Cat ownership right

[sleepingcatslie]

Hi

Some advice please.

Back in January a friend (A) received a text from another friend (B) asking her if she knew anyone who wanted a cat. B was living with her family who didn’t want the cat and as B was out working the cat spent all day locked in one room and B didn’t think it was fair on the cat. The cat was almost six months old.

Friend C was happy to give the cat a home. The following day A and C met B and B gave the cat to C with some food. The day after that B met A and gave her the cat’s toys, bed, litter etc.

About five days later B text A asking for the cat back. C has now fallen in love with the cat and didn’t want to give her back. There was some exchange of texts between A and B, with A telling B she wasn’t getting the cat back. B had given reasons why she couldn’t keep the cat and her circumstances hadn’t changed.

C has had the cat since January and had her spayed and is a responsible owner.

The police turned up at A’s home yesterday saying that the cat had been reported stolen and the owner wants her back. A showed the police the texts messages between her and B and the police have said it’s now a civil matter and they won’t take any further action.

A received a text from B this morning saying that she has seven days to return the cat.

Does B have any legal right to the cat?

Many thanks.

Clearly I have too much time on my hands but...
If C returns the cat to B, what would B do?

• Would B pay for the desexing procedure (£40-100)?
• What about food? My furballs eat very well so fuck only knows how much that costs.

Is B going to pretend that C was looking after animal out of the goodness of her heart or that C stole the cat (that was willingly handed over with cat toys)?

Or did C just keep that cat longer than an agreed cat sitting arrangement? FYI - I have been very, very well paid for cat sitting in the past - £250+ for 10 days and I got to stay in a vairy, vairy naice part of London in vairy posh house (my flat could fit into their kitchen. They even had a garden, with grass and trees and stuff. A real garden!)

The cat has the right to be treated humanely. Being shut in one room alone all day while B works is not humane and it would be unethical for C to give the cat back. If it came to court C would just need a representative of an animal rescue charity to testify that C's living arrangements are reasonable for a cat and that B's are not.

A should not be involved at all and should make it clear to B and C that they are not to be used as a go-between in this dispute.

I suspect @MrsBertBibby is correct that what B actually wants is to rewind the clock and sell the cat on gumtree for £££ instead of giving her away.

The person giving something away doesn't have any right to a "cooling off period" - that is something a buyer can get under certain circumstances none of which currently apply. The fact that a further exchange of cat-related accessories happened next day demonstrates that B had no regrets at the time.

As the police have said it is now a civil matter, B can't really do anything except apply to the civil courts and I very much doubt they will do so.

How good a friend is B normally? I think if she doesn't let this drop I would distance myself from her. She gave the cat away willingly.

She just needs to say she's not returning him and that's it.

Thanks for all your replies.

C blocked B after the initial request so presumably B had no option other than to contact A.

Some truly bizarre messages were sent, such as ‘we’re on our way with the police to pick up the cat now’.

B is now blocked by all parties.

I believe C is making an appointment with CAB today.

I cannot believe that B genuinely thinks she has a right to take the cat back and is just trying to bully C into it. I do wonder what her motives are - I suspect she has realised there is money to be had if she sells her on.

Thanks for all the advice and support.

C owns the cat. I'd also be tempted to bill B for veterinary costs, cattery fees, food/litter etc. and compensation for inconvenience, but that opens the door to admitting she's prepared to hand the cat back so don't!
If she has insurance then some policies have a free legal helpline, but as long as she keeps the texts I don't think B has a leg to stand on.

@sleepingcatslie

Thanks for all your replies.

C blocked B after the initial request so presumably B had no option other than to contact A.

Some truly bizarre messages were sent, such as ‘we’re on our way with the police to pick up the cat now’.

B is now blocked by all parties.

I believe C is making an appointment with CAB today.

I cannot believe that B genuinely thinks she has a right to take the cat back and is just trying to bully C into it. I do wonder what her motives are - I suspect she has realised there is money to be had if she sells her on.

Thanks for all the advice and support.

So are you A or C?

Neither

C is a family member and A is a family member of C’s partner.

I've just seen something on the dreaded FB which is similar to this. Is the cat in the Merseyside area? The post is trying to claim the cat has been stolen. I can send you a link to report to fb if you believe this is your cat.

Hi, we are in the south east.

CAB advised, on the information given, that the original owner has no rights to the cat.

B threatened a couple more times but it’s all quiet now.