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Post by momof3pits on Mar 14, 2015 0:56:35 GMT
I would make the owners come to you, and even though you got him all fixed up bc of your big heart, I would hand them the bill and tell them you expect payment before turning over kitty. I'm betting all of a sudden he will be all yours!
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Post by freecharlie on Mar 14, 2015 1:01:12 GMT
One thing I will say is that my cat got out once and ended up at the shelter. We were there before they had even done the intake on her because as soon as we realized she was missing, we went. She got out again four or so years later and we put ads, flyers, contacted the humane society, went to the shelter every day and then every other day...everything. After a while we gave up looking, except going to the shelter on and off. It has been 4 or 5 years since she disappeared and I still check the shelter's website for her even though she'd be pretty old by now.
I guess I say it because maybe they did look for the cat, but after a couple of weeks or a month had given up hope and the cat showed up at your house after that month so you didn't see them looking for the cat. Maybe they just found the paperwork for the chip and went and checked it and realized they didn't have their info in it. Just playing devils advocate since they have lied about the cat being at home, they probably didn't do the above, but maybe.
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Post by jackietex on Mar 14, 2015 2:25:39 GMT
I think you need to speak with the microchip company and ask them when the chip was registered, and the original vet and ask them what's going on. I'd keep the cat since you probably have people who will vouch that you have had the cat for a while (neighbor?).
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 11:50:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 2:30:42 GMT
I think the cat is yours. Thank you for taking such good care of him.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 11:50:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 11:55:26 GMT
Ok so, a little bit more weirdness to add to the story. The owner is now saying that yes the cat did go missing for seven days, she knows for a fact that during those seven days he was locked in a garage and couldn't get out, the day I found him in the garden in a state must have been the day he managed to escape. Now if she knew for a fact he was locked in somewhere why didn't she get him out? She seems to be digging herself a bigger and bigger hole of lies. I've found out that she lives about a minutes walk from my mums house, so Sir Cutie (daftest cat name ever) has been free and more than able to return there at any time. There must be a very valid reason why he doesn't, could it be because she doesn't feed him and is cruel to him??
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Post by gar on Mar 14, 2015 12:50:22 GMT
I find it weird that the vet seems to be on her 'side'. Wouldn't they want to be super sure the cat is well cared for and so they should be doing the questioning and puzzling it out. It's odd that they just seem to accept this family's story.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 11:50:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 13:11:51 GMT
I find it weird too gar. I'm kicking myself so hard that I didn't take pictures of his condition and get him to the vet straight away, there was just so much going on with my mum and dad and I was overwhelmed with it all.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Mar 14, 2015 14:02:58 GMT
What an nteresting and bizarre saga! Thanks for doing the right thing by this kitty. I'm not sure I would've thought to document the process either. You know we are all waiting for a (good) update soon!
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Post by gar on Mar 14, 2015 14:13:19 GMT
I wouldn't have thought to take photos either I shouldn't think.
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Mar 14, 2015 14:36:45 GMT
Please don't be hard on yourself for what you could have done differently. What you did do was more than plenty of other people would have done.
I don't know that I could bear turning a cat who I've taken care of for three months and who trusts me over to a shelter to live for ten days while waiting to see if the other people come to claim him. I am so sorry this is happening.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 11:50:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 14:40:01 GMT
Microchip with no name or no current name of owner? Finders keepers.
To the vet, bite me, asshat!
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Post by Skellinton on Mar 14, 2015 14:45:53 GMT
I would have no more contact with the vet and just keep the cat and say that you did what the vet suggested by releasing it, but in fact never let it out again. Cats can very easily be converted to indoor cats and quite happily. 4 of our cats were formally indoor/ outdoor and all of them are exclusively indoor now and are quite happy and spoiled little creatures who show no inclination or signs of missing the outside.
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Post by ilovelucydog on Mar 14, 2015 15:04:47 GMT
I think the bottom line is that you need to make a decision and do what you can live with. I personally, could never release the cat back to the "owner". I would forever be haunted by the "what if's". I would immediately make the cat an indoor cat and if asked, say that you let the cat out one day and he didn't come back. End of story. Don't look back. Know that you did the absolute right thing for that darling cat.
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Post by librarylady on Mar 14, 2015 15:30:55 GMT
Here in the states--we had our adopted cat microchipped. The vet gave us a form and it was our duty to go online and complete the information about ownership as well as give identifying markings for the cat.
If the "owner" had it chipped and was too lazy to put the info online, how did the vet suddenly identify the "owner?"
Lots of odd things in this story.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 14, 2015 15:36:01 GMT
Yeah, there's just too much in their story that doesn't add up. I vote for keeping the cat and changing vets, and I wouldn't give the old vet the name of my new vet either. I can't believe anyone who cares for animals would advocate turning a domestic animal out on the streets and stop feeding it! Seriously? What kind of stupidity is that?
I wouldn't take the cat to the shelter either. Why put him through more stress? If the alleged owners really want him back they can take you to court. And if they actually do (which I doubt they would) and actually win the case, then they can pay you for taking care of him for the months that you have! I would see what the costs per day would be to board a cat where you live, and that would be the amount I'd be looking for times the number of days you had him in your care plus any additional vet costs you've incurred. Odds are very good they won't pay up and the cat would be legally yours.
My brother was adopted by his cat in a similar manner. He found her hanging around by his front door tiny, emaciated, flea ridden and missing patches of fur. It was obvious she'd been out on her own for a while. The poor thing looked awful! He took her in, cleaned her up and brought her back to health. There were never any signs put up in the neighborhood, nothing at the humane society that matched, so my brother just kept her. The cat is now quite happy, healthy and sassy and she loves her adopted human. I'm sure there was a reason why she showed up at his door, just as there surely was a reason why your cat found you.
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Post by momof3pits on Mar 14, 2015 15:48:01 GMT
Their story doesn't make sense. He was missing for 7 days?? No he's been missing for 3 months! I second trying to investigate more into the chip situation. And I still standby what I said about telling them they have to reimburse you, bet they will gladly give up the cat!
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Post by trainscrapper on Mar 14, 2015 18:05:08 GMT
About three months ago I found a very small cat in the garden, he was showing very obvious signs of being malnourished. Patches of his fur were missing under his neck and the skin was scaly and scabby, he had the very sucked in appearance which is apparent with a bad case of worms. He scratched constantly and was crying for food. He was very timid and everything scared him. Doing what I thought was the right thing I brought him in and fed him then let him back out. As the weather got worse we let him stay in and I've brought him back to full health, he is free from fleas, worms and other cat nasties, his coat is now thick and glossy. I took him to the vet and found out he was micro chipped but that the chip was not registered on the system. I was told to wait while the vets tried to track the owners down, if no one was found to be his owner I could keep him. So I waited and got two phone calls saying I was ok to register him to me. I took him back to the vet yesterday for a check up and to sign the paperwork that made him officially mine. When I got there a very snotty vet told me in no uncertain terms that the cat was not mine but a very well looked after family pet. She went on to say that the 'real owners' swear that the cat has never been missing and that I've stolen him. I was told never to feed him again and that I must return him straight away to his owners. I told her what condition he was in when I found him but I was branded a liar as this cat never leaves his home and doesn't wander (hello, I was standing there with him in a basket!!). So now I don't know what to do, I am certain that if I stop feeding him he will starve to death and not get any of the care he needs. I'm totally disgusted with the vet, surely her job is to protect animals not to return them to people who mistreat them? What would you do? Push him out and not feed him or continue as I have been doing? I have no idea where I stand legally if they want to get funny with me. Please be gentle as this whole thing has got me very upset. First, how unprofessional of the vet to call you a liar, especially holding the kitty in front of her; Second if I had invested time and money into bringing a almost gone kitty back to health, I would ask for the bill to paid as well, especially after being treated like that; Third the vet office told the so called "owners" who it was that had the cat, correct? If they wanted it that bad would they not have been to get it by now? I think I would keep the Kitty for a little longer, making sure it was taken care of and see how this plays.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Mar 14, 2015 18:09:36 GMT
I think I"d ask the "owners" of the cat for a picture to make sure it's the same cat. Surely they have a picture of him?! They were such wonderful pet owners after all.
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Post by Dixie Lou on Mar 15, 2015 2:13:27 GMT
Nope, I'd keep the cat.
My neighbor told me she once saw a tiny, starving kitten in someone's backyard. She climbed the fence and took it. That cat lived to be 22 years old! In his last year(s) he never left her bed except to eat and go to the litter box. She made a ramp for him to use. This lady also fed every stray cat in the neighborhood. We took in two stray cats in her memory. We knew that she would feed them if she could (by then she herself was very elderly and sick then died.) Same family lives in that home (she was the mom who moved in with her daughter and family.) We now "share" Bo. When they go out of town they bring over a bag of cat food so we can feed "our" cat while they are gone. We also feed him inside our house.
Thank you for taking care of that kitty. And I think his name is cute.
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Post by smokeynspike on Mar 15, 2015 2:48:18 GMT
I'd keep him, find a new vet, and not give it another thought. And don't engage with the people who think he belongs to them. He doesn't and hasn't for months.
Melissa
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
Posts: 4,103
Jun 26, 2014 5:57:41 GMT
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Post by Rainbow on Mar 16, 2015 2:42:48 GMT
So basically the vet wants you to throw it outside and quit feeding it? Sounds cruel to me. How would it get home? I don't think his home really cared about him.
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Post by beebee on Mar 16, 2015 2:48:16 GMT
I would not return the cat even if they sued if the condition of the cat was as you described. No way!!!!
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Post by lovinlife on Mar 16, 2015 2:54:45 GMT
We had a similar situation last year. Needless to say I agreed to give the kitten back at an agreed upon time at the vet and once the bills were paid I'd hand her over. That same kitten is curled up sleeping next to my 4 year old dd right now. I never heard another word from them. I hope the kitty stays with you since you care
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Post by TeuchterPea on Mar 16, 2015 22:21:39 GMT
I'm not a cat owner but surely the point of micro-chipping is to keep the animal safe and traceable? Therefore they ought to have paperwork with the chip number on it which they can provide? Failing that, they can at least identify where and when it was chipped and the vet would have a record. Next, photographs- can they produce any pictures of their cat? Have they confirmed the age of their cat? Who was their preferred vet- can vets records help at all?
Sorry, this probably doesn't help you at all but they are just things that occurred to me.
Good luck
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Post by Lexica on Mar 16, 2015 22:34:48 GMT
I'm glad you still have the kitty in your possession. I would just keep him in the house and go on about your life. If these so-called owners wanted him, they would have been at your home the night they found out that the cat had been found. I adore my cats, and I know I would not have gone to sleep that night without having gone to rescue my kitty back, giving whoever cared for her a reward for doing so. So far, nothing I've read about either the vet or the "owners" are giving me any confidence at all.
How did you hear about her latest story? Are you in touch with the vet or this woman at all? Does she know where you live?
You rescued this kitty. You know that. You know the kitty is better off with you. That's all that matters at this point. If she makes another move, then you will have to do something, but until then, do nothing other than what you've been doing.
edited to change 'her' to 'him'
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 11:50:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2015 22:39:20 GMT
We still have Sir Cutie, he's been curled up asleep all day just waking up for snacks. There has been no sign of his 'owner' coming to claim him since last Thursday so we're carrying on with him as normal.
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