Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
5madthings · 15/04/2013 19:45

Hope you get your cat back xxx

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 15/04/2013 19:55

It's a bit suspicious that I saw her walking from her car with a cat box - didn't cross my mind for one second that it might have my cat(s) in it! - the other day and now one of my long lost cats has suddenly appeared in her garden!!

Thank you everyone one again for all your helpful advice! I'll let you know tomorrow asap what happened with the police. Fingers crossed it's good luck!!!

OP posts:
LaVolcan · 15/04/2013 21:37

Can you catnap him/her back? Then go to the vet, and they will be able to read the chip from which you should be able to find out when it was chipped.

Weird. Why not get a cat of their own?

flaminghoopsaloohlah · 15/04/2013 22:07

What complete and utter fucking tossers (sorry, nothing helpful to add but wanted to add my outrage for you).

StuntGirl · 16/04/2013 01:10

Shock I am gobsmacked at the audacity of some people. Nutters!

Passmethecrisps · 16/04/2013 08:43

Right! When are the coppers coming round? Time to return StolenPussy to RightfulOwners.

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 16/04/2013 09:04

We got up an hour ago to find a letter shoved through our door from them in response to the letter we sent them on Sunday night. All this letter waffles on about is how much money they've apparently spent on her. They don't mention once us getting our lovely little girl back!! Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 16/04/2013 09:11

They don't seem to care what they've done to me and my kids. It's disgusting that they've let us mourn for a cat that they'd had imprisoned all this time.

Apparently our cat had been either sleeping in their grass for three months or sitting by their backdoor waiting for them to have a fag. Rubbish! We can see all of their garden from some of their window and our low fence. What a load of BS!!!!

OP posts:
thegreylady · 16/04/2013 09:12

You have ample proof that she is yours. You should put together a folder of photographs along with the contact info of the people you bought her from and see that the police and your neighbours have copies. Your cat must be returned to you-it is outrageous to say that a chip makes her theirs surely that only applies if the chip was inserted when she was a kitten or by a rescue centre. Otherwise anyone could steal an unchipped animal and chip it to 'prove' ownership.

D0oinMeCleanin · 16/04/2013 09:17

Well the money is their own stupid fault for spending money on something that did not belong to them, isn't it?

And no, microchips are not proof of ownership, in most cases it is very hard to prove ownership, but since your neighbours have no proof of owning the cat from a kitten, cannot say where they bought/adopted it, have owned it since you lost your cat (the microchop will prove that) and have not denied taking your cat, then it's looks pretty straightforward in this case.

lougle · 16/04/2013 09:21

I would think their letter is rather incriminating, tbh. If she was their cat, the letter would say 'back off, crazy lady, it isn't your cat!' When the police come, I would tell them that it is two that are missing...

lougle · 16/04/2013 09:23

I would think their letter is rather incriminating, tbh. If she was their cat, the letter would say 'back off, crazy lady, it isn't your cat!' When the police come, I would tell them that it is two that are missing...

musiceverywhere · 16/04/2013 09:23

Sorry, just bobbing into this thread as feel so horrified for what they've done.
Our cat visits quite a few neighbours, but unless something has changed in your house (new baby, renovation etc) the only reason for them to want to permanently move anywhere is the quality of the food they get. So we've told them again to stop feeding him as maybe they can afford to give him the 'good stuff'!
Was cat insured? The police may be interested in that as theres no way you would pay to insure a cat you didn't own, and it shows you have a financial claim to it.
Good luck!

tiggytape · 16/04/2013 09:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 16/04/2013 09:26

No she wasn't insured but knowing them they probably have pet insurance for her. Sad

OP posts:
Theicingontop · 16/04/2013 09:27

What are they expecting, a refund? They chose to spend money on a cat they stole!

I'd hand the police that letter.

gillywillywoo · 16/04/2013 09:30

I dislike the daily mail... But seriously... Go to the daily mail! Grin
I would be livid if this happened to me (we have 2 cats who we ADORE)... Good luck x

gillywillywoo · 16/04/2013 09:30

I dislike the daily mail... But seriously... Go to the daily mail! Grin
I would be livid if this happened to me (we have 2 cats who we ADORE)... Good luck x

gillywillywoo · 16/04/2013 09:31

Oops double post! Dodgy signal on the train!

survivingthechildren · 16/04/2013 09:33

Fight this to the death. Bring the hell fire.

Nick her back!!

flaminghoopsaloohlah · 16/04/2013 09:33

And if they have pet insurance there, again, is more proof that they haven't owned her for that long.

The letter is interesting because it is almost an admission. They do not once state you're mistaken...instead they harp on about how much money they spent on her (ergo they MUST now own her).

How utterly selfish and unfeeling of them; they must have known she was yours. And to take a pet off children...it's pretty despicable.

We have a black cat who decided to adopt us and I worried for weeks that some child somewhere was breaking their heart over him being missing - unfortunately he wasn't chipped and no one on the road seemed to know anything except he'd turned up a couple of weeks previously and had been feeding off a few of our neighbours - the poor thing was covered in dermatitis from flea bites and the vet said he'd been without proper food and shelter for quite some time...but I still worried for several weeks.

I really hope the police can sort it out for you.

Original poster
tillytrotter11 · 16/04/2013 09:40

The police will be here in 10. Let you know what happens!!!

OP posts:
Kiriwawa · 16/04/2013 09:41

If they really wanted a cat that badly, why didn't they just adopt one? My local rescue has tons of cats that sort of age desperately looking for a new home

carameldecaflatte · 16/04/2013 09:42

Just seen your thread. Miserable bastards!
Good luck with the police.

McKayz · 16/04/2013 09:44

I hope the police can help.