My neighbor stole my cat!

[CatLover]

Help! Tell me what I can do.

I have 2 outdoor cats. One of my cats disappeared last winter. I searched and searched for her and no luck, I assumed she was dead or run over by a car. By a fluke, my son came home last Friday and said that the kid that lives 2 houses from us, they moved in 3 years ago, has our cat and says it's his cat now.

I went over there the next morning and inquired and sure enough, it's my cat! I left their house saying, "uh well....". so the husband says, well I will rustle up the cat and take her over in a cat carrier. I said, ok but you have kids, if it takes a few days, I understand.

A week goes by, I ask my friend to go and speak to the neighbors again. Now the story that was told to my friend was that they are not so sure they want to give the cat back. My friend said to the husband, "what are you talking about, it's "CatLover's" (me) cat, you have to give it back..." So my friend go to my house and sends his son back to the neighbor's house with the cat carrier and now the husband says to my friend's son, "he's not giving the cat back and that his wife wants to talk to me "CatLover"..." The neighbor's husband continued on to say that "they are going to give me the veterinary bills that they paid over the past 8 months they kept my cat indoors.

My friend calls me and I said what bills, for shots?? My friend said for declawing etc. I went ballistic, they de-clawed my cat! When I went to the house to confront the husband, his story changed and said, No the cat was already de-clawed" I said, "Oh no she wasn't"

So the wife comes over my house at 9pm and she says they want to keep the cat and I said no, you stole my cat and I want her back. She's been with me for 5 years, she was mine before you moved into the neighborhood. I told her now, my problem is that she turned my cat against me now by declawing her and taking her in as an indoor cat when she was a hunter/outdoor cat. She says to me why didn't you ask around if anyone found a cat. I said to her, why would I have any reason to suspect my neighbors of taking my cat as an indoor cat, everyone in the neighborhood knows I have two outdoor cats cause they sit on my court while I play tennis.

Then she says to me, "I am not a cat person, I am a dog person" so I said then why did you take in my cat, why don't you just get a dog or a cat for your kids and let me re-acclimate my cat back to her original environment. So she says to me, what if the cat comes back, I said well then don't put cat food out on your door step and don't bring her inside and don't pet her, she won't come back.

She said I can't do that. she said she didn't intentional steal my cat. I said yes she did because the cat is clearly fed, and kempt and loved, she's very friendly and affectionate. I said it most certainly wasn't from your kids, it was from me and my son, she's our cat. So you just selfishly took her in without any concern for the owners or the owners kids.

She said i asked around the neighborhood if someone lost a cat, I said she did not cause she didn't knock on my door and her response to me was, "you're never home". If you actually did walk up to my house, you would see the cats sitting on the deck or in their cat house

so she kept going back and forth and I said this conversation is over because my cat hates me now, but I am not going to let you think that it's okay as to what you did. And don't think at anytime that I don't want my cat back, she won't come back to me as long as you allow her into your home. There's nothing I can do to prevent you from doing that.

so now, is there anything I can do even if my action doesn't amount to anything. I need her to know that she and her kids and her husband know that they could have easily gone to a shelter and gotten themselves their own cat rather than take a neighbors cat.

Please anyone, I need some advice.

[bams481]

[Vonnie]

cats may not need to hunt to be happy, but its sure fun for them, and fun to watch them try. lol

[bams481]

Yes how ever it is not fun for them to get run over by a car is it?

[CatLover]

I never assume anything about my cats other than I believe them to be smart animals, very instinctive and independent. But like all of us, they also want to feel and be loved. That's the part that I have the most trouble with mentally. My neighbor stood in my house, looked me in the eye and said, "I don't even like cats, I'd rather have a dog". So why take my cat in, take the cat to the vet and de-claw her just to protect her own furniture. I am soo sad.

[Tracy]

I don't believe in having cats outdoors. I know not everyone will agree with that, but if more people would just do the research on WHY cats don't need to be outside then there would be a lot less heartbreak for all involved.

Yes, I know that doesn't help CatLover's situation, but I am currently having my own dilemma with my neighbor in my apartment complex regarding her cat that she lets stay outside UNSUPERVISED at ALL HOURS of the night. Read on...

"P" is an adorable kitten (perhaps 1 year old) that I first noticed when my neighbor moved in across from me in the Fall. She would let her cat out on the balcony and I would comment to my neighbor how pretty "P" was, etc. Once Spring arrived, I noticed she would let "P' outside and let her wander around our building (this is a very large building within a large complex). One day last month I was outside talking to "P" when the neighbor came out and said" Oh there she is" and we started chatting. I founf out that "P" was a feral that my neighbor has had fixed and that she lets her out because "P" wants out now that the weather is nice. Um...hello???? Your balconoy would be just fine! Anyway, ever since last month, I leave for work and come home from work to see "P" outside. It seems that she is always outside now. Fast forward to this week when I just decided to see if "P" was hungry since I never see any food left outside of my neighbor's door. Poor kitty ate the can of cat food I brought out so fast! That was Monday after work. Last night when I got home, "P" was out and I noticed that my neighbor's lights were on inside her apt. but then a few hours later when I went out to my car, my neighbor had her outside light on by her door and I didn't see the cat so I assume that my neighbor had left and brought "P inside. This made me happy because we were expecting some rainstorms last night and I didn't want to think that my neighbor was so heartless that she'd keep her cat outside all night during storms. 3:30am this morning I wake up to thunder and rain and decide to get dressed to double check to see if "P" is outside or not. Within a minute of opening my door, here comes "P" meowing and rubbing against me and she's all wet! I was livid! The neighbor's lights inside and outside of the door are OFF which means she was home, asleep, and her poor cat was left outside with no food, water, or shelter during a storm...IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX! So of course I put food and water out for "P" and a box for her to sleep in. I'd love to put her in my spare room while I'm at work tomorrow because we are expecting more storms, but "P" scratches so much that fear she has fleas and I do not want my 3 cats to get them.

WHAT DO I DO??? Am I wrong to be so mad? I'm so afraid that "P" will get hit by a car or attacked by something else as our complex is next to a wooded area. This poor cat deserves better.

[bams481]

Wow...thank you so much for sharing. I wish individuals would open their minds enough to maybe re-think things. I was in this situation once...and took the cat in. I don't know, I just felt so bad for the cat that fleas didn't matter much. It was a neighbor's cat too...but had a collar with a number of the previous owner who lived towns away and I called them. They informed me that they gave this guy the cat thinking she would be indoors. They called the guy and chewed him out I guess. I didn't get fleas tho. Do you have flew shampoo....maybe arm yourself the best you can and when you bring P in....give her a bath first? Just something I would do. You have a kind heart...God bless you

[CatLover]

It would have been better if my neighbor would have saved a cat from the shelter rather than stealing a cat that was already loved. She didn't want to have the cat from the beginning and teach it. She wanted the work done for her already

[CatLover]

I didn't neglect my cat like in the story you told. That's a sad story and god bless you,.

[gayle67]

It sounds like if you do get your cat back, you will continue to keep it as an outside cat but seeing that it is now declawed, that would not be a good idea as it has no way to defend itself. Your cat will die with no claws and being kept outside. If that's the case and they keep it inside, it would be best for them to keep it if you want an outside cat. At least you know she is being taken care of and if they expect you to pay her bills when they stole her, they should think otherwise! Unless you plan on having her inside, it may be the best thing for the cat.

[CatLover]

No if I get her back I have to make her indoors, she has no claws.

[Kathy]

I think that cats (and dogs) are considered property. And unfortunately that means if someone kills a beloved pet they are valued only at their dollar replacement value, which for most of us is not a whole lot. However it also means that what your neighbor did really is stealing, of your property. If the police won't help you perhaps you need to call your city council people or some higher authority who can make them do their job.

[gayle67]

I have been thinking about this and I think they have a right to give you your cat back. You should have taken it with you the day you went over there to confront them if they were going to give it to you then. They could have told the kids something and gotten another cat. Kids bounce back when you replace things right away. You now have to keep it inside but it may have gotten used to being inside by now and might even be happier inside. It might be you who is having the hardest time making the change. They have cat toys that she can play with that simulate stalking prey and all that. The kids will most likely lose interest in the cat eventually and they won't want it anymore. And if that happens and the parents are disinterested, where will the cat end up? A shelter or thrown outside? Maybe you can offer to give them a kitten in exchange for your cat back if the kids are gentle. I wouldn't let it go if you really want your cat back and she will most likely remember you.