# Can we "adopt" this cat?



## bigpat (Jul 8, 2014)

For about a month a skinny black cat has been coming in our garden. He's friendly and tame but has no collar. Other neighbours have seen him too but no-one knows who owns him. I don't know of any new neighbours in the area (although I don't know how far I should check) and we haven't seen any "lost" posters.

We've been feeding him some kitchen scraps etc. and now he's spending a LOT of his time here sunning himself on our chairs. We were away for 2 weeks and when we came back he seemed to have got a lot heavier. In fact we now suspect he is a SHE and that there could be family on the way.

Now the kids are REALLY excited and want to know if we can keep him/her/them but I don't know what's best. I'm aware of the responsibility of keeping pets and I'm sure we could cope with keeping two kittens. If we're right about the pregnancy, then presumably she'll be looking to "nest" somewhere soon. Can we encourage her to do that at ours and if so how? 

And do you have any other advice for things we should or should not do?

Thanks,


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## Ang2 (Jun 15, 2012)

Firstly, check on the internet sites for 'missing pets'. Also get the vet to scan for a microchip. It could be someones pet and has got lost. In the meantime, I would adopt him as your own, and if no owner comes forward, he is yours to keep.

But please try to locate an owner because to lose your pet and never see them again, or know whats happened to them is truly heart-breaking.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Ang2 said:


> Firstly, check on the internet sites for 'missing pets'. Also get the vet to scan for a microchip. It could be someones pet and has got lost. In the meantime, I would adopt him as your own, and if no owner comes forward, he is yours to keep.
> 
> But please try to locate an owner because to lose your pet and never see them again, or know whats happened to them is truly heart-breaking.


I second this ^^

You could make some found posters too.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

As above....vet first to check for chip (they should not charge for this if you call ahead and ask) and then try and locate owner. Meanwhile, especially if the cat is female and pregnant then it needs to be kept inside. You really do not want her giving birth outside where the kittens may not survive, and if they do, they would be very hard to tame.
Rescue centres are popping at the seams, but if you are willing to take mum in while she has kittens and raises them, then a rescue may offer to help out with finding homes. You should be able to get her spayed for free under one of the RSPCA schemes.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

If it is a pregnant female she will need more than kitchen scraps...she will eat like a horse nearer her time and even more once her babies arrive. When the vet checks for a chip, he'll tell you if it's a pregnant female.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Check for chip, check for chip, check for chip.

If she's a pregnant female she has not been neutered so TBH I'd be surprised if she's been chipped, but you MUST check.

To 'adopt' a cat without checking for a chip defeats the whole purpose of microchipping in the first place.


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## Quinzell (Mar 14, 2011)

On top of what has already been said, I would pop a paper collar on with your phone number. If her owners don't think she's lost, they won't be looking for her.

Unfortunately, chipping seems to be something that not owners realise the importance of so you can't rely on that alone.

If she is pregnant and you are able to look after her, ask lots of questions and do research to be prepared for whats ahead.


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## KathyM (Jul 30, 2008)

It's unlikely she has caring owners if she is outdoors while unspayed and now pregnant, but I echo the others in saying check her for a chip. To be honest I wouldn't think she will have one but she could have escaped and have people worrying (particularly if she's young and some old school vet had refused to neuter her before her first season). If she has no chip I would say welcome home to your new pet, no point continuing the search at that point as it's better she is settled for the babies coming. If you're worried about legal ownership, sad for some but good news for others is that once a cat sets foot outside your property, chipped or not, it is classed as unowned, so if you have made reasonable attempts for your conscience to ensure someone's not missing her, they can't take her away from you in future - I am not saying you shouldn't consider it carefully but you would not be legally obliged to return her (morally is another matter but can only be determined by yourselves).


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## Britt (May 18, 2014)

I'm glad she crossed your path. What if her "owners" kicked her out of the house because she was pregnant and that they don't want her and her kittens? We see that a lot at the shelter .... Go to the vets or the shelter to have her checked out for a chip and then think about what you're gonna do


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## Quinzell (Mar 14, 2011)

OP have you had a chance to take the cat to the vets yet?


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

KathyM said:


> If you're worried about legal ownership, sad for some but good news for others is that once a cat sets foot outside your property, chipped or not, it is classed as unowned, so if you have made reasonable attempts for your conscience to ensure someone's not missing her, they can't take her away from you in future.


I have not come across this before in the UK - are you sure? Is there a law that says that?


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## bigpat (Jul 8, 2014)

I'm not sure it's going to be possible to get her to the vet. She will happily sit on my lap outdoors but when I tried to bring her into the house she kind of freaked out. I have the scratches to prove it! That was 3 days ago and we haven't seen her since.

As regards diet my neighbour swears she saw her with a rat the other day. Says it was way too big to be a mouse anyway, so maybe she's doing ok for herself.


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## bigpat (Jul 8, 2014)

Jonescat said:


> I have not come across this before in the UK - are you sure? Is there a law that says that?


I think there is something in UK law that says you can't actually legally own a cat in the same way that you can own a dog. If a dog attacks a person or property then the dog's owner can be held liable. But a cat is a more independent creature. They go out by themselves at night and so forth so nobody can be held responsible for their actions. In that sense they are wild animals and therefore there is no legal basis for ownership.

That's how I've always understood it anyway but I could be wrong.


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

Ah - that is a bit of an urban myth - you own them, they can be stolen, they can be damaged and to quote from this Cats Protection link on Cats and the Law, "However, cat owners do have a general duty at law to take reasonable care to ensure that their cats do not cause injury to people or damage to property. In practice, cases involving damage to property or injury to people by cats are few and far between"

http://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/documents/cat-care-leaflets-2013/EG13_Cats_and_the_law.pdf


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