I think we stole a cat - What would you do?

[immortalfrieza]

People who let their cats run around outside are pretty freaking stupid, in my opinion. The world is such a dangerous place and a cat doesn't have the understanding to keep itself safe in a world where it can bolt into the street and be run over or jump a fence and be mauled by a dog. It actually makes me a little angry that anybody would care so little for their cat as to just let it roam loose.

Of course. Any even remotely responsible pet owner would NEVER let their cats outside unsupervised no matter where they live, and if one is even slightly paying attention wouldn't have the animal get out on it's own. However, there are far too many people that don't get that cats and dogs outdoors unsupervised is an incredibly unnecessary risk to take for literally zero gain, some even bizarrely acting like it's morally wrong NOT let them outside like that when the truth is the exact opposite.

With all the stories bombarding us all by the dozens every day about how letting pets outside has resulted in disease, disfigurement, crippling, and even death both quickly and slow and painfully to those pets as a direct result you'd think these people would get the hint. Fury is the only appropriate response to these sorts of people.

OT: I would talk to the neighbors about this and try to figure out if my suspicions are true and if they are tell them about it without a second thought, and I would expect that of anyone else if the situation was reversed. I know how I would feel if any of my cats disappeared and I had no idea what happened to it for years, I wouldn't wish that sort of misery on freaking Hitler. If they actually care about the cat then they will be glad to have it back, if they don't then they won't care if you keep it anyway.

 

[happyninja42]

Take the cat to a vet and see if it has a tracking chip installed. That's sort of the point of the chip, for this very situation. If there is a chip, contact the owner and ask them if they want the cat back. If not, keep it and comfort yourself with the fact that you've given the animal a good home.

Or just not worry about it and keep the cat anyway.

 

[aaronexus]

Well, I'll comment on the collarless comments people keep making. I used to constantly buy collars for my cats, and would make them wear it. The cats, being cats, hated this. Invariably, they would come home collarless one day, having managed to rip it off somehow. I would then put on another collar, which they would then lose. Finally, I gave up, as it was getting ridiculously expensive. Cats: 1 Humans: 0.

Other than that though, if one of my cats wandered off and someone else took it in, I would be fine with that. I'd rather that than they end up dead somewhere. The only thing I would say is that I personally would be extremely grateful if someone came to me years after the fact and told me they had been taking care of my cat(and thus, it wasn't dead in a ditch somewhere). So I guess it's just a matter of how broken up they are about it. If they didn't bother to put up signs or ask neighbors, I doubt it was a huge deal to them, and wouldn't worry about it. If it were otherwise, I would definitely tell, though, even if it was possible I was wrong and it wasn't their cat.

 

[SmugFrog]

I say cut the cat in half and you and the original owner can each take your share.[footnote]Disclaimer, don't actually do this[/footnote]

Nah, I say keep it, you've clearly had the cat long enough that the bond between it and your family is far stronger than it's past. No sense upsetting your kids.

No, they should do this because if they do then the family that loves the cat more will say "NO! Give the cat to the other person!" - whereas the original owner that didn't even put up lost posters will probably laugh evilly and be all MWAH-HA-HA YES CUT THE CAT IN HALF AND FEED ME ITS ENTRAILS!!!! MWAH-HAA-HAAAAAAA! Maybe... possibly....