What would you do?

[Crayons09]

I don't come on the cat side much anymore since my Chaucer passed away. But I have a question. So my friend and I found this cute little tabby cat in the hallway of her apartment. I took him to my place because she already has 3 cats. When he was here he flinched if you made any fast movements with your hands around him. He would crumple into a tiny little ball like you were going to hit him. His owners came looking for him that day so we gave him back. Well my friend has found him out in the hall a multiple times since and she will bring him back to them and they act like they didn't even notice that he was missing or even cared. Well she found him again tonight and he was almost outside. I'm from Minnesota and its not the warmest to say the least. He would freeze instantly if he got out. Its a whopping -17 F below zero right now. I guess what I'm asking is would you bring him back? He is now at my place but I can't keep him because my roommate is allergic to cats. (otherwise he would be my cat in a heartbeat) Would you bring him back or would you just find him a new home where you know he will be loved and cared for? and if they ask about him say we haven't seen him.
Here is the cutie
http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/Louis_bubbles/Kitten007.jpg
http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/Louis_bubbles/Kitten001.jpg

[moosmom]

Would you bring him back or would you just find him a new home where you know he will be loved and cared for? and if they ask about him say we haven't seen him.


Absolutely not!!! If the cat "flinched" chances are the cat is either NOT being taken care of (found roaming the hallways??? Um...NO!:mad:) or is being abused.

Make him go "poof". Tell the FORMER OWNERS that the cat must've gotten out of the building and you haven't seen it.

Am I asking you to lie??? Hell yeah!!! Sometimes you HAVE to in the name of animal rescue. These people OBVIOUSLY don't care what happens to the cat. Please find him a furrrrever home where someone will love and PROTECT him!!!

[catmandu]

Donna as usual is 100% right.
A act who flinches does so as he has learned to duck and cover from a hand that has been raised to strike him.
He is such a big gorgeous Tabby Cat, and he deserves a much better home than the one that he has now.
Good Luck with his rescue and God Bless You for caring.:love::love::love:

[chocolatepuppy]

Out in the hall one time is one thing, multiple times, no! I vote for the kitten going *poof*. ;)

[3Catcondo]

I would do just as Donna says. Hell no those people don't deserve him back. Obviously they aren't taking care of him properly or he wouldn't keep ending up in the hallway where he could get outside, furthermore it sounds as if he's been beaten or abused if he's flinching. Do you best to find him a more suitable forever home. He sure is cute and he deserves it!


Amy

[pomtzu]

Poof Goes The Kitty

I'm definitely in agreement with that........;)

My RB Meezer Ming was a poofed kitty. My SIL and BIL knew he was being abused, so they poofed him off the balcony of the apartment where he was being abused. He was maybe 6 months old at the time, and came to live with me. He lived to the ripe old age of 20 in my care. Hate to think of what would have happened to him otherwise..........:mad:

[Laura's Babies]

I went through this before I got Samantha, I cried every time I had to hand her back over to that former "mom"... I had made arrangements and she was fixing to go "poof" the very night the lady asked me if I still wanted her and could keep her.. "POOF" the kitty.... but all they will do is get another one to mistreat...

[Crayons09]

He spent the night in bed with me and I'm not sure who will get a concussion me or him with all the head bumps he gave me last night.:love: I really am falling in love with him if only the roommate wasn't allergic! I'm guessing he is 7-8 months old tops.
I'm in agreement about kitty going poof! I called a former teacher last night who is a cat owner and lover to see what she would do. She put it the best way "legally he is their cat, ethically you can't bring bring him back":love: So if anyone is looking for a lover of a cat who will just follow you around and give you head bumps.:) It kills me that I can't have him myself. Its been so long since I was able to cuddle with a cat. It doesn't help that he is a tabby just like my old cat Chaucer. The only thing different is the kitten doesn't have white.
Thanks for confirming that kitty will go poof! also as far as i know they haven't been looking for him. I'm going to try and convince my boyfriend to keep him. so cross your fingers he will say yes!

[aTailOf2Kitties]

Well-intentioned theft is still theft. It's their cat. Unless there is proof that the cat is abused, give it back. If you're concerned about it's welfare then politely mention to them that the cat is not safe in the hallway and seems shy. Then offer to take it off their hands to a more relaxing place (don't say "better", that may be insulting), so they won't have to worry about it anymore.

I've had my boys for almost 2 years and Havoc still gets nervous and jumpy about some things. Does that mean I abuse him??? No. He's just spooked easily by cartain things (plastic bags, aluminum foil, the big,scary monster that obviously lives in the attic, etc). If he got out and I found out somebody **poofed** him knowing darn well that he was my cat, I'd be pretty ticked off.

[Freedom]

POOF the cat already!

Yeah it is theft, that is why none of us knows about it.

I lived in an apartment building w/ Sparkle as a kitten. She LOVED to dart out the door as I was going through (in or out, didn't matter to her). I was constantly "roaming the halls" calling her. AND retrieving her.

My downstairs neighbor, an older widow, Mrs. Rice got in on the act. She would open her apartment door -- for some reason, Sparkle loved to dash in, run the length of that apartment to the master bedroom and hop up on the bed. Can't tell you how many times I joined Mrs. Rice in a cup of tea, then retrieved my cat from the bed where, by now she was sleeping contentedly, and returned upstairs, lol.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

so, how would you have felt if Mrs Rice decided not to give Sparkle back to you one day? What if, in her mind, the cat preferred her company and obviously you were abusing the kitty since she kept escaping your apartment to begin with? :rolleyes:

Things are not always as they seem. Perhaps Crayon's kitty is just as happy and content in his own apartment as he seems to be in Crayon's. So what if he's shy? The only thing the other people are guilty of is letting the cat get out.

[Catty1]

If your BF/roommate is willing to try, why not ask the people point blank (nicely) if they happen to be looking for a home for their kitty? That you find him in the hall a lot, and maybe he's a bit more of a handful than they expected sort of thing.

Also, a friend of mine had her daughter staying with her temporarily, and the daughter had a cat. My friend was quite allergic. However, the daughter found some stuff at the pet store - a liquid or something that you put on the cat. It keeps the dander down and makes kitty less allergenic. It worked great for my friend.

Good luck - and thanks for caring for the baby.

[Bengalz]

If your BF/roommate is willing to try, why not ask the people point blank (nicely) if they happen to be looking for a home for their kitty? That you find him in the hall a lot, and maybe he's a bit more of a handful than they expected sort of thing.


Good luck - and thanks for caring for the baby.

I have to agree ... when Eve kept running away from her former home, we kept taking her back and got to know her previous owners. After a while, it was agreed by all that Eve had "chosen" her home and she was here to stay. Her previous mommy and I are still in contact regularly no one is upset with this arrangement. In fact, her previous mom is more than happy to know that Eve is well loved and well looked after:)

[momcat]

The fact that this cutie flinches and rolls into a ball at hand movement is setting off alarms in my head about possible abuse. His reaction seems to be to protect himself. Your post gives me serious doubts about this kitty's safety and well being with the owners. On this one, I have to go with the poof folks. All of my instincts say all is not well for this kitty.

[Freedom]

so, how would you have felt if Mrs Rice decided not to give Sparkle back to you one day? What if, in her mind, the cat preferred her company and obviously you were abusing the kitty since she kept escaping your apartment to begin with? :rolleyes:

Sparkle didn't roll in a ball or flinch, and I was out looking for her IMMEDIATELY. HUGE difference, IMO.

[Grace]

Did the owners come looking for him the night he spent with you?

If not, I say poof him. We did that with Grady, 7 years ago. He was 6 months old - not allowed in the house because one of the kids was supposedly allergic. They fed the cats by throwing dry cat food on the garage floor. They lived two doors up the street from us - had 3-4 cats, not one of them neutered or spayed.

We kept Grady. Not once did anyone come looking for him; not once.

[katladyd]

I wouldn't poof the cat just because he flinches. My boyfriend's female kitty, Mau Mau flinches at sudden movements and loud noises. She will either roll into a ball or croch down like she is awaiting a blow. She is NOT ABUSED! If anything, we spoil her rotten. She also gives constant head bumpies and loves and is a complete love bug who climbs in your lap at every opportunity. I would not want someone to poof her if she got outside just because she flinches. Some cats are very sensitive to movement and noise, but they are not being abused. Now, the being outside on several occasions does worry me a bit. Give the kitty back and tell them you are worried because he is outside a lot and you are sure they would be heartbroken if he disappeared. If you keep finding him outside, then maybe he should be poofed. But I would talk to the owner first.

[krazyaboutkatz]

The fact that this cutie flinches and rolls into a ball at hand movement is setting off alarms in my head about possible abuse. His reaction seems to be to protect himself. Your post gives me serious doubts about this kitty's safety and well being with the owners. On this one, I have to go with the poof folks. All of my instincts say all is not well for this kitty.

I agree. When I adopted Storm from the Humane Society he would also flinch when I would try to pet his head.:( He had been owned by a man that didn't want him any more and he was found roaming around outside by some one who then brought him to the HS. He was abandoned.:( It took him quite a while to learn that I was only going to pet him and nothing more.

I know that sometimes cats will door dash and get out but I would then also think that his owners would then immediately start looking for him as soon as they noticed he was gone. Since they still haven't even noticed or even seem to care, I don't think they want him any more. Please poof this wonderful cat.

[kitten645]

I am a firm believe in gut instinct. If you see this kitty flinch and you think abuse, I'd go with that. I always tell my Calvin "You'd think you were abused" by the way he hides at any unfamiliar noise or voice. But he NEVER flinches at any movement I make. I think that little voice in your head should be listened to. That kitty is much too young to be flinching and clearly if he's in the hall multiple times they don't even know where he is. Calvin was a darter when I lived in an apartment but hello...there's only one door in an apartment. How hard is it to notice a cat dashing by you especially when you know he's a dasher.
POOF THE KITTY!:love:

[Crayons09]

No one has tried looking for him to my knowledge. We have had him since 8pm last night. He is the type of cat that would be very hard to miss if he got out. He is pretty much a little shadow. No matter where you go he is right behind you. These people obviously don't care about him since they haven't even tried looking for him. There is No way they wouldn't notice him not being there. Thanks for all the replies. I will keep everyone updated on him:love:

[phesina]

I agree COMPLETELY with the yes-poof crowd. Good for you, Crayons09! :love::love::love::love::love::love:

I look forward to reading updates on this lucky little guy. Have you named him yet?

[Crayons09]

So far the kitten is still here. I'm trying not to think of names because I can't keep him. Although I would love to keep him! No one has tried looking for him yet. This is what I don't like about it NO one has tried to find him. If that cat was mine I would searching for him immediately like freedom said. My old roommate and I had a cat named Louis and he was the devil of all cats. So mean that you had to walk with pillows in front of your legs to protect yourself from attacks. He chewed every wire we owned at everything we owned defrosted our freezer twice. We joked about booting him out but we never did. One day he did go missing. We immediately started searching for that evil cat till we found him (on the balcony of 2nd floor; we lived on 3rd floor. Too this day we do not know how he got on there.) My point is that's a cat that was completely evil and we were searching for him as soon as we realized he got out. We would have put lost fliars out as well.
But not one person has asked or done anything for this kitten.
Also My old roommate still has Louis and he is doing well. not sooo devilish now:rolleyes:
If these people were putting up an effort to find him we would give him back. But not one ounce of effort has been put out on their part.

[katladyd]

Okay, if they're not looking for him yet, I'm joining the poof crowd. I would be frantically searching for either of my boys if they went missing!:eek: