The cat boarding kennel I worked at used a 'password' so that people besides the owners could pick up the pet and the kennel would know they were 'authorized' because they had the password.

It hadn't happened at that kennel...but the owners had heard of cats being involved in custody disputes (remember, they were in touch with all other cat kennels in the city) where the one spouse would pick up the pet and have it PTS...a sick revenge thing.

The owners remember a couple that came in with their cat for a while - then just the man arrived one day and said, "Under NO circumstances allow (name) to pick up or deal with this cat."

Sadly, Mary - it can happen to cats too.