cat ownership issues

[philosophicmum]

There's been a stray cat in my garden since about the middle of July, and I've been feeding him and keeping an eye on him. I asked around the neighbours and looked for lost cat notices at the local post office, and nobody knows anything about him. Recently I managed to get the cat to our local vet to scan for a microchip. The cat has a microchip, but when we contacted the microchip database people, they said that the cat's original owner had recently died and that someone else was listed as the new owner but with no address or contact details of any kind. The change in owner happened around the time I first started seeing the cat in my garden. She couldn't tell me a name or anything, and she said that unless the new owner contacts the microchip people directly, there's no way to get in touch with them. I left my contact details with the microchip people, but I don't know what to do now. I like the cat, he seems to like us, my kids are getting fond of him, and we'd be happy to give him a home. Obviously I would also be happy to give him back to his owners if I knew who they were, but if they don't seek the cat out then what can I do? And at what point can I say 'okay, he's my cat now'?

[thecatneuterer]

That sounds very odd indeed. I can't imagine why anyone would go to the bother of getting their name put on the records but with no contact details.

Is he healthy? Is he neutered?

I would say that if you've been feeding him for months then really he's yours. Is he around all the time or does he come and go? Where does he sleep?

If you feed him every meal, and he sleeps in your garden/in your house then if he does have owners they obviously aren't taking care of him and aren't interested in him. I'd be amazed if they suddenly called the chip people and registered their details if they haven't already.

If you want to be absolutely sure I would get either a paper collar (the vet should have them) or a safety collar with a barrel and then write a note on the collar/on the paper in the barrel. If there is no response to that then he really is yours.

[philosophicmum]

I'm pretty sure he's neutered, and he's still skinny but seems healthy enough - he runs around the place and wants to play, and yes, he eats every meal with us and is in our house or garden most of the time day and night and has been for a good month or more.

My feeling is that he was a much-loved pet, but his owner died, a friend or relative took the cat home but when he escaped they didn't make much of an effort to find him. He's very docile, he loves being groomed (he's a semi-longhaired cat and was a bit matted in places when I first saw him) and he's happy to be picked up and handled. But yeah, it baffles me why the new owner put their name on the record but with no address or even phone number.

The local vet didn't know of him either and hadn't had any cat of his description reported missing.

[thecatneuterer]

Yes your theory sounds like the only likely explanation. The lack of details can never make any sense though.

Well, it looks as though you have a cat. Congratulations. Are you letting him in the house?

[cozietoesie]

Would the microchip company give you the contact details of the previous owner? If they only died in July or thereabouts, any mail to them at that address will be being redirected to someone who knows about their affairs.

[thecatneuterer]

I'm fairly sure Cozie that details can never be given to members of the public - only to vets and charities that have to give a special code number when they contact the chip company, and those details aren't supposed to be passed on. It's up to the vet or charity to do the contacting.

[cozietoesie]

It occurs to me that it actually doesn't baffle me that much. If someone died and - say - their daughter or niece took over their house and cat, they could well have contacted the chip company and said ' X new name, everything else the same' - and the operator, in a burst of busyness, took down the new name and nothing else. And then didn't go back and update properly. (Or they didn't receive the update fee.)

I'd get back on to the chip company and see if you can find someone with a bit more gumption to deal with.

[cozietoesie]

That makes sense, TCN - although I don't know the position. Then the OP could ask her local vet to do the deed?

[thecatneuterer]

Yes that would be the only way to do it.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Could you put a paper collar on him with your details on it? If my cat came in wearing one I'd phone up to say yes he's ours mine.

Otherwise, you have a cat! Have you renamed him? Ours was called Spartacus when we got him.