They want their kitten back..

Hey guys! I hope everyone's having an amazing holiday and has a great Christmas tomorrow

Any who, I was given a kitten yesterday and I gave it to my mother as an early Christmas gift. My mother already grew a huge attachment to the little girl but the owners are claiming they want it back, I really don't want her going back to the house as they were mentioning how they were never home and she was left home alone most of the day and the little girl is only about 8-9 weeks old, they also mentioned how they would blow smoke in her face to get it high which really made me cringe. They told me they found her on the streets about a week ago, so they have no records of her, but I really don't feel safe giving her back, am i doing something wrong? Could the police be involved? would really like some help here, thanks in advanced! 

That one is a tough call, but I doubt they will get the police involved... do they have a vet record for the kitty, and is your mother going to be in a position to get the kitty vetted?  She will need kitty shots and dewormed at the least.  Blowing smoke in the kitty's face doesn't seem very healthy, and leaving it alone for long periods of time isn't an ideal life for a kitty.... Did they give you the kitty for free, and what are the chances they found someone else to sell the kitty too?  just to many unknown variables to make a call on this one.   

Getting an animal high is illegal, even if the actual drug is legal for humans. You just can't do that. So if they try anything, I'm sure the appropriate animal agencies would love to hear about that one.

Personally I'd just ignore their texts/calls/whatever. If they didn't want to get rid of her they should have thought about that before they transferred custody.

I think if someone has already given an animal away and come to regret the decision, it's not wrong to ask nicely if they can get the pet back but they should be prepared for the new owner to say no.

Appreciate the help, made me feel a lot more secure about keeping her, I already told them it's not fair for us and the kitty to keep moving places like that, they refused to listen though, but they have no records of her or anything, so at the very least i can bring her to the vet get her checked up and micro chipped even.

I wouldn't think twice about keeping the kitten.  I doubt there is the slightest chance the police would believe them.  How would you have gotten the kitten if they hadn't given it to you - broken into house and stolen it? Surely they're not claiming that.  To be on the safe side, your mother should take the kitten to the vet ASAP and have it on record that she is the one paying for vet care.  This is a good idea anyway because the kitten will need an exam and possible deworming and treatment for fleas.  It's also time for vaccinations and tests for FIV and FeLV.  I just hope these people don't harass you, but honestly, the kitten is in the best possible place right now.  And this really should be about the best thing for the kitten, not the people.

I agree with the others that you are under no obligation to give this kitten back. In fact, it's clearly in the kitten's best interest to stay with your mother. I especially agree with W Willowy that getting an animal high is abuse and if these people persist in their attempts to get the kitten back, I would get someone involved. My local humane society actively investigates and aids in the prosecution of animal abuse cases so hopefully you have some sort of group or agency where you are.

Definitely, get the little one vetted and micro-chipped. Thank you for advocating for her [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

They have threatened to call the authorities, do I have anything to fear of ?

No. They gave the kitten to you freely and have no evidence that you stole it. In addition, possession is 90% of the law, so the police would have a hard time taking the kitten away from you. You haven't broken any laws, so they can't arrest you.

I'd say, let them call the authorities.  They've got a heckuva lot of nerve considering they're indulging in illegal substances and committing animal abuse by subjecting the kitten to it. How do they claim you managed to get possession of the kitten, if they didn't actually give her to you?   You have a good case, plus you simply can't let that poor innocent kitten return to such an awful environment.  

Do you have all your correspondence on your phone, in texts or emails? If so, it should be pretty easy to prove that they gave you the kitty. I'm not sure what they think the cops will do, they're probably just seeing if they can bluff you. But even if they do call the cops, it sounds like the transfer of ownership was done properly and you shouldn't have any problems.

But don't escalate the situation because that won't look good. Just stick to "no, I will not return the cat" and don't get drawn into a long conversation or any threats or name-calling.

LOL...just tell them that in good conscience, you would have to tell the authorities that you refused to give the kitten back because you think getting an animal high is reprehensible.  I doubt you'll hear anything else about it.  You have every legal right to the kitten.  But that should bring the entire situation into focus for the previous owners.

Mamanyt1953 said:

LOL...just tell them that in good conscience, you would have to tell the authorities that you refused to give the kitten back because you think getting an animal high is reprehensible.  I doubt you'll hear anything else about it.  You have every legal right to the kitten.  But that should bring the entire situation into focus for the previous owners.

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LOL. There you go!