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

[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!) 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.

[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..........

[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. 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" 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?

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?

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