General Discussion

Cleita

(75,480 posts)

12. Neither. Let the cat decide.

Fri Jul 17, 2015, 04:46 PM

Jul 2015

It happened to me. I adopted a stray who kept coming to my door begging for food. He was a long hair so his fur was matted with burrs. He was full of fleas and ticks. I fed him, took him to the vet for a check-up, and cleaned him up. I put up found cat notices but got not response so he moved in with me for two years.

Then a woman came to my door and said it was her cat. She lived half a mile from me and filled me in about the kitty's background, showed me photographs and thanked me for looking after him while he was "lost". I let her have him even though he didn't seem to want to go. He reappeared at my door two days later. We tried another time and this time the kitty ran back to me the minute they opened the carrier to get him out.

We both decided he wanted to stay with me and not his former family. That family raised German Shepherds so we think it was because of the dogs not that the first family were awful to him. I think this kitty will have a preference as to whom he wants to live with.

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cat custody battle. woman tracks down lost cat 7 years later. current owner won't give him up [View all] Liberal_in_LA Jul 2015 OP

Sad for both, but I'd return him REP Jul 2015 #1

New owner is retired senior. does that influence your decision? Liberal_in_LA Jul 2015 #3

Nope. REP Jul 2015 #32

Not neglectful? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jul 2015 #9

Cats can get out, especially after being moved to a new house REP Jul 2015 #33

I agree -- I see it as a matter of due diligence rocktivity Jul 2015 #16

If he was microchipped, he should have been returned tblue37 Jul 2015 #45

Cats should be kept indoors for their health CreekDog Jul 2015 #20

An indoor-only cat can still sneak outside REP Jul 2015 #35

yes they can CreekDog Jul 2015 #38

I guess I misunderstood your reply to my post then REP Jul 2015 #41

Yes, I basically agree CreekDog Jul 2015 #43

my cats used to take naps all the time olddots Jul 2015 #2

After 7 years, the cat should be with the new owner WestCoastLib Jul 2015 #4

It sounds as though the rescue operator made the original mistake, petronius Jul 2015 #5

Perhaps that cat rescue can offer a cat free of charges to the original owner... cascadiance Jul 2015 #14

7 years? I support the new owner! nt Logical Jul 2015 #6

Let the cat decide. Put him in a carrier, open it in neutral territory CharlotteVale Jul 2015 #7

Threaten to cut the cat in half.. No wait that's babies MattBaggins Jul 2015 #52

WTF?! It's sick and creepy to joke about hurting animals. CharlotteVale Jul 2015 #56

feel bad for both restorefreedom Jul 2015 #8

I had that happen Warpy Jul 2015 #10

it's a tough one but I think I would do as you did Skittles Jul 2015 #37

Yep. That's how cats are. hunter Jul 2015 #39

I honestly can't decide. Very sad though. stevenleser Jul 2015 #11

Neither. Let the cat decide. Cleita Jul 2015 #12

Holy cats! Those two towns are nearly 40 miles apart! KamaAina Jul 2015 #13

I have to vote for the current owner Travis_0004 Jul 2015 #15

I would ask the cat who he wants to go with. nt Guy Whitey Corngood Jul 2015 #17

Who cares which owner gets him - what counts is what's best for the cat tularetom Jul 2015 #18

Two mommies who love him... Laffy Kat Jul 2015 #19

As I mentioned upthread, kitteh would be facing a 40-mile drive each way every weekend. KamaAina Jul 2015 #26

Hmmm, that's true. How 'bout a once a month switch off. Laffy Kat Jul 2015 #34

The cat is the property of the orignal owner unless there is some statute to the contrary. nt ladjf Jul 2015 #21

Fuck that. Kids and pets are not "property." hunter Jul 2015 #40

what does the cat say? pansypoo53219 Jul 2015 #22

"Meow". KamaAina Jul 2015 #28

"King Solomon he never lived round here." johnp3907 Jul 2015 #23

First thing I thought of. Adsos Letter Jul 2015 #29

Mine is microchipped Aerows Jul 2015 #24

I strenuously object to the premise of this poll. KamaAina Jul 2015 #25

lol. u are right Liberal_in_LA Jul 2015 #42

After all this time, it's very unlikely this cat remembers his original owner. LisaL Jul 2015 #27

Uh Hu? angryvet Jul 2015 #30

The new owner's story seems a little suspiciously convenient. n/t PoliticAverse Jul 2015 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author 0rganism Jul 2015 #31

All things being equal, I'm for the new owner. aikoaiko Jul 2015 #36

Had that happen with a dog Egnever Jul 2015 #44

I don't want to make light of this ballabosh Jul 2015 #46

Seven years is way too long romanic Jul 2015 #47

The cat would be heartbroken to be taken from the home it knows. herding cats Jul 2015 #48

It's selfish to want the cat back after 7 years, imo, unless if the cat has a bad home. Oneironaut Jul 2015 #49

I have two dogs that I adopted from the pound XemaSab Jul 2015 #50

That should be "owner." With quotes. Nevernose Jul 2015 #51

This really isn't about the cat. ancianita Jul 2015 #53

I have a third option. U4ikLefty Jul 2015 #55

I had a similar thing happen only I was the new "mom." Vinca Jul 2015 #57

To original owner- pay the reward, 7 years of vet costs & about $10/20 a day boarding cost, Sunlei Jul 2015 #58