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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect next door neighbours to give me my cat back?!?!?!

329 replies

tillytrotter11 · 14/04/2013 17:50

I am absolutely fuming and doing my nut! This is the first nice day of the year and I've just noticed my 11 year old cat, which went missing 11 months ago, in my next door neighbour's garden. The next door neighbour was sitting outside with her patio doors open and my cat was sitting next to her. Me and my daughters were in shock as we have searched for her and asked around and had even put posters up but had little luck and therefore we assumed that she had died. We kept calling the cat and she instantly recognised us but the woman just sat their ignoring us. We finally got the woman's attention and when we said "excuse me that's our cat" and asked for her back, she blatantly refused as she said she had "taken her to the vet and had her micro chipped". She then brought her husband out, who spoke to us like we were a bunch of idiots. He told us "she was an indoor cat" after we had showed them a load of photographs of her and then they stormed back inside.

It's very obvious that the cat had been shut all this time and the reason we have spotted her now is because it's a very nice day and they have let her roam in the garden.

Where do we stand and AIBU to expect them to return our much loved cat back to us? Thanks for any advice!! Sad

OP posts:
hedgefund · 14/04/2013 18:06

apparently it's against the law to trap a cat, and that's really what they have done isn't it?

Floralnomad · 14/04/2013 18:07

If you hadn't had the cat chipped then I don't think you have a leg to stand on and perhaps they took the cat in in good faith . Are you sure its the same cat ,does it have distinguishing features ?

LindyHemming · 14/04/2013 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 14/04/2013 18:08

I understand you are upset, shouldn't you be pleased the cat is alive and loved.

Er... not exactly. They imprisoned the cat and ignored all the Lost Cat posters! I would be seriously pissed off and stealing the cat back at the first opportunity.

TerraNotSoFirma · 14/04/2013 18:09

This happened to me.
I stole the cat back and rehomed her with my friends aunt.
Then had my friends sent postcards to the assholes that stole her (from the cat) from all over the world.

I don't think the police would do anything. Any chance your vet would be able to help? Would you have a record of the cats treatments that they could use to confirm the cat belongs to you?

TimeIsACurrency · 14/04/2013 18:10

Shock Bloody hell!
I'd be tempted to try and nick her back but if they've locked her inside for 11 months might be impossible.
What bastards!

D0oinMeCleanin · 14/04/2013 18:13

Someone stole dd1's cat, a few years ago. We called the police and advised them they had an hour to return the cat or they'd be charged with theft by finding.

In the eyes of the law cats are property.

Phone 101.

Mother2many · 14/04/2013 18:14

If they did get her chipped, you would then be charged is my fear.

Even if you do get her back, they would prob try to encourage her to come back...and the cat would. Unless you seriously made sure she didn't leave the house.

I agree with the newspaper article... Take a picture of her as a baby, as an adult, the posters, and then tell them your neighbours took her! If all else everyone would find out what thieves they are!!

BalloonSlayer · 14/04/2013 18:16

Terra Grin

I would be up for sending a postcard from tilly's cat.

Greetings from the Taj Mahal
It is very warm here
It is good to experience some fresh air after my long imprisonment at your hands.
Good Day to You
The Cat

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 14/04/2013 18:31

LOVE IT! :)

Just called 101 and they say this could be 'classed as theft' and are sending the cops round on Tuesday. And yep, she has very distinct features! She has massive spots all over her back!

OP posts:
DontmindifIdo · 14/04/2013 18:31

I'd go with knocking on the door, saying you've checked, cats count as property and you can prove that it is your cat, so they have a choice, hand the cat back right now, or you call the police. Refuse to get into a discussion about it, say "look, we both know you kept the cat indoors because you knew if you didn't she'd come home, as you don't seem to want to give me the cat right now, you can save your lies for the police." (Make sure you say this really loudly, if you can get some of the curtains twitching in the street, all the better, and if htey don't give the cat back, go with the local news and possibly the Daily Mail angle)

DontmindifIdo · 14/04/2013 18:32

oh x posts - yay for good result!

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 14/04/2013 18:36

Thank you every one for your good advice! If the police don't do anything then you'll probably read about it in the paper!!! Wink

OP posts:
somedayma · 14/04/2013 18:37

I am FUMING on your behalf! Angry how fucking dare they! Hope the police get the cat back

Fuzzysnout · 14/04/2013 19:00

I would leave it to the police now. If you warn them, there's nothing to stop them hiding the cat & denying all knowledge.

Lucyellensmum95 · 14/04/2013 19:07

Phone the police - a neighbour of mine was telling me about a cat that she took to the vets after they found it wandering around.I think that cat was just getting old and a bit senile so kept losing its way back home. The cat was microchipped and owned by someone down the road, the vets got in touch with them and they took the cat home. A few days later my other neighbour received a phone call from the police, the owners were very upset that they had taken the cat to the vets (it must have cost them a pretty packet to be fair, out of hours) and the police were quite firm that the owners were unhappy about it. Now actually i can see both sides in this situation, but Im just telling you this to say tht the police will take it seriously and will probably call your neighbours and make them give the cat back.

Is there any way for an amicable solution? probably not. Bloody cow Angry for you.

Lucyellensmum95 · 14/04/2013 19:08

ooh, cross posts - glad you called them and i hhope you get your cat back - bastards x

hiddenhome · 14/04/2013 19:09

I really hope you get your cat back. It is theft and they should be prosecuted. I'm devoted to my two cats and they're members of the family as far as I'm concerned. Really press it with the police. Don't let them fob you off. Insist that the cat is returned to you. Is your cat registered at a vets surgery? They would keep records.

Passmethecrisps · 14/04/2013 19:16

Good luck OP!

How horrendous! We have half the cats of the district trying to get into our house - we send them home! We have even tried stuffing them in boxes to deliver them home. Nicely stuffing obviously. More like placing.

SnookyPooky · 14/04/2013 19:18

I would be fuming if someone took one of mine. Hope you get her back.

RedHelenB · 14/04/2013 19:23

No cat stays in a garden, they wander around so the cat could come back to you at any time.

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 14/04/2013 19:24

Thank you! We are still bloody fuming! Can't believe we've been missing our supposedly "dead" cat for almost a year when she's been shut in next door all this time!! On advice from the police we've been told to keep our distance but fingers crossed we get her back!!

OP posts:
RVPisnomore · 14/04/2013 19:26

Was she chipped? If the cat was chipped you could prove it was yours.

Passmethecrisps · 14/04/2013 19:28

Our cat genuinely does stay in the garden red. She is old though and was a fully inside cat for many years. She barely steps into the grass never mind beyond force field of fencing.

Latara · 14/04/2013 19:29

Good luck, hope you get your cat back.