If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
ethics: The stray that wasn't..
About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We
have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor ---------------------------------- "I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers." - regmech |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
"Brian Link" wrote in message ... About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor I guess I'd go check out the lost cat poster to see if this really could be the cat you have. Many times they have a date when the cat went missing on the posters which might assist you in making the decision whether to call or not. If they said the cat just recently went missing then I'd keep him. If they let the cat get in this condition they shouldn't have a cat. If the poster has been there a while then there is a possibility he just got out on them and has been wandering long enough to get in this shape. Legally I don't know if you can keep the cat or not if it is the cat on the poster. But you might be able to recoup at least some of the money you spent if you have to surrender the cat to the owners. W |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
"Brian Link" wrote in message ... About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor I guess I'd go check out the lost cat poster to see if this really could be the cat you have. Many times they have a date when the cat went missing on the posters which might assist you in making the decision whether to call or not. If they said the cat just recently went missing then I'd keep him. If they let the cat get in this condition they shouldn't have a cat. If the poster has been there a while then there is a possibility he just got out on them and has been wandering long enough to get in this shape. Legally I don't know if you can keep the cat or not if it is the cat on the poster. But you might be able to recoup at least some of the money you spent if you have to surrender the cat to the owners. W |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let
him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? No. It's probably not the same cat anyway considering that the lost cat sign is up long after you took him in and brought him back to health. You've given this cat good care and a good home, and took all the required steps to find the previous owner. He's yours now. Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let
him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? No. It's probably not the same cat anyway considering that the lost cat sign is up long after you took him in and brought him back to health. You've given this cat good care and a good home, and took all the required steps to find the previous owner. He's yours now. Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Brian Link wrote in message . ..
About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Yes. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Brian Link wrote in message . ..
About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Yes. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 04:10:28 -0500, Brian Link wrote:
About three weeks ago this nice little tom started visiting us. We have two indoor cats and they were pretty agitated. He kept coming around, and I took a good look at him. He was un-neutered, looked to be a year or two old, was bedraggled and riddled with ear mites. Other than that he was friendly and seemed in good health. He didn't seem bothered by the cats trying to tunnel through the picture window to get to him.. his response was to spray our house. And our car. And our garden.. etc. After a couple weeks, I decided I'd put some food out for him, which he graciously wolfed down and asked for more. I put a cardboard box in the shade for him to lay in, and he took up residence. Well, to make a long story short, I checked the Humane Society, asked around the neighborhood and put up posters, but no one recognized him. So we made the decision to adopt him. Took him to the vet, got his vaccinations, cleaned his ears, and got him fixed. About $450 altogether, which we could barely spare.. Today a kid bikes up to me and says "hey mister, remember that cat you were asking about? Someone has a lost cat poster up at the rec center and it looks like him". Now.. if someone 'owned' him and let him rove freely, un-neutered, and let the mites get to the point where his ears were running, should I call them and tell them I found their cat? Maybe there's a little kid who loves that (absentee) cat as much I love my cats. Maybe they didn't know better. If it turns out to be him, should I call? Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor ---------------------------------- "I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers." - regmech That is a tough call. On the one hand, it could be that they cat went missing awhile back (in which case, why wouldn't they have posters up earlier?) and that's how he got in this shape. And as you said, you wouldn't want to break a little kids' heart. On the other hand, I have less and less patience for anyone who deliberately allows their cat out, doesn't spay/neuter, etc. I used to try *very* hard to track down owners -- knocking on doors, looking for signs, calling the Humane Society, etc. I seem to try less hard, especially when I find an unneutered cat full of fleas and mites who clearly hasn't been cared for. Over the years, I have found and returned cats to their homes -- in those cases, the cat snuck out and had only been gone a day or so, and they were in good shape. Others I have found were in bad shape, and I never did see any signs, get any knocks on my door (I'm kinda the "neighborhood cat lady", or find anywhere they seemed to belong. Bottom line, what do you feel is the right thing to do for the cat? And that's your answer. Best of luck, Ginger-lyn |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Stray cat threatening pet cats... | Jason | Cat health & behaviour | 26 | August 11th 04 08:12 PM |
The Stray Kitty. (VERY LONG) | Flippy | Cat anecdotes | 24 | November 9th 03 09:48 PM |
Adopted stray cat problems (continued) | Calvin Rice | Cat health & behaviour | 12 | July 12th 03 04:26 PM |