Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi All

New to this site, not sure where to find advice on a neighbour cat dispute on here, or if this topic is anywhere on the site?

Thanks

Is it a moral issue or a legal one? Ownership dispute, or trespassing? And what country are you in? What's the problem?

Thanks for the reply Im in the UK

I have been looking after a cat since last September which was coming into my garden, and living in my garden, In Feb 21 I decided to see if anyone owned the cat, went through a local cat protection place, they put him up on the website, I put posters up and a number on his collar, no one came forward. the cat protection said to do this for X amount of time, if no one comes forward you can take owner ship of the cat and they would help with vets etc..

I had him micro chipped and hes been with me.

Yesterday a very angry chap came to my door, I wasnt in, a person along the street said he had told him that I had stolen his cat, this man has yet to come back. I will of course ask when he lost his cat, but I really dont think this cat is his, and why has he not been round before?

Im not sure where I stand with the law on this, so if anyone has an answer that would be very useful at this point.

Thanks

The law is a minefield, it's also proving it, though having taken him to the CP helps. I guess your best scenario is if the angry man takes one look at the cat and says sorry it's not his after all. But then again if he didn't have the cat chipped he can't prove ownership. Not sure legal is really the route to go, if it can be avoided.

Another good thing to try if you or a family member has legal advice with their home insurance policy, is to give them a ring. In the past I've always found them brilliant with employment rights and often just the correctly worded letter as advised by them is enough to sort things out.

Morally if the cat left home it's because he didn't like it there, it's a pity the law doesn't take the animal's clear wishes into account.

Thanks for replying and will check the insurance we have.

Did angry man put any missing cat posters up, or advertise his cat was missing in any way, like contacting local cat rescues and vets?

Not that I know of! Well he didn’t come knocking on my door when he lost his cat, Im not in the habit of stealing peoples things, but apparently he was looking in through my windows and shouting at the door, that’s why the neighbours came out. Like I said before this cat has been living at my house since September 2020.

From what I understand, having had a friend who took in a stray cat and then was challenged about it. You have to make a reasonable attempt to find the owner before you can claim it as yours, the problem word a lot of the time is 'reasonable'. However from what you have said you did make a reasonable attempt to find an owner and the Cats Protection should back you up on that. I would assume that they scanned the cat for a chip, and you said you contacted the charities. vets, put up notices etc and he didn't come forward then. I think it is now up to him to prove he owned the cat before you claimed it. I would certainly ask the Cats Protection for advice, but my thought would be to ask him to provide proof of ownership in the form of microchip registration documentation after all chips can get missed when scanned, and to provide some evidence from the vet that he took the cat to with at least a reasonable description of the cat and any treatment they carried out. You could also ask him to provide pictures of the cat from when he had him, preferably indoor ones with him in the picture as well. If he can't provide any of that then I don't think he has any way to prove the cat was his. Finally, I know it's hard, but don't be intimidated by him, if you can find out who he is, then if he keeps after you you can always report it to the police it could certainly count as harrassment, possibly even common assault if he yells and raises a hand at you, he doesnt' have to hit you, just threaten to, if possible try and get your neighbours to witness any altercations and if anyone has CCTV now is a good time to ask about it if you think you might need it in the future.

Is it possible that the cat has been using both homes? If he has been spending some time with his original owner and getting meals in both houses it could explain why only now is the man getting angry.

fjm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 7:37 pm Is it possible that the cat has been using both homes? If he has been spending some time with his original owner and getting meals in both houses it could explain why only now is the man getting angry.

I thought that too but the paper collars should have given him a clue that "his" cat was being unfaithful.

Thanks for your message

The update is though his story may change! Said he has had the cat 2 years, and it went missing 3,4 weeks ago!
Also said the cat had been shot so he had to the vets, also he’s had the cat 2years.

This cat is only about 1 and a half old maybe a 5 months, I’ve had him since last September but took him on officially in February this year after doing all the correct things. He had no microchip when then vets scanned him. This cat looks as though he’s never ever been shot! So his story doesn’t add up at all.

I have CCTV so I’m glad of that. I think this guy is just going to cause problems for me. I’m sorry he’s lost his cat, but he can’t take mine….

I’m not sure on the 2 homes thing, though he’s never Come looking for him? But being abusive and aggressive is really not the way forward.

Unfortunately or fortunately, it sounds like a case of this type of situation to me


I know a cat's age is hard to estimate once it's over a year and less than geriatric, 18 months to two years could easily be got wrong, but hopefully it will turn out to be something like the super helpful member of the public as above.

I had a tux cat with a distinctive smudge of white up one leg, one day I left the cat on the bed and went out and saw him again, though he did look a little smaller, in the next street. It couldn't be mine ... and yet, it had the distinctive smudge! So the ultimate test would be, how would he react if I clicked my fingers? Up on his back legs and headbutt my hand. Maybe it was mine then! But no, it was a carbon copy, mine was still asleep on the bed when I got home.

Perhaps the man's aggression is becoming a bigger problem than proving ownership? I always lean towards letting the cat choose where he lives. If he was shot then it should be relatively simple for a vet to find a scar.

New update

My cat has gone missing now! He is chipped.