Rescued Cat, Found Owner, Having Doubts!

pebblesandmeow

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Hi All! I hope you can give me some good avice that will help make my decision easier....here's the short version:

On 1/31, hubby and I found a cat on a busy street in freezing cold weather. Kitty was shivering cold and followed us back and into our car! We took him home. I posted an ad for Found Cat on Craigslist. Today, I got an email from a woman saying she knows who the cat belongs to, it belongs to a man from the bakery down the block from where we found him. She said she called to see if his cat was missing again (AGAIN?) and he said yes, so she emailed me on his behalf with his phone #.

I have doubts....why was the cat out on a busy street at 10pm at night when the weather was in the single digits? OK, sometimes our little ones are sneaky and get out undetected. But AGAIN? That infers the cat has gotten out before. It's a very busy area, on the corner of 2 main avenues with LOTS of traffic. Kitty could have gotten killed! Also, why is he leaving it up to someone else to contact me about his baby?

Maybe I'm too judgmental.....hubby just said to me, "we are not the cat police".....am I wrong?
 

mbjerkness

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I would tell them you already found the owner, and keep the kitty. If he can't be bothered to contact you himself , does he really care?
 
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pebblesandmeow

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That's my feeling exactly!!! The only problem is that I can't keep him myself. I rent a small apartment which feels crowded already with my two resident furbabies. I was hoping I could find him a good home here on TCS as I know all of you on here are true cat lovers and would take as good of care of him as I would


I really would hate to give him back to an owner who thinks it's okay to let his cat out on busy streets and have him end up getting hit by a car or something! I really hope someone here will want him, he's such a sweetie and he deserves a good home.
 

meowqueensdaddy

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Originally Posted by mbjerkness

I would tell them you already found the owner, and keep the kitty. If he can't be bothered to contact you himself , does he really care?
I'd do the same... or at least try to find kitty a new home.

I'm not arguing that it's the right thing to do. Maybe it isn't. But, if the owner hasn't come looking for the cat, and the cat has been getting lost repeatedly, then maybe it doesn't matter whether it's the right thing. Maybe it's what the cat needs.

Furthermore... the cat has gotten lost before. Lost, or escaped? The owner hasn't contacted you himself... I know it's not really enough information to draw a conclusion. But if it was my kitty that was missing in freezing weather, I would have called, e-mailed, and been over to pick up the cat by now. Just saying....
 

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I wonder if this man was using the cat as a mouser. He may just leave it outside expecting it to stay around and expecting it to survive off of the rats it might catch. We all know this isn't how it works. Didn't I read that you said the cat was thin?

Hard decision....and to debate with your conscious is difficult.

One of my friends found a dog running with a collar and a cut on the dogs neck from the collar. No identification. She took care of the dogs cut and looked for the owner. She found a man that completely describe the dog as belonging to him. In talking to the man he stated something about how the dog has broken the chain he was tied to several times. The man couldn't understand why his dog kept "escaping".

She made an instant decision and told the man, "well, he got away from me too". She contacted a rescue group and the dog is now healthy and free living on a farm. She said that if she gave the dog back, she would feel just as guilty as if she were abusing the dog.

Was it wrong? Not for the dog.....

I wish you the best, and the cat too.
 
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pebblesandmeow

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Thank you all so much! You are all basically backing up my gut instinct that this cat deserves a better home. I hate to be the one to pass judgment, but I can't hand-deliver this cat back to a life that I feel in my heart is not in his best interest.

Like all of you, if either of my furbabies were missing, I'd be scouring the streets, knocking on doors, putting up signs, whatever I could possibly do to find them. I even went as far as to drive around the neighborhood we picked him up in to see if anyone had put up signs....nothing.

And yes, he is thin so the odds of him being a mouser--especially since the person who responded said he belonged to a man at some bakery--are very good. Poor thing can't gobble up his food quick enough everytime I feed him
 

addiebee

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Originally Posted by PebblesandMeow

Thank you all so much! You are all basically backing up my gut instinct that this cat deserves a better home. I hate to be the one to pass judgment, but I can't hand-deliver this cat back to a life that I feel in my heart is not in his best interest.

Like all of you, if either of my furbabies were missing, I'd be scouring the streets, knocking on doors, putting up signs, whatever I could possibly do to find them. I even went as far as to drive around the neighborhood we picked him up in to see if anyone had put up signs....nothing.

And yes, he is thin so the odds of him being a mouser--especially since the person who responded said he belonged to a man at some bakery--are very good. Poor thing can't gobble up his food quick enough everytime I feed him
Sounds like a shop cat. Many a shop cat are extremely well cared for. Those that are "hired" to do a "job" usually aren't. There was a thread on TCS not too long ago from a woman who rescued a "bodega" cat in NYC. She found him wandering the streets. You can search the site for the thread, but I believe... not sure... that she didn't give him back and was or is helping to find him a good home.

Here is the link:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...ghlight=bodega
 

twstychik

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Here's my thoughts. First off, you need to hear from the cats owner and NOT someone calling on his behalf expecting you to contact him. Second, he would have to prove to me, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the cat was in fact his before I would even cosnider turing kitty over. Pictures, vet records, anything to show that he owned the cat.
 
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pebblesandmeow

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Originally Posted by AddieBee

Sounds like a shop cat. Many a shop cat are extremely well cared for. Those that are "hired" to do a "job" usually aren't. There was a thread on TCS not too long ago from a woman who rescued a "bodega" cat in NYC. She found him wandering the streets. You can search the site for the thread, but I believe... not sure... that she didn't give him back and was or is helping to find him a good home.

Here is the link:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...ghlight=bodega
Wow, aside from a few minor details (bodega, bakery) it's the same exact thing that happened to us! I will call the supposed owner, it's only fair to give him the chance to explain, but like Skimble's friend, I will lie and say the cat ran away if I get a bad vibe or get the feeling he's just a mouser.

I wanted to post a pic so you guys can see what a sweet cutie he is, but I keep getting error messages
I've decided to call him Beanie even though the person who emailed me about him said his name is Gato. Did I mention he gives slobbery wet kisses?
 

skimble

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Originally Posted by PebblesandMeow

Did I mention he gives slobbery wet kisses?
Aww, he's saying thank you the only way he knows.

Your heart will tell you the right decision at the time you need to make it known. Prayers for Beanie and people like you that care.
 

icklemiss21

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Maybe the owner doesn't have internet and this woman hasn't told him. I would put up some posters rather than just posting on Craigslist - maybe the owner is desperately searching for him and this woman who contacted you didn't say hey call this person?

Then maybe you can make some decisions

As far as being outside, some cats you just can't keep in. I can think of some members on here who are amazing petowners but just can't keep their cats indoors all the time. I personally would give him a chance to explain
 

addiebee

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Originally Posted by PebblesandMeow

Wow, aside from a few minor details (bodega, bakery) it's the same exact thing that happened to us! I will call the supposed owner, it's only fair to give him the chance to explain, but like Skimble's friend, I will lie and say the cat ran away if I get a bad vibe or get the feeling he's just a mouser.

I wanted to post a pic so you guys can see what a sweet cutie he is, but I keep getting error messages
I've decided to call him Beanie even though the person who emailed me about him said his name is Gato. Did I mention he gives slobbery wet kisses?
Gato is Spanish for cat. Yeah, at least talk to him, like Icklemiss said, give him a chance to explain.
 
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pebblesandmeow

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You are right, I have decided to go to the bakery in person to speak to the owner and get a feel for him. I'm crossing my fingers that I am completely overreacting and the owner truly misses and loves Beanie. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to reunite Beanie with his family as long as they are truly good, responsible pet owners.

Thank you all again so much for your kind words and advice. I always know I can count on TCS!!! I will definitely keep you all posted and I hope to be able to upload some pictures of Beanie so you can all see what a cutie he is!
 

catsknowme

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Originally Posted by PebblesandMeow

You are right, I have decided to go to the bakery in person to speak to the owner and get a feel for him. I'm crossing my fingers that I am completely overreacting and the owner truly misses and loves Beanie. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to reunite Beanie with his family as long as they are truly good, responsible pet owners.

Thank you all again so much for your kind words and advice. I always know I can count on TCS!!! I will definitely keep you all posted and I hope to be able to upload some pictures of Beanie so you can all see what a cutie he is!
That is the right thing to do!! Bless you for going the distance to ensure the safety of Beanie
 
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pebblesandmeow

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So I received another email from the woman who contacted me on behalf of Beanie/Gato's owner yesterday. She was following up because I hadn't contacted the owner yet. She finally gave me a little more info about the owner and the circumstances, apparently he had gotten out without his collar, they hadn't put up signs yet but had contacted some shelters and had gone around store to store leaving their # in case anyone heard anything.

I finally called the owner and he geniunely did sound like he was upset about his missing cat, his daughter was completely distraught. I liked the way he spoke about Beanie (I still think of him as my Beanie, can't help it!) and he assured me that Beanie was an indoor cat that just happened to get out. He was anxious to get him back so we arranged a meeting at my house. He arrived an hour later, and Beanie went home. The only part of this whole situation that bothered me was that when it came time for Beanie's owner to pick him up and leave, Beanie came running to me like he didn't want to leave and jumped in my lap. I have no doubts after spending some time with the owner that he took good care of him, but I guess my house is like Kitty-DisneyLand with all the cat trees, toys, hugs and treats LOL.

I know I did the right thing but I can't help missing him already!


When I went into the room we kept him in this morning and saw the little bed I made him, I started crying. I give lots of credit to those who foster animals! What's important though is that Beanie aka Gato and his family got their happy ending! It is so gratifying to have been able to be a part of it.

Again, I want to thank you all for all your advice and support!!!
 
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