other peoples pets.... what would you do?

[welsummerchicks]

If they were involved in the average custody battle they are scared to death someone who did not like the custody arrangement is going to kidnap the kid and are keeping to themselves and were driving the kid around for very good reasons.

We also had some 'strange' neighbors - they owed a huge amount of back taxes, and were scared to death to talk to anyone in the neighborhood, and tried to make it look like they were never home.

People have their reasons. Leave them in peace, enjoy the cat, it sounds like a wanderer. A lot of late-neutered males are. It can also be they just don't have money for the cat food now. Older folks can get into very bad financial trouble --- especially lately. A lot of people lost investments, IRA's, retirement funds the last couple years.

Having to explain it all to someone, just rubs their face in their problems and makes them more ashamed. Maybe they need to be left alone, maybe that's how they cope now.

One old gal that finally got into a nursing home I was volunteering at, told me she was eating canned dog food before she got into the nursing home, because she didn't have any more money for food than that and it's cheap.

You just never know why people keep to themselves. One family I knew the mother had severe dementia and the husband just was terrified someone would take her away if anyone saw how she was. He wanted to keep her with him til he passed. I moved away before that happened, but I hope he was able to fulfill his wish. You just never, ever know. Leave people in peace, offer help when you can, and then let them be if that's what they want. They probably aren't 'weird' at all, just having problems that anyone could have, and coping the best they can.

 

[apdan]

Quote:
AMEN TO THAT!!! We have a kitten that we kept out of a litter that we took in. We kept the 1 out of 4 because it was the best kitten and my SO really wanted it! Where does this kitten sleep ON ME, who does this kitten cuddle up with in the chair ME! and it was not supposed to be my kitten! (more of a dog person, even though we have 2 cats and the kitten)

We also just got a bunny that way. Housetrained and all and recently found out it was the neighbors. I caught him in the ditch by our house full of fleas and terribly skinny. The neighbor said he lost one that looked just like ours but he didn't really care because he still had the big white female. We just said oh really.... well that's to bad, at least you still have your female......

 

[verity]

I wish some of our cats would choose to live with neighbors!!!!

My husband 'attracts' cats like some kind of Pied Piper -- we end up keeping them all -- spayed/neutered/chipped/vaccinated --- the works -- only the best canned cat-food, etc. -- our 'critter bills' are unbelievable -- sigh.

Do these cats ever consider living in the barn where they would be helpful??? No, of course not, they prefer our house and if they can't get inside, they loiter around the garage door til they can scoot in there ---

Every night we have the 'counting of the cats' to be sure that all of them are 'tucked in' safely and get their late-night snack of 'Pounce' treats --

Your neighbor is probably happy that 'kitty' has moved out --

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

In our county if a cat is wandering outside it can be considered a stray. You can have it fixed and keep it. That's the legal answer. The ethical answer is to inform the neighbors that you found "a" cat (you don't really know if it's theirs for sure) and if they want to come claim it please do so otherwise you are keeping it and it will become yours.