moral dilemma about 'stray' cat

16 years ago

I was feeding a cat that has been hanging around my house. He was very thin (you could feel his backbone and all his ribs, no fat at all); and, after two weeks of my daily feeding, he has gained fat over his ribs although he is still thin.

I was arranging for my sister, who works with cat rescue places, to take him. My neighbor said he thought the cat had an owner, so I put on a collar with a note asking to be called if the owner saw it. About a day and a half later, I get a call from a man. He says it is his cat and, because the cat pees in the house, it has to live outside. He claimed the cat has an insulated cat house and is fed daily.

I don't have a problem with outdoor cats, but it bothers me how skinny this cat is. He has quickly put on weight since I have been feeding him, so I know it's not from old age or sickness.

So, do I continue with my re-homing of him or do I just stay out of it?

I also might feel bad giving someone a cat that is known to pee inside (although I took one in once that never had another accident). I know another poster asked about "truth in advertising" about why animals are at the shelter.

Also, this cat would rather sit outside my house for two hours in horrible weather than go "home". He is even more eager for affection than food sometimes.

I can't just keep feeding him because he is driving my cat insane. She hates other cats and throws herself against the glass door when she sees him.

Margaret

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Comments (12)

cynthia_gw
16 years ago
Having an owner isn't the same as having a home.

The cat was thin before you started feeding him. The cat is not allowed in the house. The cat is starved for affection. The cat has no id. The owner 'says' the cat is always outdoors because the cat urinates in the house - well, maybe the litter box isn't clean, or maybe he hasn't been neutered, or maybe he's marking or has a UTI.

I understand your conflict, but it doesn't sound to me like the cat has a home. This cat probably has worms already, and will be run over by a car or mauled by dogs. That's not much of a life.
gardenandcats
16 years ago
Agrees with the above poster. This cat needs a Real for ever home. Do what you can to help find him one..
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At our former residence, someone's cat would constantly hide under our azalea bushes and wait to pounce on the birds. It was a beautiful cat--very fluffy and a smoky color. You could not get close enough to it to attach a note to it's collar. I was always running outside to shoo it away. Then I noticed for about 3 weeks it didn't come around. I was relieved and thought maybe the owners had moved. Then everyone in the neighborhood got a note in their mailbox from the owners saying their cat, Misty, came down with excrutiating pain, was rushed to the vet's office and died during the night. The vet suspected it was poisoned possibly by anti-freeze. The owners, in the letter cautioned everyone to remove any spilled antifreeze because evidently it has a sweet taste that cats like. At the same time, they said if the cat was a bother to anyone all they would have had to do was notify them and they would have kept the cat inside. Oh, and their address was 2 or 3 streets from our neighborhood. My point is how can the owner be notified when nobody knows where the cat lives. I had seen the cat many times in the backyard of a home 3 yards away from mine and just figured that's where he lived. Other people probably saw the cat in my yard and assumed it was mine. Anyway, it's a sad story but pet owners should not assume that their pets will be safe roaming the streets.
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I'm so glad to hear you rescued him a second time. Having lived in small towns and knowing how the majority of lost animals are rarely claimed, I think you're very fortunate to have him back. I worked many years with a large, well known rescue group and many of their rescued animals were taken from county pounds. During the time I worked for them I lost a lot of confidence in the county's ability to keep records after seeing many an animal put down due to poor record keeping. The cat you found could have easily been destroyed if found to be too wild for adoption or due to a mixup of records. The good thing from turning him in is it probably saved you money since he got a thorough checkup and was neutered. I believe it would have cost much more at the local vet! Unfortunately, in order to do the right thing, he had to go thru a very stressful period and now has to readjust to you and your home. Sorry to hear you had to start over with gaining his confidence......but now he's 'home'!
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susanjn--we had a similar experience. I pulled into our driveway a couple years ago, and a black cat with green eyes came running out of the garage. I rolled down my car window to yell out to DH who was working in the yard at the time. He said that Shizu was inside (he'd checked) and that this black cat had been hanging out with him most of the afternoon. She was very friendly and gorgeous (natch!). Turned out, our next-door-neighbor's daughter had returned home (hadn't even met her before) and had brought her cat and apparently she's an indoor/outdoor cat. I just saw her out in our back yard this morning, but don't usually see her very often. Still freaks me out when I do see her out there and I am compelled to check to make sure I can see Shizu somewhere in the house (my girls are indoor only).
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irishdancersgram
16 years ago
I agree with the 2 previous posters...That is no life for that poor cat and does need that forever home, he needs to be given a chance..Please do what you can to "get him off the streets".
laurief_gw
16 years ago
You can't legally steal the cat from a known owner, but you can (and should) call your local humane society or animal control agent and describe the condition of the cat before you began feeding him and his condition now that you have been feeding him regularly for several weeks. Any competent humane officer should contact the cat's owner to check the cat's living conditions and insure an acceptable level of care. If there is a feline leash law in your area, the cat should also be confiscated and taken to the pound or shelter where the owner will have to pay a fine in order to reclaim the cat.

In any event, it sounds likely that the owner won't care enough to reclaim the cat if he does get confiscated. Then at least there is a slight chance that he'll be adopted by a responsible home.

Thank you for caring.

Laurie
Meghane
16 years ago
I 100% agree with Laurie, as usual.
lexie1397
16 years ago
I too, agree with Laurie. You can't make decisions for a cat that technically has an owner. You can certainly inform those that have the power to enforce responsible care. Maybe you can also talk with the owner, and let them know that you have a place lined up, if they would like to get rid of the cat. Most people are less offended by being given the option and making thier own decision, than by having someone like animal control make their decisions for them. The owner doesn't have to be a good one, to care about the animal.
laurief_gw
16 years ago
If you can't get the local humane society or animal control interested in helping this cat, you can talk to the owner again and offer to rehome the cat for him so that he doesn't have to keep "feeding" him. The owner may just be happy to relinquish the cat to a rescue organization.

Laurie
livvysmom
16 years ago
It makes me mad when people assume a cat can live outdoors. Our former friends had a pee-er and threw him outside with access to come and go as he pleased in the garage. The cat was declawed and their house backed to woods so he was always getting torn up in fights. So sad. They figured it was better than putting him down.
petra_gw
16 years ago
Since the guy is obviously lying about feeding the cat, he might be lying about the peeing issue as well. If the cat had an insulated cat house as well as food and water, he would not constantly hang around your house, and he would obviously be in much better condition and not so thin. The "owner" would probably happily agree to you taking the cat off his hands, I think you should ask him and use gentle persuasion, if necessary.
wireweiners
16 years ago
If the "owner" doesn't take any better care of the cat than that, you can bet he won't miss him when he's gone. Go ahead and get your sister to take the cat. If the guy calls (not likely), tell him you haven't seen the cat in a while. Cross your fingers while you do it if it makes you feel better. Outdoor cats disappear all the time, owls, hawks, dogs, coyotes, cars etc. So how is anyone going to prove you "stole" the cat or how is the guy going to prove its his cat. Just be discreet when you give it to your sister. I technically "stole" Hank the Cowdog but no one can prove it (and the statute of limitations has run).
texaswoman
16 years ago
The fact that the cat gained weight when you started feeding it tells me that the cat has an "owner" ( and I use that term loosely) that does not care in the least bit for him. I would have no moral dilemma over giving the cat a chance at a better life.
If it makes you feel better you could tell the owner that you've grown attached to the cat and ask if you can "have him". Chances are he'll say yes, if not then the cat just "dissappeared". (wink, wink)
sue36
16 years ago
I don't consider that cat to have an owner. He has a purchaser, that's it. A cat that is not allowed in the house is homesless (barn cats, that usually have barn mates, excepted). I would find him a home if you can.

Cats soil in inappropriate places for all sort of reasons. My sister has a new kitten that uses the bathtub (my BIL is very upset about this). The cat isn't stupid. My niece isn't keeping the litter box clean (her chore since she wanted the kitten). There is a dog door, but where would you prefer to go? Dirty litter box, outside where it is wet and 20 degrees, or in a tub that miraculously gets cleaned after you go in it? Cats are pretty smart, IMO.

A person that doesn't adequately feed an animal probably neglects it in other ways.

moral dilemma about 'stray' cat

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cynthia_gw

gardenandcats

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