abandoned cats? Need help!

I need some advice.

My roommate moved out at the beginning of December 2003 (over a year
ago). His plan was to move to Switzerland, and he asked if I could care
for his two Siamese cats for a while, until he could get things squared
away and find out how to get them over there. I agreed, since I liked
the cats a great deal and wanted what was best for them.

He emailed twice in 2004. Once, in the spring, to say he would be
coming in the fall to retrieve the cats. I replied to that email,
saying that (1) I was looking for a new apartment and I needed to know
when exactly he was coming back so I could know whether or not to look
for a place with cats, and (2) if he would reimburse me for vet costs
that I felt were necessary for the health of the cats. He could give me
no exact time he would be coming (he suggested I just go ahead and move
with the cats) and also refused to reimburse me for vet bills (he never
took particularly good care of his pets). I was starting to feel taken
advantage of.

He didn't come back in the fall. A year passed, and recently we had
to take one of the cats to the emergency room (she was bleeding from
her nose), a $125 visit. It seems she has an absessed tooth and needs
$600 or more of dental work. The next day, my ex-roommate calls and
leaves a message saying he'll be back in the spring.

My girlfriend and I love these cats, and we want very much to have the
dental work done so she's not in pain. But, I want to be able to
officially, legally claim these cats as my own before I do this,
because I don't think my ex-roommate (if he ever comes back) would
reimburse me for this medical expense (let alone all the cat food,
litter, etc. we've bought over the course of over a year). Can I do
this legally? I feel like he's just trying to keep his foot in the
door with these sporadic communications, and I want to sever ties
before we start to drop serious money on these animals.
What do I do? My girlfriend and I really need some advice.

"beauroland" wrote in message
ups.com...
I need some advice.
snip
He didn't come back in the fall. A year passed, and recently we had
to take one of the cats to the emergency room (she was bleeding from
her nose), a $125 visit. It seems she has an absessed tooth and needs
$600 or more of dental work. The next day, my ex-roommate calls and
leaves a message saying he'll be back in the spring.

My girlfriend and I love these cats, and we want very much to have the
dental work done so she's not in pain. But, I want to be able to
officially, legally claim these cats as my own before I do this,
because I don't think my ex-roommate (if he ever comes back) would
reimburse me for this medical expense (let alone all the cat food,
litter, etc. we've bought over the course of over a year). Can I do
this legally? I feel like he's just trying to keep his foot in the
door with these sporadic communications, and I want to sever ties
before we start to drop serious money on these animals.
What do I do? My girlfriend and I really need some advice.


If you take the cats to the vet, give your name as owner and pay for all the
vetting, then I guess they would be yours. Does the ex-roommate have any
vetting records or any kind of proof that these cats are his? I doubt this
guy would care enough to take you to court over these cats.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

"beauroland" wrote in message
ups.com...
I need some advice.

My roommate moved out at the beginning of December 2003 (over a year
ago). His plan was to move to Switzerland, and he asked if I could care
for his two Siamese cats for a while, until he could get things squared
away and find out how to get them over there. I agreed, since I liked
the cats a great deal and wanted what was best for them.

He emailed twice in 2004. Once, in the spring, to say he would be
coming in the fall to retrieve the cats. I replied to that email,
saying that (1) I was looking for a new apartment and I needed to know
when exactly he was coming back so I could know whether or not to look
for a place with cats, and (2) if he would reimburse me for vet costs
that I felt were necessary for the health of the cats. He could give me
no exact time he would be coming (he suggested I just go ahead and move
with the cats) and also refused to reimburse me for vet bills (he never
took particularly good care of his pets). I was starting to feel taken
advantage of.

He didn't come back in the fall. A year passed, and recently we had
to take one of the cats to the emergency room (she was bleeding from
her nose), a $125 visit. It seems she has an absessed tooth and needs
$600 or more of dental work. The next day, my ex-roommate calls and
leaves a message saying he'll be back in the spring.

My girlfriend and I love these cats, and we want very much to have the
dental work done so she's not in pain. But, I want to be able to
officially, legally claim these cats as my own before I do this,
because I don't think my ex-roommate (if he ever comes back) would
reimburse me for this medical expense (let alone all the cat food,
litter, etc. we've bought over the course of over a year). Can I do
this legally? I feel like he's just trying to keep his foot in the
door with these sporadic communications, and I want to sever ties
before we start to drop serious money on these animals.
What do I do? My girlfriend and I really need some advice.


I suggest that you email your ex-roommate and explain the upcoming expenses.
Tell him that you would like to adopt the cats so you can provide good
medical care for them. There is already a trail of email, so you probably
cannot claim "ownership" at this time, although you might have a good case
for a claim of abandonment. Still, I think you might win this thing with a
little diplomacy -- explain how attached you have become to the cats, you
want the best for them (but "it would be very expensive for the owner" to
pay for the vet bills), and you might even mention the hefty cost to fly
them to Switzerland. This sounds like a case where the ex-roommate doesn't
really want them and might be willing to take "the easy way out."

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

I don't know if he does or not...he left most of the cat related stuff
at the house when he took off.
I don't think he would take me to court either, I'd just like to know
my rights.

I'd love to solve it with diplomacy, but I don't think it'll work with
this guy. He takes advantage of pretty much everyone he meets, he's
mind-bogglingly selfish, and unreasonable to boot. So, I'd like to just
send him a very dry, neutral letter saying I'm taking over, he're why,
and please don't contact me. If he wants to take me to court, so be it,
I just want this guy out of my life. But, I guarantee he'll call in
the spring and say he'll come in the fall. I just want this over, I
want what's best for the cats, and I don't want to get screwed
monetarily.

"beauroland" wrote in message
ups.com...
.... My girlfriend and I love these cats, and we want very much to have the
dental work done so she's not in pain. But, I want to be able to
officially, legally claim these cats as my own before I do this,
because I don't think my ex-roommate (if he ever comes back) would
reimburse me for this medical expense (let alone all the cat food,
litter, etc. we've bought over the course of over a year). Can I do
this legally? ...

Beauroland,
I think you need a lawyer if you want legal advice.
However, if I were in your shoes, I would go ahead and get the cat the
medical care she needs, because it is the right thing to do.
As for ownership, if your ex-roommate said you could have the cats, which is
what it seems you want him to do, you'll still be out the money you already
spent over the last couple of years plus the dental work, anyway. If he
says no, you can't have the cats, would you give the cat to him, knowing the
cat is suffering, just because you put it off knowing he will not pay you
back?
As I said, I can't give legal advice, so this is my own opinion, and you can
take it or leave it.
I think you should stop offering the cats back to the roommate and take them
as your own. Don't email him and don't give him your new address if you
move. If he wants the cats, let him make the effort to come to you and ask
for them. Tell him that if he can prove they are his cats, he owes you all
the expenses they cost you. In the unlikely event he saved your emails to
him, I believe they are proof that you made your best effort to give him the
opportunity to take responsibility for the cats and he did not do so.
Cats are not like children. Cats are considered property. You have plenty
of proof that you have possessed and assumed responsibility for these cats
for a long time. Consider them abandoned and consider them yours to love
and enjoy.
Annie

in article , beauroland
at wrote on 1/17/05 9:33AM:

I need some advice.

My roommate moved out at the beginning of December 2003 (over a year
ago). His plan was to move to Switzerland, and he asked if I could care
for his two Siamese cats for a while, until he could get things squared
away and find out how to get them over there. I agreed, since I liked
the cats a great deal and wanted what was best for them.

He emailed twice in 2004. Once, in the spring, to say he would be
coming in the fall to retrieve the cats. I replied to that email,
saying that (1) I was looking for a new apartment and I needed to know
when exactly he was coming back so I could know whether or not to look
for a place with cats, and (2) if he would reimburse me for vet costs
that I felt were necessary for the health of the cats. He could give me
no exact time he would be coming (he suggested I just go ahead and move
with the cats) and also refused to reimburse me for vet bills (he never
took particularly good care of his pets). I was starting to feel taken
advantage of.

He didn't come back in the fall. A year passed, and recently we had
to take one of the cats to the emergency room (she was bleeding from
her nose), a $125 visit. It seems she has an absessed tooth and needs
$600 or more of dental work. The next day, my ex-roommate calls and
leaves a message saying he'll be back in the spring.

My girlfriend and I love these cats, and we want very much to have the
dental work done so she's not in pain. But, I want to be able to
officially, legally claim these cats as my own before I do this,
because I don't think my ex-roommate (if he ever comes back) would
reimburse me for this medical expense (let alone all the cat food,
litter, etc. we've bought over the course of over a year). Can I do
this legally? I feel like he's just trying to keep his foot in the
door with these sporadic communications, and I want to sever ties
before we start to drop serious money on these animals.
What do I do? My girlfriend and I really need some advice.

Bud, you ARE the official caretaker. You pay the vet bills and they live
with you. No court could possibly say otherwise. Possession is 9/10 of the
law, but paying for vet care and being in the same country as well as
providing a loving home is the rest. I would simply write ex-roomie and tell
him that you will be keeping the cats as you have formed a deep attachment
with them and due to health reasons, the cats should not be shuffled around.
I really highly doubt ex roomate will refuse and may even be hoping for such
an outcome.

in article , beauroland
at wrote on 1/17/05 10:00AM:

I don't know if he does or not...he left most of the cat related stuff
at the house when he took off.
I don't think he would take me to court either, I'd just like to know
my rights.

Your name as owner at the vets, your money paying. If your city licences,
liscense them in your name. End of story.

"beauroland" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd love to solve it with diplomacy, but I don't think it'll work with
this guy. He takes advantage of pretty much everyone he meets, he's
mind-bogglingly selfish, and unreasonable to boot. So, I'd like to just
send him a very dry, neutral letter saying I'm taking over, he're why,
and please don't contact me. If he wants to take me to court, so be it,
I just want this guy out of my life. But, I guarantee he'll call in
the spring and say he'll come in the fall. I just want this over, I
want what's best for the cats, and I don't want to get screwed
monetarily.


In that case, the letter you mentioned might be your best way out. I wonder
if it would also be a good idea to mention the going rate for weekly
boarding fees? You did not have an agreement, but anything "from here on"
could certainly be covered if he tries to get nasty about it.

After you move, you could change your email address (and leave your snail
mail address out of the phone book -- just keep a phone number). That would
make it a little harder for him to contact you. It certainly wouldn't be
difficult to locate someone, but it would be more awkward for someone in
Switzerland.

MaryL

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:

In that case, the letter you mentioned might be your best way out. I wonder
if it would also be a good idea to mention the going rate for weekly
boarding fees? You did not have an agreement, but anything "from here on"
could certainly be covered if he tries to get nasty about it.

Agreed and perhaps the OP should email him a monthly invoice for
boarding and incurred expenses. His failure to pay would allow you to
put a lien on the cats. Sadly the courts consider pets property with
low monetary value in abuse cases but this might work to her
advantage.

-mhd