Woman has taken back cat she abandoned

Jmoo

Undervalued said:

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!

If you look at the theft act you will see the owner of a cat is someone who can prove microchip, insurance details, medical bills, etc. 

The law also states that someone who leaves their cat for half a year to live on the street is guilty of abandonment. As per the vets and charities we have taken her in as all reasonable attempts to find the owners could not be found. It includes turning up at their home and being turned away when we asked if it was their cats. 

I should really point out how thin the cat was when we took her to the vets for inspection in 40 degrees heat with a kitten too young to be outside. On her third pregnancy in just 18 months. We did the right thing - the alternative was to allow them to live under the shed in the garden and greenhouse where they had been for a number of weeks relying on food from the bins and neighbourhood.

I think we'd think twice about helping a cat in future. Those sorts of comments show you're made to be a criminal - not those who abandoned a cat and then decided they wanted it back more than half a year later. 

Jmoo

Still I'm happy we did the right thing. She's vaccinated, been fed, spayed, her mastitis and cystitis was clearing up and the kitten has a home. Her other four kittens also have a home. Suppose that's why they wanted her back! Here's the day we took her to the vets. 

sheramber

This is this is why you should hand a found animal to a recognised organisation- RSPCA or Cat’s Protection or local cat shelter. After a set time they can legally rehome the animal. You can tell them when you hand it in that will rehome it if not claimed. 

Jmoo

We were given the brush off by RSPCA and cats protection. They said it was peak kitten season, and didn't want to do something that would seperate the mum from the kitten. They said as we were feeding them it essentially meant they weren't effectively without food or a home. I wish we'd pushed them further. We still have some of the charities responses.

sheramber said:

This is this is why you should hand a found animal to a recognised organisation- RSPCA or Cat’s Protection or local cat shelter. After a set time they can legally rehome the animal. You can tell them when you hand it in that will rehome it if not claimed. 

double_dutchy

Jmoo said:

Still I'm happy we did the right thing. She's vaccinated, been fed, spayed, her mastitis and cystitis was clearing up and the kitten has a home. Her other four kittens also have a home. 

I agree, you absolutely did the right thing. We have 4 cats and their welfare is always a priority. I don't have any answers about what you should do now, but you have taken your own time and money to look after a vulnerable animal - well done!

KxMx

sheramber said:

This is this is why you should hand a found animal to a recognised organisation- RSPCA or Cat’s Protection or local cat shelter. After a set time they can legally rehome the animal. You can tell them when you hand it in that will rehome it if not claimed. 

I volunteer with Cats Protection, handing an animal to an organisation is usually in practice getting a spot on a waiting list. 


I have personally looked after cats in similar circumstances who have gone back formally to the feeder/finder, but they were only able to come in when there was either no waiting list or a very short one. 

Usually a cat that had food and shelter wouldn't be far up the waiting list, because there would be much needier cases ahead of them.

Demand locally is such that we've actually had to close even the waiting list twice since December.  

I realise the cat was heavily pregnant, but she was at that point being cared for by OP so not in the greatest of need.

sheramber

By turning the cat over th an organisation the OP would not be caring for it.

It is the caring for it that negates the situation.

It would have to be reported as abandoned and nobody caring for it.  Only then would RSPCA have to step in. 

Lavendyr

Undervalued said:

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!

The OP has had the abandoned cat chipped, treated and has cared for her and her litter. 

Read the earlier thread. The cat was abandoned. 

@Jmoo you have my sympathies. I've come across disinterested cat owners before where some of their cats liked to rest in our garden/conservatory when open (had 15 cats, cared v little about their health, we never fed or otherwise encouraged them to stay) and it is very painful. I think you've done the right thing but I'm really not sure how you go forward unless you instruct solicitors. In the meantime very much suggest you keep the kittens in. 

Jmoo

Some time has passed. We never managed to get the cat back. Every school holiday she has left the country - and this summer she once again went away for three months.

The neighbour - who still claims we are thieves - recently posted she had lost a different cat. She posted on the local Facebook group looking for sympathy and got a frosty reception from neighbours. In response to questions she said the original cat we looked after has gone missing. She said it was lost in the three months she was in Latvia in summer.

From what can see she's done nothing to find it. We have no idea if it's still chipped to us, or how long the cat we did so much for has been gone. We also don't know where she went missing.

We had warned the RSPCA at the start of the year something like this would happen. But they were satisfied they were a responsible cat owner. I'm so upset about it all. 

Mrs_Z

Thanks for the update Jmoo. I'm so sorry to hear there doesnt seem to be a happy outcome. These kinds of situations are so difficult. Take comfort of the fact that you have done all you could for the cat and the kitten and tried your best.
Whilst we do not know what happened to the cat, maybe there is a possibility that someone as kind as you, took her on (katnapped her) or she managed to leave and find another home. I would expect her still being chipped to you as from my experience, it's quite difficult to change the ownership details without the vet contacting you first or the microchip company (or the vets) having a clear consent from you.