Update on Butter

Well, the "goat" of the family has a history. I call him a goat because he has an affinity for paper.
Tonight, I talked with one of my neighbors, who told me she now knew where Butter came from. It seems that her former babysitter adopted Butter sometime last year, as an adult cat. Unfortunately, they don't like indoor pets, and were keeping him outdoors. I haven't yet talked with the previous owner, but I think, even if they wanted him back, he'd be back over here in 5 minutes, as they only live 2 blocks away! She just found out by accident today about them losing their cat (or him running away). She told her babysitter that she knew exactly where he was. And she didn't indicate that they would try to ask for him. I hope not. We are really attached now, and are finding him to be friendlier with us everyday. He's not a lap cat yet, but he's getting close.
I guess I have to let him go if they ask, but if they're not going to let him inside, why would they bother? Here, he goes in and out, so if he wanted to go home, wouldn't he have done it by now?
My neighbor told me that they aren't really "pet people" and she thinks they will leave him alone. They didn't bother to have him neutered, but I now know that he has had "double" shots this year. These people apparently adopted him as a stray too.
I'll have to get more of the scoop by talking with the former owner, but I'm hoping that Butter can remain with us, and they can have visitation rights!!! LOL!
Just thought you might like to have an update.
I LOVE MY BUTTER NOW, and I don't think I'll give him up too easily.
Logan

[This message has been edited by Logan (edited March 08, 2001).]

Logan-

Something very similar happened to me about six years ago. I was home for lunch on a Tuesday when the exterminator came around (I lived in an apartment at the time, and they sent him around every couple of months). I had two cats at the time, and he was obviously a cat lover, because he had to play with the cats before getting to work (incidentally, I distinctly remember his pet name was for my cats - "butter kitty"!). Then he told me that the people at the other end of my building had moved and left their cat. I was horrified! I was only vaguely acquainted with them - I didn't even know they had a cat, but I knew they had moved because another neighbor, Kelly, who I was close to, had helped them. They had been gone since Sunday. Me and the exterminator made a pact: He would not tell the manager I had another cat if I wouldn't tell the manager he had let me into a locked apartment to get another cat! So we went in, and all she had was a tiny, nearly sandless litter box, with no food, no water, and no fan or air conditioner for three days(this was June in Texas). I took her and within a few days realized she was pregnant. Another friend of mine wanted her, but not until she gave birth.

After the kittens were born but not yet weaned, the woman who had abandoned Misty had come to visit Kelly, and Kelly brought her over to see the kittens. But this woman had it in her mind that she was going to take Misty home! I told her that Misty would have to stay at my house until the kittens were weaned, and at that time she was being adopted. The woman said that she was her cat. I told her that she had abandoned the cat, and that I would never give her over, and that she would have to go to court if she wanted that cat back, and of course I had witnesses to the fact that the cat had been left with no food or water in an 85 degree apartment for three days. She left in a huff but I never saw her again.

I, personally, would not approach the former owners. Of course, if they seek you out you will have to make your own decision, but if it were me they would get about as much sympathy, and as much of a fight, as Misty's owner got out of me. It would be a completely different story if the cat had been well cared for, but like you say, he was not even neutered.

4 Feline,
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I am in hopes that they will be happy he as found a "forever home" with us, where he can go in and out as he pleases. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Butter is definitely a cat that longs for human companions, that he definitely has with us!!

When I was in college, my boyfriend then (and ex husband now) found a dog that he fell in love with. She showed up at his apartment complex and he adopted her. Six months later, he was at a self serve car wash, and this girl said "That is my dog". Can you believe that they ended up in magistrate's court and she ended up getting the dog back? She had to pay him for all the vet bills, but even though my ex had loved and cared for what appeared to be a stray, he didn't end up getting to keep her. He was heartbroken..his first dog, etc.
I've always wondered what happened to her. She had no id when he found her.

Oh well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Butter is ours forever. He is so special, even if Mimi hates him. They are co-existing pretty well. They have no scars....only me!!!!

Logan

Logan, for some reason I feel strongly that Butter is yours for life. Obviously they didn't take good care of Butter and being so smart - he just found himself a GOOD HOME!

Years ago a beautiful longhaired Tuxedo showed up around Christmas time. He was mean and hungry. I fed him much to my husband's disgust. A few days later two young Korean children came up asking about the cat. Had I seen it? I helped them locate the cat and they took it home. They called it Mary. Again a few days later Mary was at my house again. The children showed up for the second time and I helped them find Mary.

The third time Mary showed up I wanted to cry. Mary had electrical wire around her neck and it was obvious that she had been put on an electrical wire leash and she had chewed through it. The children came again and this time I was stern. I told them I would not help them and that if they wanted their cat - their parents had to come to see me before I would help. No one ever showed up.

I couldn't take Mary in - I already had two cats, but I did contact everyone I knew and asked about finding Mary a good home. Good friends decided to take Mary. After a trip to the vets - Mary is not Mary - but Roscoe
(their new name for him). Roscoe has lived with my friends as a pampered indoor cat for years now and he is the love of their life - especially the husband.

Yes, if they show up and ask about Butter, you have to deal with it. But I am just betting they are thrilled Butter isn't their responsibility anymore. It would also be nice if your neighbor could let the matter drop as well. I saw Butter's picture and he is a real beauty.

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Logan,

don't worry Butter knows he is much better off with you and would certainly come back.

Something similar happened to a friend of mine. She lives in a small apartment block (only 6 apartments) with a private garden around the building. One of her neighbours had a cat. The only thing is that the poor thing was not allowed in the house at night, no matter how bad the weather was. The woman said it would make her fur look better (no comment to this statement). The cat also associated being picked up with being thrown out so to this date she does not like if someone picks her up. One night my friend's brother came home and the cat sneaked in the house. This happened more and more often until the cat decided that she much preferred to live there. The neighbour got mad, she got the cat back but that lasted only a couple of hours and back she was where she wanted to be. From then on everytime the cat sees her ex-owner in the garden (when they are in she can go in and out the apartment as she pleases, when they are out she spends the day lazying on the sofa) she just hisses and runs away. There were threats of legal procedures; after a lot of arguing though my friend managed to keep the cat who has been happily living with them for the past 8 years.

I agree with Spencer too! It's so sad when people get pets, and then don't take care of them. Why get one in the first place! I think everyone has encountered irresponsible people like this. Certainly everyone in this post has! When I lived in Indiana, my parents and I lived in a neighborhood (community) where there were strick rules to NO outdoor pets. It always angered me when I saw someone's pet wandering around outside, even though it was not allowed. One summer, I was home from college and the most adorable long haired blonde tabby cat found me. I thought it was a stray. It was so skinny! I brought it onto our screened in porch and fed it and took care of it. I had a friend that said she would keep the cat, since I couldn't take it to college, and my parents didn't want me keeping another stray. A few days later, a lady comes to our door looking for her cat. It turns out that she was looking for the little kitten we had named buttercup (I think there's a butter theme for these blonde colored kitties! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif )My mother had answered the door, and she felt that we were obligated to give the cat back to them since it was rightfully theirs. She did tell them that the cat shouldn't be outside. The lady said, well, we leave food and water out for it! How rude! She had two little boys too. I felt so bad when I came home and found out about it. Here was an absolutely adorable kitten that loved people attention. A few days later, I saw buttercup roaming again. It's just rediculous that people should do this. Once again, the lady came and found the cat. I went back to college and later, when I came home from break, guess who was lying in our driveway with a harness and matted fur? Yep, buttercup. I was so mad that (forgive me if this upsets anyone), I ended up taking the cat and giving it to the friend who was originally going to keep it when we first found it. Everything turned out fine, and the lady didn't seem to care because we didn't see her again. Buttercup is doing fine and living the housecat life like she should!
I definitely think Butter is yours and I'm sure he'd say the same. After all, he did decide to adopt You as his new family! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

Wolflady-

It's too old to search, but I had posted a message quite some time ago in which I described basically doing the same thing - "stealing" a friend's cat because I feared for her safety.

Well,
All is well, so far. I am certainly not going to call the former owners, and they haven't called me. I understand from my neighbors that they did have Butter's shots done, but that's it.
He certainly is an indoor cat, with his daily ventures outdoors. In fact, this morning, when I was leaving for a day long trip to Charlotte, he wouldn't even go outside.
He is very content here, and I am content with him. He is a different sort of personality than any of my girls (dog and cat), and I simply love him.
Again, if they aren't going to allow him indoors, he would be back over here in a heartbeat. Plus, they did nothing that I know of to find him when he showed up here to begin with. I did look for signs, ads, etc., plus put up signs.
I think he's ours, and he's happy to be here.
I'll keep you posted.
Logan and Butter, the happy Goat Cat