advice for rescuing roommates cat

[leavenomewbehind713]

hello, i have been stumbling across this site pretty often in looking for advice on what to do about my roommates cat. She has a kitty who she adopted from the local shelter and she has taken minimal care of this kitty. i moved in august 11th and within the month i have been here the cat never comes out except for at night which is when me or my boyfriend are out. the cat spent the first week of us being here primarily inside of the roommates couch- until one night i was able to give her a squeeze tube treat which ultimately won her over almost immediately. around the end of that week the kitty was put into another shock of "new" when the roommates got a dog and did not properly introduce the two so when her kitty tried to come out during the day it shocked the dog (who is supposedly cat friendly- which given my animal care experience and education i do not professionally think is the case) and he chased her. i unfortunately couldnt protect her in time but was able to get him back into my roommates bedroom and put a gate up to keep him in there. then only like 3-4 days after this incident the roommate dropped a bomb on us by asking to move in her boyfriends family and their dog (who is definitely more cat friendly and a calmer temperment) which we couldnt refuse as we ourselves had just been homeless and his family was also about to be (allegedly). they were only supposed to be here for two weeks but we are just passing week three now and my concern is that the kitty used to have a room that her litter box and food and all her posts and toys were in- since 3 more adults, a child, and pet moved in that room has been filled and the other dog and one adult are in the living room. the living room is where the cat's water, food, and cat tower were, but after a few days i noticed everything besides the tower had been moved to the laundry area next to the kitchen (which is where the box had been moved to). there were no efforts made to help the kitty adjust or even find her food and the reason everything got moved is because the cat was hiding under the water heater in the laundry area. she only comes out at night and the first night she started coming back out to me she was meow-screaming and wouldnt stop until i pet her and gave her treats which i noticed she was eating them and barely even chewing them. my concern at that moment was-is she even eating her food? so i every night since then have been feeding her and her cries of hunger have stopped, she stopped eating as many treats, she started playing with my boyfriend and i, she licks us, and purrs the moment she sees us. she only has come out during the day once and that was when it was just my boyfriend and i home, but the dogs came running and she actually puffed up and tried to block the dogs from coming near me- obviously i ended up protecting her from the dogs and sent them away calmly (since doing so they know when shes out with me to leave her alone so she comes out when theyre there too but only when im there). i really want to adopt the cat as i have two other cats who wouldnt mind having another sibling, and my boyfriend and i wouldnt mind taking care of her but i dont know how to go about this at all. my roommate knows the cat is extremely unhappy with this situation and due to my roommate and her bfs family causing issues for themselves with the landlord (not paying their rent, moving his family in without speaking with the landlord, the pets without telling the landlord, etc.) theyve landed themselves a 3 month eviction letter. they think its not valid since the landlord accepted a partial payment (our portion of the rent) but we spoke with him and we aren't included with them since we have been respectful of the landlord and the house and have kept him informed on the many ways they have been breaking the lease/lies that have bee told to both us and the landlord(lies that could have affected our livign situation). so essentially what can i do to help this kitty? i want her so badly and can easily give her a better life than my roommate. At this point it genuinely feels like she has a cat just to say she has one. the cat doesnt come out for her, they have to force affection on her with food and by isolating her into their bedroom (only have done once a few weeks ago) and none of them pay any attention to her. as of tonight the cat even tried following me back to my room which she was always too terrified to do before. the cat barely has any toys to play with and hadnt been getting exercise up until i started playing with her. i know my roommate loves her- but she is doing the bare minimum and the cat is being emotionally neglected severely. ive never dealt with this before so i dont know what to do.-update- i just just got word from the landlord that he served her a new official eviction notice where she has 10 days to leave

 

[iPappy]

Could you casually mention that you think the cat is cute, and mention you'd be willing take her with you since they have such a short term notice to leave? I would hesitate to bring up the fact that the cat acts unhappy or you suspect she's not being fed, as this might make her defensive. I'd start there (keep the conversation casual) and see where it takes you.

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

im just so nervous and would be willing to offer money if they didnt kind of screw us with the rent payment being higher than it was supposed to be with 7 adults living in the house. it genuinely makes my chest hurt to think of this kitty leaving with them. i didnt want to do anything that would make her defensive at all and she knows im very experienced with cats and even was suprised when i would talk about mine and the cats late night rendevous. the issue with offering to house the cat though is they havent told me themselves that they are to be evicted so i worry that me acting before they bring it up can damage the chance. this is such a difficult situation

 

[FeebysOwner]

Are you staying in this house once the others move out due to the eviction? If so, then ask the landlord to officially notify you of the others' eviction so that you can then openly speak to them about it. Once that can occur, then you can express your desire to keep this cat since you've grown fond of her, and hopefully they will agree.

If they don't agree, then I would contact the SPCA and report them for the abuse and explain the situation and that you had hoped they would turn over the cat to you. You might take pics/videos of proof that you could offer as well.

 

[fionasmom]

Sometimes in these cases, and they do occur somewhat regularly on TCS, the original owner is determined to keep the cat, even to the point of making a legal point out of it, despite lack of care for the animal. Do you think that the owner of this cat has that mindset? This becomes a slightly different situation then.

If they do not, or if they are distressed enough about everything else going on, I agree that you should offer to take the cat. However, as was stated, be very upbeat about it. How much you have bonded, she reminds you of a childhood pet, you will miss her so much, etc. Make something harmless and positive up if you have to. Don't throw them on the defensive about how the cat has been treated, which is frankly awful, but won't help you to rescue her. If you can offer money, that can sometimes swing the deal. Try all of that first.

Try to get the eviction out in the open. I suppose that there is some small possibility that asking for the cat, sort of a transfer of ownership, without "knowing" about the eviction might work. I just really want her to be my pet as I am so bonded to her, do you mind?

After that, contact the SPCA or the closest you have in your area. A local cat rescue group may be able to help with contacts or even advice, especially since you are not asking anyone to take this cat, but want her yourself.

Just a heads up, sometimes a local agency will or will not help. Some will investigate and some will take the stance that no animal is dead or seriously injured, so therefore no action can be taken.

 

[Caspers Human]

Why not just ask? Simply tell them that you would like to take the cat.
If they ask why, just tell them that you fell in love with the cat and want her to come live with you.
Offer to buy the cat if you think it will help.

There's no sense in bringing up issues that will only end up making everybody pissed off at each other.
Just be honest and forthright... You want the cat.

 

[danteshuman]

I agree with Capers Human!

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

you all have helped so much, she hasnt mentioned the eviction yet and honestly my boyfriend and i think its going to be messy but since moving in i kind of was already expressing my love and quickly grown bond with the kitty so im hoping to have that conversation with her. i was thinking of waiting until they begin packing if she doesnt tell us outright before then, but we arent sure if they are even going to leave or if they are going to "squat." i definitely want to come off as being friendly and i want to keep her from getting defensive so i dont plan on bringing up negligence to her- also as of now the landlord approves of us staying after theyre gone. tbh this forum is amazing

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

Sometimes in these cases, and they do occur somewhat regularly on TCS, the original owner is determined to keep the cat, even to the point of making a legal point out of it, despite lack of care for the animal. Do you think that the owner of this cat has that mindset? This becomes a slightly different situation then.

If they do not, or if they are distressed enough about everything else going on, I agree that you should offer to take the cat. However, as was stated, be very upbeat about it. How much you have bonded, she reminds you of a childhood pet, you will miss her so much, etc. Make something harmless and positive up if you have to. Don't throw them on the defensive about how the cat has been treated, which is frankly awful, but won't help you to rescue her. If you can offer money, that can sometimes swing the deal. Try all of that first.

Try to get the eviction out in the open. I suppose that there is some small possibility that asking for the cat, sort of a transfer of ownership, without "knowing" about the eviction might work. I just really want her to be my pet as I am so bonded to her, do you mind?
i really like this way of bringing it up, especially since she is already struggling with the dogs and cat getting along in this house let alone if they try to go to a hotel-which most around here charge per pet, if they even allow cats. after living in hotels for over 5 months i know better than anyone in this house how difficult it is with specifically cat ownership as the hotels and motels are primarily dog friendly only if the allow pets. i dont doubt she loves her but i think that she hasnt taken the time to learn her cat or be her friend-if that makes sense?

After that, contact the SPCA or the closest you have in your area. A local cat rescue group may be able to help with contacts or even advice, especially since you are not asking anyone to take this cat, but want her yourself.

Just a heads up, sometimes a local agency will or will not help. Some will investigate and some will take the stance that no animal is dead or seriously injured, so therefore no action can be taken.

 

[fionasmom]

Please keep us posted. Use your best judgment about how to handle this. It may be a relief to her to have this cat in a home where she knows the new owner (you) and can be relieved of having to care for her.

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

i will update you all as i navigate this situation!! thank you all so much!

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

theres been a developement. the landlord is going on monday to discuss his options due to the tenants right to cure they solved 2/3 of the eviction issues so he is trying to see what he can do to get them out because due to them paying they are no longer on the 10 day notice. this works because i can get the cats all used to each other, and im going to work on making it so the cat is very obviously attached to me and then i plan on asking her. during this time as well im going to try to get together some money to also offer that as her "adoption fee" i also want to create a contract so she cant go back on it. do any of you have advice on contractual terms for transfer of ownership?

 

[iPappy]

No advice on the contract other than find a local rescue that seems legit and basically copy theirs. It might not be legally binding but you'd have a leg to stand on. Do you happen to have a lawyer? I'd highly suggest taking the cat to the vet, multiple times if necessary, for a check up so you have vet records on hand for proof.

 

[Caspers Human]

In most places, pets are considered property, under the law. Legally speaking, paying money to buy a cat is no different than buying a book. Once money is payed, goods are exchanged and both parties agree to the deal, the cat is yours.

Of course, we all know that cats are more important than inanimate objects but, in terms of ownership, a deal is a deal.

I suggest getting a receipt for the transaction. It doesn't have to be fancy. You can write it on a piece of paper if you do it neatly.
Just make sure that it has both your name/address and theirs. Write something like "$50.00 CASH paid by Jane Doe to John Smith, for the purchase of one cat, named "Fluffy." Both of you sign it and make sure it's got a date.

You could do it with a check or postal money order if you want to. Just make sure that all the blanks are filled out and that the memo section says, "For the purchase of cat named "Fluffy." Once the person cashes the check/MO the law assumes that the other person agrees to the sale unless they can prove some extenuating circumstance.

Probably better would be to write a check/MO AND use a written receipt.

If anybody asks why you want to do it that way, just tell them, "A contract is only as good as the paper it's written on."

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

No advice on the contract other than find a local rescue that seems legit and basically copy theirs. It might not be legally binding but you'd have a leg to stand on. Do you happen to have a lawyer? I'd highly suggest taking the cat to the vet, multiple times if necessary, for a check up so you have vet records on hand for proof.

i dont have a lawyer but i was an animal control officer certified in the state of new jersey so my word is pretty heavy in a court in terms of defining animal neglect, abuse, etc. so i at least have somewhat of a benefit on that end, but i really want to bring this cat to the vet im just not sure if thats something i can do prior to asking for the cat. im trying to get my cats and her cat intermingled so i have another little piece of ammo- essentially being "well since they all like each other, and we've bonded so closely can i keep her?" type of thing.

 

[leavenomewbehind713]

In most places, pets are considered property, under the law. Legally speaking, paying money to buy a cat is no different than buying a book. Once money is payed, goods are exchanged and both parties agree to the deal, the cat is yours.

Of course, we all know that cats are more important than inanimate objects but, in terms of ownership, a deal is a deal.

I suggest getting a receipt for the transaction. It doesn't have to be fancy. You can write it on a piece of paper if you do it neatly.
Just make sure that it has both your name/address and theirs. Write something like "$50.00 CASH paid by Jane Doe to John Smith, for the purchase of one cat, named "Fluffy." Both of you sign it and make sure it's got a date.

You could do it with a check or postal money order if you want to. Just make sure that all the blanks are filled out and that the memo section says, "For the purchase of cat named "Fluffy." Once the person cashes the check/MO the law assumes that the other person agrees to the sale unless they can prove some extenuating circumstance.

Probably better would be to write a check/MO AND use a written receipt.

If anybody asks why you want to do it that way, just tell them, "A contract is only as good as the paper it's written on."

this is awesome advice i wouldn't have even thought of that. i was thinking of also calling the local shelter and seeing if they can potentially tell me what the adoption fee could have been and essentially i was going to add a small amount to the og adoption fee and be like "here to compensate for the fact that i want your cat." i want to make this as legally binding as possible as im seeing how she is with our landlord and the lease agreement they have (its really not pretty) so i want to make sure there is no way for her to pull any strings to try and get her back if im granted ownership. im laying out all of the ground work that i can right now to get the cat in the best position possible so she can't even question my and the cats bond. i visit the kitty every single night and given that im up all night into the early morning- i know that she is not spending time with the cat at all as of recently. i also want to show her how well the cats all get along and essentially be like "its fate." sometimes it literally seems like she forgets she even has a cat(i know she doesnt forget but like if it werent for the food and litter box you wouldnt even know there was a cat in that part of the house)

 

[fionasmom]

animal adoption contract template - Google Search
This page has numerous examples of animal adoption contracts and you may find one, or be able to alter or combine several to get what you want. These probably dovetail with what Caspers Human is suggesting and you can add a section regarding money. I always agree that money needs to exchange hands in order to make these transactions official. Even if you are flat out handed the cat, because the owner is so happy to get her to a new home and off her hands, I would still get signatures on some form.

The one time I rescued a dog from a clearly abusive owner ( I had witnessed the abuse), I did pay them and ask them to sign the dog over to me.

When I worked dog rescue years ago, there was a contract and, of course, a fee. One of the conditions was that they had to allow a home check, either before or shortly after the adoption. We found that the dog was in a 105 degree garage and were legally able to repo him and return the adoption fee to the would be adopter, so having something on paper can be a big step forward.

 

[Caspers Human]

It's smart to try to find out what the adoption fee for the cat could have been. Adding a few dollars more is also a good idea.
However, don't get caught up in minute details. Once they agree to sell the cat and take the money, the cat is yours.
Pay by check or postal money order if you want more proof. Get a receipt. These are all good ideas.

Don't go 'round thinking up contrived excuses. Excuses could be one way that the seller could weasel out of the deal.
"You said this..." "You said that..." "We thought you meant..." These are all lame excuses that somebody could dream up to get out of a deal.

Stick with "Money was paid. The cat is mine."

Keep it short, sweet and simple.

I always agree that money needs to exchange hands in order to make these transactions official. Even if you are flat out handed the cat, because the owner is so happy to get her to a new home and off her hands, I would still get signatures on some form.

There is an old saying: "People value, most, those things which come at a cost."
If something comes for free, most people won't respect it but, if they have to pay for it, even if it's only one dollar, a meaningless thing suddenly becomes valuable.

Getting signatures on a receipt, bill of sale or an adoption contract is smart, not just for protection against unscrupulous sellers, but also to prove that the cat is yours for other reasons.

What if, God forbid, that the cat gets lost? How can you prove that the cat is yours in order to get her back from the animal shelter?

What if some legal problem occurs, outside of the transaction we're talking about, and somebody else questions your ownership?

With a receipt or contract, you have written proof that the cat is yours that nobody can dispute.

A receipt not only protects you but also the seller. If any questions arise, they can rightly say, "We don't own that cat, anymore. We sold it. Here's the papers to prove it."

 

[theyremine]

Our rescue uses vet bills/records as proof of ownership. So I would suggest that you do indeed take the kitty to the vet as you plan to do once your roommate transfers ownership, just as another layer of protection.

 

[reba]

I think the likelihood of this woman getting a lawyer is close to (or even less than) zero. In fact I’m more worried the cat could turn into some proxy for her needing to feel in control of some aspect of her life if there’s too much emphasis on some paper-trail to make sure she can never claim the cat is hers. If throwing money at the problem is an option, that’s great, but if not, I would think your best bet would be to gently convince her that she is doing you a favor by letting you adopt the cat.

I would never suggest stealing someone’s cat, but if the cat disappeared would she even notice?