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Original poster

Becoming a lost cat's owner

51 replies

SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 13:13

I've NC'd as I've talked to people about this irl.

Around a week ago my friend found a young cat late at night and beside a very busy road. She took it home to keep it safe and to post on SM to try to find its owners. The post was shared many times to different local group and lost pet groups by a few of the local 'cat people'.

A day or so later, with no one having come forward to claim the cat my friend took it to the vet to check for a microchip. The vet confirmed that the cat had no microchip and was not neutered. He is around 5 months old and in very good health. He was also wearing a collar with no id tag.

My friend, having older cats at home said she was struggling to look after him so I offered to take the cat in until the owner was found.

After having him for a few days we are of course all in love with him, she has settled straight in, has a very sweet nature and is not nervous of our DC (who are very good with him too). We are of course still trying to find his owners but do think it's strange that no one has come forward so far.

It's obviously still early days and his owner may still come forward but we're thinking about what happens next. We would be delighted to be able to keep him but are not sure about how this could work and if he could ever be considered 'ours'. He will need to go outside (although hasn't attempted to try to get outside yet) but obviously can't do that until he's neutered (and microchipped) but we obviously can't neuter and microchip someone else's cat!

I've googled but couldn't really find anything relevant to this situation. I'd be grateful if anyone could advise or if anyone has any suggestions or guesses to the situation of where he may have come from (I appreciate it's hard without a crystal ball though!)

Thank you.

OP posts:
Chunkymenrock · 29/11/2021 13:17

If the cat's owner has not bothered to neuter, microchip, or do anything to search for their missing pet, then I'd definitely keep him. If you've allowed a reasonable time and posted in all the usual places, then it's fair enough. Sick of irresponsible owners who can't be arsed.

Clarich007 · 29/11/2021 13:24

Hi sweetlittlecat. The same thing happened to us 5 years ago. We took him to the vet, no microchip not neutered and no collar. We left a message on FB, and on the noticeboard at the vets. We also put posters up and said we will look after him until we either get a phone call, or until enough time had elapsed.
Unfortunately, because he was unneutered, he sprayed all over the house. So after a week we booked him in for neutering and microchipping flu jab etc.
Nobody contacted us so we kept him

blowtheroofoff · 29/11/2021 13:34

He could have been dumped by the side of the road. The previous owners don't sound very responsible. If you've tried to find the owner to no avail, then you've done your best. Most people who lost a cat they really care about plaster 'Lost cat' posters everywhere

Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 13:37

Thank you both for replying.

Those were my thoughts also @Chunkymenrock

@Clarich007 I was worried the vet wouldn't neuter him if he wasn't technically ours but it's in the vet and cats interest so perhaps as long as we're paying they might not mind! Also though if we got him chipped is that a claim to ownership in itself?! Worried about him spraying in the house now 😖!

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Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 13:40

@blowtheroofoff

He could have been dumped by the side of the road. The previous owners don't sound very responsible. If you've tried to find the owner to no avail, then you've done your best. Most people who lost a cat they really care about plaster 'Lost cat' posters everywhere
That makes me so sad to think someone would do that. Especially with the awful storm we had a few nights ago. I can't bear to think that he might have been out in that if my friend hadn't found him Sad

I thought even if someone didn't have Facebook they would still put pictures up and members of the public would recognise him on FB and let the owners know.

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Grumpyosaurus · 29/11/2021 13:40

I agree with PP. We acquired a stray cat many years ago, before the days of SM and microchips. We put ads up in all the obvious places (local small supermarket, public notice boards, the vets), enough that word spread so far that someone from 3 villages away got in touch in case he was hers. But nope. So we kept him.

In your case you have done everything any sensible and kind person would have done to find the owner.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/11/2021 14:52

If you take reasonable steps to find an owner after a week it’s your cat if you want him.

Have you checked missing pets registers online and fb spotted for that area? You can’t really do much more.

Clarich007 · 29/11/2021 14:57

Hi Sweet. I'm no expert, but maybe your little cat isn't old enough to spray. Our boy sprayed from the minute he walked in, but he was about 2 when we found him, so fully developed. Our vet was happy to neuter him after she checked for a chip.
Enjoy your new cat!

Pixiedust1234 · 29/11/2021 15:03

I would check with a vet or the local cats protection but I think you can legally own a stray after three weeks BUT you have to be really careful over trying to find the original owner. That involves sm with local groups, cats protection and rspca lost and found websites, posters in the street, shops etc. Don't forget some cats hide in warm cars and could have ended up in a different town.

Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 15:07

@Fluffycloudland77 my friend shared his picture details in a few of the general local pages for our town and all of the lost pet ones I could see (most of them cover the tri-county area too). Some people tagged in the local 'cat people' who shared it in more groups too. So it has certainly had a decent reach. You would think even if the owner didn't see it then they would at least share something which someone else would see, there are a lot of people who want to help lost pets be reunited with their owners.

I hadn't heard of the pet register but I've checked and he isn't there.

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HarrisonStickle · 29/11/2021 15:09

I took in a cat and had him neutered and chipped. Didn't bother with notices, my thoughts are that if people can't be bothered doing the basics, I can't be bothered trying to find them. I did a little dance at the vets when they told me he wasn't chipped, I was so fond of the little chap.

Two years on, no one ever came forward, and me and my boy are besotted with each other. ❤

Anotherhill · 29/11/2021 15:25

In fairness to his owners, if he’s only 5 months then they’re not neglectful to not have him neutered yet, and they may have been waiting to get him chipped at the same time.

icedcoffees · 29/11/2021 15:33

If he's wearing a collar he clearly has an owner somewhere.

My vet wouldn't neuter our youngest male until he was six months so the fact that he's entire is not necessarily neglect. He could have escaped out of the house - one of my house cats did just that last week and was gone for three days. Luckily she's older and spayed, though.

I would be sharing the cat nationwide before assuming ownership - cats can slip into delivery vans etc. and end up miles and miles away from their homes through no real fault of their own.

Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 15:37

@Anotherhill

In fairness to his owners, if he’s only 5 months then they’re not neglectful to not have him neutered yet, and they may have been waiting to get him chipped at the same time.
I wondered about this too. My last cat I had (who sadly died a year ago) was provided to me microchipped as part of the contract when I got him from a rescue centre. I googled the age to neuter and it says 6months. I'm positive my cat was younger and smaller that this cat though. It was a long time ago though I might not remember correctly.

He doesn't seem eager to get out of the house so I can't decide if this means he was a house cat who escaped or that he was allowed out but is just very happy where he is!

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Noducksgiven · 29/11/2021 15:38

Well he's either escaped or been let out on purpose and wandered. I'd give it a couple of weeks to see if anyone claims him then you can take him to your vet for chip and neuter and register him in your name. Just tell them the truth, he's a stray, you've tried all avenues and an owner can't be found.

Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 15:41

I would be sharing the cat nationwide before assuming ownership - cats can slip into delivery vans etc. and end up miles and miles away from their homes through no real fault of their own.

I think this is a good idea, even for my own piece of mind so after we've named him and feel like he's ours I'm not constantly worrying someone will turn up.

What would you say is the best way to do this?

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TheCreamCaker · 29/11/2021 15:46

I'd say - keep him, have him chipped and neutered. The "owner" has obviously not taken proper care of him anyway, to get those things done.

Get him to a vet, think of a name for your boy, and enjoy having him. He's lucky to have found you, I think.

icedcoffees · 29/11/2021 15:48

@SweetLittleCat

I would be sharing the cat nationwide before assuming ownership - cats can slip into delivery vans etc. and end up miles and miles away from their homes through no real fault of their own.

I think this is a good idea, even for my own piece of mind so after we've named him and feel like he's ours I'm not constantly worrying someone will turn up.

What would you say is the best way to do this?

There are lots of nationwide pet groups you can share to - or you could maybe start with some in the next county away from from you and go from there?

Also pop him on www.catlost.com.

thecatneuterer · 29/11/2021 15:51

@Chunkymenrock

If the cat's owner has not bothered to neuter, microchip, or do anything to search for their missing pet, then I'd definitely keep him. If you've allowed a reasonable time and posted in all the usual places, then it's fair enough. Sick of irresponsible owners who can't be arsed.
Exactly this
thecatneuterer · 29/11/2021 15:54

He is now yours. Stop worrying. The original owners haven't chipped, neutered or kept him in till this was done. They haven't posted lost notices anywhere or search for 'Found' ones. There is no point in continuing to search and yes, he probably was dumped, this is a very common age to dump, ie when they are no longer cute little kittens and the kids have got bored.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/11/2021 16:25

Look at it this way, if your cat went missing how many flyers would you have up by now? Probably loads and you’d be on fb trying to find it.

We’ve had cats go missing by us and there’s flyers and leaflets through the letter box. You can’t find any of that. Cats do get dumped by roads and motorways too. I had a patient near a motorway and she said she’d never had to pay for a dog they got dumped on the motorway & she took them in.

Anotherhill · 29/11/2021 16:28

Thecatneuterer -you don’t know this at all. It might be true but equally they may be looking hard and advertising in a different place to where the owners are looking.

JessicaPipsqueak · 29/11/2021 16:30

Christ why don't you do a global search whilst you're at it? Nationwide surely won't be enough!

Seriously, stop worrying. Just chip him and neuter him and keep him in for a good month or two so he settles in properly.

icedcoffees · 29/11/2021 16:40

@JessicaPipsqueak

Christ why don't you do a global search whilst you're at it? Nationwide surely won't be enough!

Seriously, stop worrying. Just chip him and neuter him and keep him in for a good month or two so he settles in properly.

Yeah, why bother to see if he has a home, just take him and keep him - the original owners won't mind Hmm

The cat came with a collar which means someone, somewhere has been looking after him. It's not a legal requirement to neuter ats and he's too young to be neutered in the eyes of many vets.

Original poster
SweetLittleCat · 29/11/2021 17:48

@Fluffycloudland77

Look at it this way, if your cat went missing how many flyers would you have up by now? Probably loads and you’d be on fb trying to find it.

We’ve had cats go missing by us and there’s flyers and leaflets through the letter box. You can’t find any of that. Cats do get dumped by roads and motorways too. I had a patient near a motorway and she said she’d never had to pay for a dog they got dumped on the motorway & she took them in.

I would put flyers all over my town and post on every FB forum I could. If he was in microchipped too I would do even more.
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