I don't advocate stealing other peoples' well kept, well loved pets. And unfortunately animal welfare agencies are unable to take action unless the animal is in eminent danger (obvious starvations, exposure, etc). Just because the cat is outside and skinny is, unfortunately, not a severe enough infraction to warrant legal action. Calling animal control will likely produce one of two results - either the owner will reclaim, pay the fine, and nothing has changed, or the animal will be destroyed because the owner will either not claim it or will not be willing to pay the fines and cure any legal infractions that may exist, such as unlawfully not registering, vaccinating, or altering the animal. There is a small chance that the pet will be readopted to a more responsible owner.

I am not recommending this, I am just reporting what I have done in the past in the event an animal was being neglected but not to the point that a criminal offense had occurred. I have taken such animal home, vaccinated and altered if needed, and adopted to someone who would take proper care of it.

Ben's brother may find that the cat will not spray once it is neutered, but there is certainly no guarantee, especially if the cat is more than a year or two old.

This is one of those "no easy answer" problems.

I still can't believe masking tape!