How Should I Handle This?

Originally Posted by CommonOddity042

We've got another stray. This time, a kitten who lives up the road from us. His owners are two middle-school girls, and being in the most self-centered of life's stages, are completely irresponsible as far as petcare goes. The only reason I know whose he is is because my neighbor goes to school with them. He is a gorgeous, mega-lovey orange tabby, as is his brother. his brother is normal, and developing at a normal rate (and a bit less lovey).

This stray, however has a deforemity where he only has two twisted toes on one hind paw(which I am sure is a birth defect and causes him to not put weight on that paw if he doesnt have to) , and although I peg him to be about seven months, he doesnt spray, and his testes are smaller than my four month old kitten's. He pretty much lives on my porch, and fights the neighborhood tom every night, usually bouncing up to me the next day with bite marks on his nose.

He is a wonderful cat, loves being carried around, purrs if you even look at him, and keeps trying to run into my house. I'd take him, but certain circumstances will not allow it. I've taken him back to his family, but he is usually back about ten minutes later. Animal control here is a joke, and shelters are still overstuffed from last summer (rural area. lots of people see s/n as a waste of money, unnatural, etc.) What should I do? I am afraid that he might meet one of the packs of wild dogs we have around here one night or bcome one with the road we live right on. Ideally, I'd love his owners' parents to take better care of him. He truly is a sweetheart, and I'd hate for him to become a feral.

Photos

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93...2/limpy006.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93...2/limpy007.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93...2/limpy009.jpg

Click to expand...

Originally Posted by Mark Kumpf

Depends on the laws in your state. In most, if you "find" an animal, contact the local animal control to report it and no one claimes it after 10 days, you can license, vaccinate and call it your own. From what you have already described, the owners are not responsibile and most likely have never had the cat to a vet in its life. This doesn't mean that you can go find it for the purpose of keeping it. It comes to your house, comes inside, you have a reasonable claim. Most codes do NOT make the presumption that keeping a "stray" constitutes possession of stolen property. Again, documenting that you called animal control, put up a couple of signs that you found a cat are all reasonable steps.

Make the decision now if you plan to care for this cat for the rest of its life and convert it to an indoor kitty.

Another alternative (and somewhat less questionable) would simply be to go to the parents (middle school girls cannot be the legal owners) and ask them if you can keep the cat if it shows up at your house again. Ask the question with the cat at home, don't take it with you. Explain that the cat needs vet care which you want to provide and will not survive much longer with its problem leg outdoors. if they agree, have a pre-typed paper with a description of the cat, color, sex, and a place for their name and address (already typed in if you know it) and a statement saying that they are giving the cat to you permanently. Have a place for them to sign it & date it. You might want to have two copies so you can give them one. If they sign, RUN!

If you don't think they will give it to you, and think that the animal control would come take the cat from you if you reported it, take it to the vet if its injured and then require that they compensate you for the bill. At least you know it got an exam and some shots and may have a little better chance of staying healthy.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

Mark

Click to expand...