# What to do help please



## Jillian Moss (Jan 12, 2019)

There's been a young (approx 1 year old) cat visiting my garden for the past 3 months. Over the last month she started staying for hours upon hours (upto 8 at a time) and falling asleep on my doorstep. I just used to ignore her and never fed or let her in. A couple of weeks ago upto 4 cats were circling her and looked like they were about to attack her so I took pity on her and gave her a place to rest inside. I put up a found cat post and a lady came forward saying the cat was hers. I explained how the cat never leaves my step and appears hungry and has now started sleeping in my garden too. She explained she has no cat flap so once she's in bed the cat can't get in at home. I found this concerning as it was below zero temperatures at night. Ive offered over the past week on many occasions to take the cat to her to ensure she is home with a safe place to stay and eat but not once has she taken me up on the offer. I know for a fact the cat has not been home now to her for at least a couple of weeks and the owner has not been back in touch or shown any concern what so ever. I am willing to give her a home. What should I do?


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## tabelmabel (Oct 18, 2013)

Cats will tend to pick their own favourite homes. The lady knows where you are and the cat legally belongs to her.

I would be tempted to take it in to yours on cold nights and feed it too. 

However, the lady has every right to call round and ask you to stop looking after her cat and you must do so if she wants her cat back. So try not to get too attached - you could maybe say to the lady you are doing this - you don't want to find yourself accused of cat theft!!


Also some cats do like to go out at night to hunt - only let the cat in at yours if it's wanting to be in - to be enticing it in when it's perfectly happy outdoors would be unfair.


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## Jcatbird (Nov 17, 2018)

@1CatOverTheLine Perhaps you or @chillminx could answer this better than I can. I expect the laws there are somewhat different than ours.

I am very glad you are caring for this cat! Please do all you can for it.


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## 1CatOverTheLine (Apr 17, 2017)

Jcatbird said:


> @1CatOverTheLine Perhaps you or @chillminx could answer this better than I can. I expect the laws there are somewhat different than ours.
> 
> I am very glad you are caring for this cat! Please do all you can for it.


@Jcatbird - I can't speak to the legal issue in Great Britain, although I'm certain that @mightyboosh could. Here in America, the cat belongs to @Jillian Moss already, although I don't see it as a legal issue since on either party's side, it's strictly hearsay. "She has my cat," and, "my neighbour must be mistaken," are of equal value under the law.

I see only a matter of ethics and morality. The problem isn't one of ownership, it's one of decency. _*Personal opinion*_: I'd look to Matthew 25:45, consider the cat, "the least of these," and make done with the matter. Cats - _all cats_ - deserve the safety and comfort of a good home, and this cat clearly lacks that in its current situation.

Jillian: thank you for caring about this kitty; this world needs more like you - and _none_ of those like your neighbour.
.


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## tabelmabel (Oct 18, 2013)

In the UK, the cat belongs to the lady. It is a difficult one to prove unless the cat is chipped to the original owner but there have been cat ownership cases through the courts before in the UK - you can't go enticing someone else's cat into your home and claiming it's yours (I'm not suggesting that's what's happening here)

Even if the cat prefers the OP's home, the cat still legally belongs to the original owner.


I wrote my reply assuming the owner lives in the UK.

Maybe if the original owner doesn't want this cat, she might agree to let OP keep it permanently but if not, then ownership rights do no transfer to the OP, no matter how much more the cat prefers living there.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@tabelmabel is right. In the UK, the cat belongs to the original owner unless she has signed over the cat to someone else e.g. either the OP or to a Rescue.

But I am in agreement with @1CatOverTheLine - ethically and morally it is a matter of what is in the best interests of the cat, which is certainly not to be left outdoors all night in freezing temperatures, hungry and cold.

The OP @Jillian Moss has done her civic duty by taking the time and effort to locate the cat's owner and inform her of the situation. The owner knows where the cat is and has made no attempt to come and get the cat. While this lack of care for the cat from the owner still does not mean the cat now legally belongs to Jillian, it does mean that if Jillian invites the cat into her house and feeds it, it would be very unlikely that any court of law would find Jillian guilty of "luring or enticing" the cat away from its home.

Not that I think the owner would even bother to take Jillian to court. But to protect herself Jillian would be advised to let the cat come and go as he/she pleases, so that if the cat chooses to go back home they can. I expect they will not though, as he/she will know (as cats always know) they have found a kind person who will treat them with respect and make sure they are safe, warm and well fed.

If it were me I could not ignore the cat, but would help the poor thing.


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## tabelmabel (Oct 18, 2013)

Great post @chillminx - agree with everything in it


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## Jcatbird (Nov 17, 2018)

I am so glad to read the replies here. Although the courts are different there, hearts are all the same. Save the life of the cat. It may be that the woman does not really care about where the cat is at night and it can spend it in safety with you, warm, loved and fed. 
Thank you to all who replied here.


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## MaggieDemi (Nov 17, 2018)

Jillian Moss said:


> Ive offered over the past week on many occasions to take the cat to her to ensure she is home with a safe place to stay and eat but not once has she taken me up on the offer.


You say here that you've offered to take the cat to her, but have you come right out and asked her if you can have the cat & take ownership of her? Plain & simple, that's what I would do. It sounds like she doesn't want her. Ask and then you will know for sure. Good luck & thank you for caring.


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

@Jillian Moss I have been in the same situation many times. This cat has chosen you and I think you are destined to be together. Are you able to take the cat on, as in are you able to provide it with a *forever* loving home? I suspect the previous owner (previous owner as the cat has now left them & why would it want to go back?), will eventually seek you out and ask you to keep the cat on permanently. There's a small chance the cat has been microchipped and this is something that will need addressing, so you will need to keep on the previous owners good side, for now at least, even though you may well dislike them. You would also benefit from having the cats medical history, whether it is registered with a vet, or if not, a verbal history, as it will be very useful in the future, though with the cat being so young it probably won't have too much of a medical history hopefully. I personally would take the cat on 24/7 now & with outdoor access and once 3 weeks has passed, (so another 1 week), if you havent heard, I think you should then approach the previous owner. I wouldn't say too much, be very brief, but ask if you could take the cat on. If you don't get an immediate "yes" or "they will think about it" mention vets, e.g has the cat been neutered as you've noticed a lot of cats around it ... kittens etc... or something about fleas/worms/ vaccinations (not an interrogation) but quite often the thought of vets bills puts many people off keeping pets, sadly. This starts to tip the scales even more in your favour, assuming you are happy to take the cat to the vet for a checkup, flea and worming treatment, vaccinations etc? Get any veterinary history as soon as you can and in the event the cat has been microchipped, get the OP to do a change of ownership asap. Good luck. 'Looking forward to seeing some photos of your dear cat soon and some updates. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the first of many cats to seek you out


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Any update for us @Jillian Moss ? :Cat


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