Asking for my youngest DB who lives in London.
For context: he moved to London from our home country several years ago and ended up settling there with his wife. They adopted a street cat as a kitten whom they adore to bits. Regular vets check up, micro-chipped. She's an outdoor cat. He's younger than me, and a wonderful brother to me and uncle to my kids. He is really distressed about this.
They've moved a new neighbourhood, and an elderly neighbour has started feeding their cat. She has bought fancy expensive cat food for this cat, which she came round to show my brother. DB was not happy and said he'd have to see if the vet approved her having this food (I don't know what it is). Anyway the neighbour had some sort of meltdown, said that "the cat is free to choose her owner in the UK" and "there have been court cases about this" and "he has no right to maniuplate the cat". DB feels threatened by her. Then the cat started staying out over night and they were worried sick. I don't if the elderly neighbour said as much, or if he's just guessing, but he is sure that she is keeping their cat "locked up" at night. I told him to calm down and most people lock their doors at night. he talked with the neighbours husband yesterday who he says is much more rational and "a normal person", and he has promised not to feed their cat or keep it overnight.
Anyway, I guess here is the question: do people really go to court over this sort of thing? is there such a thing as "the cat a has a right to choose her owner"? Added context is that DB and his wife are not yet citizens of UK (they are there residing / working legally), so this kind of thing is really freaking him out. I have never lived in London. I want to reassure him that the cat lady will not sue him over their cat.