Been adopted but moving

[Wallywobbles]

At Christmas our neighbours tenants went away for 3 weeks leaving their cat without food, water or access to shelter in -4 temperatures. She went from disdaining us totally to adopting us whole heartedly.

Now on the odd occasion when the neighbours call her she ignores them in a totally flagrant way. She definitely got character.

We feed our cats in the barn and she gets fed there too. It's a free for all situation. Our house is now for sale and we are moving.

I talked to the vet and legally if she is not tattooed or chipped she belongs to no-one.

We love her. She's a great outdoors cat. Brilliant hunter. But do I take her with us or not? I think it's morally dubious behavior, but if I leave her she is basically being dumped without food or water. She is such a friendly cat that feels all kinds of wrong too.

I'm going to take her to the vet to find out if she's chipped this week. I don't want to talk to her owners because they'll say no I'm sure.

If she's not chipped I'd take her.

Don't even think of leaving cat with 'owners' who are neglectful to the point of cruelty.
Please, please, please don't.

Chipped/unchipped who cares?
Take her if you possibly can, otherwise animal shelter.

Gosh I wasn't expecting that response. Ok she's coming. That is going to create an extra hitch in the situation. She fights with our cat. And we are moving to my DHs house and he has an outside Tom that is renown for chasing off other cats.

How do I keep our outdoor cats from running off/being chased off? DH will absolutely not allow them to be kept in the house. (And actually I agree that it's not doable for our family/circumstances).

I can see that's tricky.

My experience of cats is generally that, if where they're living doesn't work for them, they'll find another house to move into.
Obviously more complicated if they've only been outdoor cats.
I guess potentially you're going to have a situation , moving your cats, + this cat, into another cat's territory. Still wouldn't leave the cat with the cruel neighbours.
Take them all, see what happens.

Hope someone has some advice on integrating them, but I suspect they'll either settle down in a pecking order; or fight and some will rehome ; or fight and be miserable, in which case you may have to consider rehoming them. Possibly via a cat's charity. But don't talk it up; sometimes cats manage to sort themselves out.
Good luck.

Is this Tom neutered?.

Dh needs to be an adult about this.

Yes Tom neutered about a month ago. He's 10 though so may not have a significant impact. He's gone a bit weird since to be honest. He is suddenly obsessed by food and has become very cuddly.

You have cats who need a home with you. It's always a challenge with cats. Will there be an outside shelter for all the cats with warm beds? They'll be very cold and might become ill when it's freezing outside. Good luck.

I would take it.

Neighbours clearly don't give a shit about it, so fuck them.

You're nice OP I absolutely hate people who neglect their pets.

Well that's usual with neutered toms.

He needs to let her in the house for 3 weeks so she doesn't get lost, if you do slow introductions with Tom it should work out.

What you don't want is her being chased off & getting lost.

Legally it turns out that if she's not tattooed or chipped she belong to no one.

And if you go away for more than 8 days and leave your cat out and someone else feeds them then they are the owner.

Although I admit those do seem to be slightly contradictory bits of info. I am in France though so maybe not the same everywhere.