the cat missing, the microchip wasn't registered, and after a number of weeks she gave birth to four beautiful kittens. We rehomed the oldest she had given birth to and looked after the kittens until they were ready to leave. 

During that time she's had mastitis requiring an emergency vet, she's being treated with special food for cystitis, she's needed spaying, she's had to have two vaccines, the microchip updating, flea treatment from being on the streets, and all the kittens have needed care.

It wasn't until November (four months later) somebody knocked on the door saying they saw the kitten and loved it, and then saw the other cat and realised it was theirs. They put on a bit of a sob story saying they'd left the country to go to Latvia for numerous months and the person living in the flat didn't take good care of the cats and let them go wild. Apparently there were more. They took little interest in me pointing out how much medical treatment she'd had - they were anti-vaxxers and say they don't trust vets. 

We pointed out she couldn't be returned as she was now legally ours, she's still under treatment for cysistis, and she has a kitten to care for. And we said she wasn't going outside until she was spayed. They said they were worried as she is used to being outside. But frankly they seemed more interested in the kitten - and even asked if they could have her. The cat they claimed was theirs showed no interest. 

We heard no more. 

Now she's been spayed and vaccinated she's been outside more. She loves being in the neighbourhood and makes a fuss of everyone. 

Sadly she didn't return home today. It was claimed somebody had picked her up off the street. As it got dark we noticed a cat going crazy at the window of the house where she once lived. 

It seems they've taken her in and kept her in. 

We feel under a bit of a moral dilemma. They've locked her in despite insisting she's used to being outside and the cat hasn't left the window all day, looking like it wants to be out. 

We could accept it's back with its original owner, even though we are its registered owners, and lose all the work we've done to help her back to health and presumably will lose the connection she has with her kitten. And when the kitten is out they could also this as their own. 

Or we could go down a different route and accept we have one lovely cat. But is it worth the bother? I absolutely adore her and feel aggrieved we've put so much money into a cat that's back with someone who was happy to abandon her and leave her malnourished with behaviour issues. 

HampshireH

I'm so sorry to read this. I followed your previous thread 

Have you knocked on the door and asked for her back?

Jmoo

They just turned up and said they're not letting her out as she will be in danger... Said without a straight face. (Despite originally claiming she's an outdoors cat and she shouldn't be kept in). 

We said she's on medication and special food. They said if we send a picture they will buy it. We've refused to correspond further as they seemed unconvincing.

At a loss now what to do about insurance, microchip, vets etc. 

I'm now worried given that they wanted the kitten too whether she's going to get stolen if we let her out eventually. 

Jmoo

I've collected all the insurance details, the vets bills, the vaccination certificates and microchip details. I assume somebody might want some proof of ownership.

sheramber

 Write down a timeline of what haopened from the beginning so you have all the information to hand.

Do you have legal cover on your household insurance?  If so, ask them for advice.

Do you have a community police officer? If so, have a chat to him.

Not a recommendation- I have no connection- but this site came up on Google

https://blanchardslaw.co.uk/services/pet-custody/

SensibleSarah

How annoying and stressful.
Sooner or later I'm sure the cat will get out and probably return to you. They'll likely lose interest once they have to do litter trays etc again and a determined cat will be able to make a break for it sooner or later. I'm sure she'll end up back with them again though as sounds like they are very determined at the moment - very frustrating and worrying! 
Any chance you can make the kitten an indoor-only cat? It's probably the only way you can be sure the same thing won't happen to the other one too. 

Jmoo

It's been an interesting experience. 

Zero interest from the police, and the RSPCA have been reluctant to get involved too. They kept referring back to the police. Have told them she desperately needs medication so they are reassessing (sadly the people who have the cat think that humans are being poisoned with vaccines so doubtful they'll be helping her). 

Have spoken to the council and the landlord too. 

We are keen to get to some sort of amicable solution. Keeping her inside and keeping her from her kitten, us and the outside world when she is easily stressed and still ill is very unfair. I'm also still concerned if they leave the country for a whole summer that it'll be left to fend for itself again. At least it's vaccinated and spayed this time. 

Mrs_Z

What a horrible situation.  I did follow your first thread and was so glad that you were able to look after and keep the cat and the kitten.

Whilst I have no practical advice to offer you, I do hope that at some point, the family are bound to leave a window or a patio door open and the cat can escape.  If the cat is an outdoorsy cat, and used to go in and out in the past, it's likely that the family also did not have a litter tray for her and now, if they intend to 'lock' her in, they would need to provide one.  With a little bit of luck, they will soon get fed up cleaning after her.  And if the cat is very unhappy, there might be one or two dirty protests to come from her also.  

Keep us updated on what happens. 

MikeJXE

The problem you have here is if you get the cat back and you allow it to go out she will snap it up again and you will be back to square one 

Jmoo

MikeJXE said:

The problem you have here is if you get the cat back and you allow it to go out she will snap it up again and you will be back to square one 

Indeed. She's an outdoor cat effectively though. So we are a bit stumped.

Undervalued

I have replied to the other thread which you started today. I assume this is about the same cat?

I'm sorry, as I am sure you have the best of intentions, but when you say .....

We pointed out she couldn't be returned as she was now legally ours

How is she "legally" yours?

Then you say....

even though we are its registered owners

I am not aware of any legal "registration" of cat owners

In the thread started today you say....

The police claim we stole her!

I am sorry, but they may have a point!