Neighbour mistreating his cat

[paulfoel]

Long story short. We'd feed a cat in our garden that looked v close to death. Found out who owned it and got a message to them. They could not be bothered and had many opportunities to come and get the poor cat and take it to vets. In the end we called RSPCA.

They still didn't so RSPCA pretty much forced them. Not sure if they ever did mind or whether RSPCA checked.

So ended up this cat decided to live with us. Got better but it was old. We sent the owners pics never heard from them.

Months later the poor thing is struggling and we think might need to go and needs to see a vet at least. So I messaged the owners out of courtesy to give them the opportunity to take the cat - bad idea I wish I'd just taken the cat myself and paid. Hes now asking for his cat back after months and telling me hes calling the police if I don't give it back.

I don't get it hes not cared for months. I just don't trust him to take the cat to the vets (won't say if he is or not just wants it back!) I can see him sticking the poor thing in the car and dumping it miles away to save a vets bill.

Like I said wish I'd not told him now!
What to do?

[HirplesWithHaggis]

The police won't be interested.

If you feel the cat needs euthanised, and can afford the bill, have that done. Tell the neighbours it wandered off (as cats often do when they are dying) and you know nothing more.

Thank you for your kindness.

[PieAndLattes]

Just say, ‘He’s wandered off, but I’ll let you know when he shows up’, and then don’t.

[CrunchyCarrot]

Whatever you do, don't give the cat back to its negligent owner! That's not going to end well. Take it to the vet yourself, at least it will have some small comfort in its last hours.

[Notinthemood12]

Don’t undo the good you did by giving an innocent animal back to a lowlife “owner”. The cat is now yours. Good suggestions above, cat wandered off, get a friend to back you in saying they found it dead in garden, whatever. Just don’t give it back

[paulfoel]

Thanks all. Theres a special place in hell for people like him.....
I just don't get it how people can be like that. Hes not skint hes got a massive house so I just don't understand why you wouldn't take it to the vet.

I think its been a case of "out of sight out of mind" and now we've reminded him hes having a guilt attack. Still don't think he'll feel guilty enough to take it to the vets.

The poor thing has got serious stomach problems. We've had cat poo everywhere. Pretty sure this is why he threw the cat outside to fend for itself in the first place.

I can just see him sticking the car in the car and dumping up the mountain miles away.

Good idea to tell him not seen cat but I've already told him the cat doesn't leave the house.

[allmycats]

Just forget about the previous owner and do the right thing for the cat

[Viennabear]

Is it microchipped and registered to him? If not I’d say as pp have suggested- he’s gone missing, then he can spend his remaining time
with someone that actually loves and cares for him. What a complete arsehole of a human being that guy is.

[TheSlantedOwl]

Say the cat went out and didn’t come back.

[Mmhmmn]

Let him try to get the police open an incident number for you saving his cat from mistreatment 🙄 . What a prize tit.

[paulfoel]

Yeh I can't quite believe how hes been. Didn't give a monkeys about that cat. It was half dead because we couldnt get it in the house and he STILL took weeks to come over even when the RSPCA had a go at him.

And then to be arsey with me when I've fed, de-flead, wormed his cat and looked after it for months.

Nah cat isnt chipped.

[CrunchyCarrot]

You can say the cat escaped and hasn't come back.

[ButterBastardBeans]

Ownership of cats is a grey area. They are not considered a chattle like a dog is. Microchip does not confer ownership either.

I agree with PPs say it never came back and then do the right thing by the poor thing.

[SunflowerSeeds123]

Do the right thing by the cat and stuff the owner. At least the cat has known love in it's last months OP. That's something..

[caringcarer]

Please, please take this cat to a vet. Tell it's horrible former owner the cat escaped and ran away. You haven't seen it for several days. If you think he might come to your home to check get a friend to care for it for a few days. Do not give the poor kitty back. He doesn't deserve a loving kitty.