Is it wrong?

[trinity]

I don't know if I have mentioned the black and white "stray" that we have been feeding for about two years. We think she has a home, but since she is outside in all sorts of weather, looks thin as a rail most of the time if we haven't seen her for a few days, and has been spending more and more time at our house, it doesn't seem like a real caring home. Would we be wrong to find her a new home and just sort of have her disappear from the neighborhood? I so want to place her with a family that will really care (and I have a possibility lining up even as we speak!) I hate to see her outside in the snow and rain and stuff....the last few nights we have to go out our back door to feed her on the front porch as she is getting very curious and wants to come in. Unfortunately our budget just will not stretch to cover 7 at this time...any thoughts?

[sirrahbed]

Well, I would not advocate cat theft - but if this animal has no collar, is outside in rain and snow and eats at your house - I would consider her a "stray" and have no problem finding a home for her. Do you know if she is spayed? If not, I would have that done or make sure the new owners know they MUST have it done.
That is MY opinion
*edit - I just reread and see that you think she *may* have a home....can you ask around to find out? Maybe put some posters out? Can you run an ad in the local paper? Since you have been feeding her for several years - I was thinking *stray*...may not be the case.

[PayItForward]

A couple of things I would consider...

: Is she TOO thin

: Might she have a medical condition which makes her underweight.

I ask as my Treacle is very very thin, I worry others might think we don't feed him. But he eats like a horse and the vet says he is a reasonable weight.

: Any cat will hang around your home if you feed her, it means nothing

: As for being an inside/outside cat that is no crime as long as she has access to a warm house when she needs it.


Have you actually seen where this cat lives and how her owners treat her. If she is natural thin, has access to a cat flap, I would suggest not feeding her and let her be.

If you have concerns about her care, rethink about the situation.

But I would first talk to the owners and ask about her, say you are corncerned about her...good luck.

[trinity]

She seems to have ahome across the street from us. But they have two small children, whom we have seen...not abusing her, but not treating her with care, if that makes sense? For example, trying to dump shovel fulls of snow on top of her. A while back I was driving up our street and she was sitting right in the middle of the street while what I assumed to be her people were getting in the car to go out. I looked over at the people with a kind of "are you going to get the cat so she doesn't get squished?" gesture. They gave me a dirty look as if I had no right to ask them to interrupt their leaving to move their cat to safety. I got out of my car and put the cat on the curb. She went right back to the middle of the street. One of the kids came and got her and put her on their porch. Another time, they had a for sale sign in front of the house. Well a few days went by and we didn;t see anyone coming or going from the house. However the cat was still there, there is no cat flap, and they also left her no food and water. I think that was when we really started feeding her. She is about 5 pounds right now but looks skinny. It may just be that her fur is kind of flattened 'cause she is a bit dusty from being outside so much....

[PayItForward]

If they left her outside with no shelter or food, take her that is cruelty.

[Fox-Gal]

I guess I'm not as nice as everyone else, I'm for finding the cat a new, more loving home. From what I read, it sounds like these are people that really don't care for the cat. I think it would be save to say the cat doesn't get the right vet care / love she needs

Your the one who lives there and see the cat and it owners, so you are the only one who knows what really going on. So I guess if I where you I'd ask myself some ?'s.

Is the cats safty/life at risk?

Do you belive the cats is being abused, in anyway?

Do you think the cat needs vet care?

Do you honestly belive that the owners will even care or miss the cat?

It's the same as a child, if you belived a child was uncared for, unloved, abused, you know you do something about it. No question about if it's right are wrong, right? So why not do the same for the cat?

If you know you can find her a good loving home, I say do it. For the cats sake. Sometimes you have to bend the rules a little and find that gray area between right and wrong.

I did this once with a dog that always came down to my house, I knew his owners and knew how bad the dogs life was, so one day, I keep him. Told the man who's dog it was that he wasn't getting him back and if he tried, I'd make his life a living H#$l. He left the dog with me. Duke was with me 5 years and was one of the best dogs I have ever had, it was as if he was thanking me for saving him, so he gave more back to me then any pet could.

Good luck to you what ever you decide.

[carole]

Go Get her is my opinion.

[rg_girlca]

It is obviously clear to me after reading your posts that these people don't give two hoots about their cat. Leaving it out in all kinds of weather, leaving no shelter, food or water, and the kids trying to dump snow on the poor thing, how mean is that.
You say you might have another home for the cat, I truly hope you do and I say go for it.

[lizbud]

I would say to think of the kitty & help it find a better & safer
place to live. Someone's got to look out for the cat's welfare.
Good luck to you. Liz.

[davidpizzica]

It's obvious that the poor kitty is being abused. I say get the kitty away from those people and that situation. you will feel better and definitly the poor kitty will be safe and get the care that he or she needs.

[Corinna]

I'm with fox gal shes a cat in stress, find her a loving home.

[chocolatepuppy]

I say take the cat and I'm sure it's owners could care less.And good for you!

[catmandu]

If that Cat , does belong to someone , and they are not taking proper care of thier Pet , then you have every right , to remove the Cat , from that situation , and take him , to a Proper Furr Ever Home. I ahve done this , with Nugget , And Franklin , and had Gem , put out of her misery ! And Horace , the Maine Coon , will bemy Cat , as he doesnt deserve , to be neglected!

[catcrazylady]

Take the cat! Leaving for several days and not providing food, water or shelter is abuse. If I had to make a guess these people probably got her because the kids wanted her. The fascination soon wore off and out she goes. Unless she is really young I would think five pounds is pretty thin, but I also have a small five pounder that is very healthy. This is not the norm for most cats though.
If you do take her and the neighbors ask questions I would just play dumb. Haven't seen her and don't know what happened to her would be my attitude. People like that don't want the cat but they might fight you over her just because.
Ok, I know it's not good to steal, or lie but this is a life we are talking about. I hope and pray that God would understand and forgive under these circumstances.

[sirrahbed]

Now that I read all these replies, I go back to my original and see that I should have stuck with my initial gut feeling - but I started to go go the other way. My gut is usually right So I will repeat - I would not advocate cat theft, but......