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I adopted two rescue kitties a few months ago at seven months. They're brothers, beautiful Russian Blues. Paid a few hundred dollars in fees to cover fostering costs, dentist visits, shots, microchipping, etc. They have been raised as outdoor cats, with a lot of freedom… usual pattern is they stay in with me during the daylight and evening hours, and roam freely at night exploring the great outdoors.

Long story short, I discovered yesterday that my neighbor two doors down has been feeding them and bringing them into her house to play with her two kids. Claims she didn't know they belonged to anybody. We had what I thought was a friendly conversation, and she agreed to stop feeding my cats.

When my cats (Scout and Crockett) still hadn't made an appearance by 4:00 this afternoon, I walked over and knocked on their door, asking if they had seen them today, to which she replied that they had been there this morning but not since.

Something made me stop and think to inquire if they were still letting Scout and Crockett into their home, now that they knew they belonged to somebody. Long story short, things got really nasty from there. These neighbors are basically refusing to stop their behavior, claiming that if my cats "walk in" to their house, they have every right to keep them inside.

Here it is after 8:30 p.m. and still haven't seen hide nor hair of my kitties. I believe they've been cat-napped! The police won't do anything unless I can tell them for certain that this lady has possession of them (my "property") in her house.

I feel like I've been robbed! Like these people have stolen my darling kitties' affection away from me. I am disabled and these are emotional support animals. The only way I can enforce my rights is to get them back and lock them in my house, forcing them to be indoor cats from now on. I just hate to penalize Scout and Crockett for this woman's bad behavior. She is setting a terrible example for her kids, in my opinion.

I don't even know if I will be able to get my pets back. I don't know what to do, and I can't seem to stop crying. I really don't want to start a war with my neighbors over this, or for things to escalate to a worse place than they are now. But if Scout and Crockett don't reappear, should I contact the police department again tomorrow and request an officer to come over to speak with these neighbors to try to put the matter to rest?

I can't even imagine what they are telling themselves, that makes them think they have any right to do this. I'm sorry their kids have gotten so attached, but hey… not my doing. Besides, I'd be happy to let them come over and play with my kitties anytime they want, with their parents' permission, of course. And provided we can keep this on a civil level - which right now, it is not!

I need some help getting a better perspective on this.

Sorry for the rant. Thanks for reading this far!

Alison

G'day Alison,

Any sign of your kitties yet?

If they're feeding the cats then the cats will continue to go there. Do they keep them indoors exclusively now? I've never had a indoor/outdoor cat. Just indoor only. Too many dangers outside plus I cannot afford repeated vet visits due to injury.

It sounds like the neighbors feel like they have "rescued" the cats and will probably use this as their defense should things come to police involvement.

My only advice is if you can get your cats back inside don't let them out again! Good luck.
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Alison,
At the very basic level you have paid for your cats, so they are your property. This neighbour has illegally deprived you of said property and you have no alternative but to apply the Law.
Whether that is by telling them you will call the Police to have the cats removed and have them arrested, simply calling the Police or bringing Civil charges with the massive costs for them is up to you.
I know your cats mean more to you than this, but the Law deals in cold facts - which are on your side.

Dave.

I lost a 7 month old cat/kitten two years ago this way.

But I don't know "who" has her...our Vet says someone has her and it is common.

I went door to door, with a photo, but no one admitted to having her. I did get many who said they "saw" her. We did everything to find her though. She was chipped too and neutered. She learned "outside" like all our other cats. We have a cat door (now locked.) She was from a feral home, but she didn't act feral, but we thought she might have been engaged by a male we sometimes see. None of the dogcatchers or rescues here found her dead or alive--they all wand the animals, and our kitty was chipped and they would have called us immediately they all said.

I staked out the area finally for a week in my car at dusk and sometimes at night where most of the sightings were. I put out tuna bait too...but only saw the male.
Either these people were lying to me, or really saw her??
Our cat was a beautiful tuxedo type, and very distinctive in appearance.


So if someone did take her, they made her into an indoor cat.

I have two ideas on the matter.
1) stake out her home in your car and watch at night to see if they come out. Take a camera (mine takes photos in the dark).
Then you have proof that they are there. (this won't work if the neighbor converted them to inside only, obviously.

2) If you know any neighbor who might be willingly to help you, you could finagle secretly that this other person could get invited to coffee or inside socially where they could SEE the cats, then keep mum and report back to you that they are in there, and you go armed to the police. (your "spy" might take a phone photo if possible while on the inside). You have your chipping proof that the cats belong to you and with any further evidence the police should be able to get them back for you.
I'd suggest not letting them out ever again if you get them back, or replaced with a new one.

In our suburban neighborhood, in SE Michigan we have now had sightings of a cougar---yes cougar--- and several reports to police about coyotes. These coyotes are everywhere it seems, now and even den in suburban bushes! , and Nat Geo TV channel has had documentaries about this. One took place in Chicago. In downtown Detroit there was an incursion not too long ago of a coyote in a snack store near the RenCen building complex! So it is possible that your kitties met with this fate.

I know how heartbreaking this is for you. It sadly brings it all back to me now.

We have two kitties now...the older one was used to some outside time before we lost the other. I allow her outside during the day, only, where she sticks around our home (she is a scaredy cat and very timid. At dusk she comes to be let in for the night or hubby rounds her up for dinner). The other younger one is 2 yrs old now, and never goes out. Only on our screened in porch. It was difficult for us to move to indoor only cats, but I won't go thru what we did for our lost one, ever again! When we live on our UP island, we let Weezie out...day only and she comes in willingly at dusk... she is a bit afraid up there, but loves to catch the little pigmy shrews. I see a day coming that she won't go out anymore at all. And that is now fine with me.

Thank you all, so much! for your replies. My cats finally both did make an appearance this morning at about 5:00 a.m. I was able to keep Scout in, but Crockett made quick work of escaping back out into the suburban wilds of Sherman Oaks.

I then enlisted the help of a guy who is working on the doc's house next door, describing Crockett (who is a walking hat reference, for those of you old enough to remember the Davy Crockett coonskin caps… his tail does an excellent imitation of one!) and asking him to let me know if he saw him. Sort of explained the situation, and the guy seemed very sympathetic.

He rang my doorbell about a half hour later and told me he had chased Crockett into my backyard. So I was able to entice Crockett to come inside, but in the process Scout got out again! But I feel better, knowing it's just a matter of time before Scout makes a reappearance, as he is the more bonded of the two, at which point, unfortunately for them they will have to become inside cats… at least for the foreseeable future.

I really, really hate to penalize my outdoor-loving kitties because of my neighbors' bad behavior, but don't see that I have any choice in the matter, at this point. At least I know they are not being kept inside their home under lock and key. For that at least, I am grateful.

Mrs. D, I am so sorry this brings up painful memories for you. We don't have coyotes or bobcats or anything where I live and there is very little traffic on my one-block-long street… But there are pet dogs and, as it turns out, a whole little family of neighbors on my block who pose a threat if I wish to keep these wonderful cats.

My daughter has taken this opportunity to lecture me on the perils of letting your cats be outdoor cats. I had to ask her to please stop, as I feel bad enough already. I know she is just trying to help. This just feels so unfair; at the same time, of course I want to protect Scout and Crockett from harm. They are probably pretty confused now as to who belongs to them, but hopefully by keeping them close (once I manage to get Scout safely inside!) and inside my home, everything will start to clear up for them.

I'll probably wait a week or so before offering the peace pipe to my neighbors. Really don't want any lingering hard feelings over this. Have to think about it though, as they were pretty darn nasty to me yesterday… for no good reason that I can think of.

Thanks again for your support. Means a lot to me.

Alison,
This IS 75% excellent news. It has brightened my evening knowing they are safe and you will not have the hassle of legal wranglings. Keep them warm and well.

Dave.

I would offer to the neighbors payment for the food etc they
invested in the cats. If you feel awkward, send them a letter.
That might mend things a bit.

I am so glad for you that you are resolving this. We have a thing we do, called "treat time" so that our cats will come to the special treat (very special treat) in an emergency.

Maya gets shrimp.
Weezie gets Fancy feast crunchies or chicken. Or tuna for both.

They get a little bit each day anyway...as a reward for being called. They will run to me from the basement or attic when I call their treat time.

Little Houdini, didn't seem to come well when called. But she did do well for about 30 days, with some training outside each day.
So I didn't worry about her. I have never had such a painful event with our cats, who always went outside too. You can see some of their photos in my album on my profile page. She was raised completely outdoors at the farm setting where I answered her ad. She learned the litter box in one day and was a polite kitten...like she had lived in a house all her life. She was never "wild". I never expected her to disappear therefore!

This is the photo I used to show people when I was looking for little Houdini... I even went to the voting in Nov and showed everyone there waiting to vote! I still grieve for her after 2 yrs. I feel it is all my fault.
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I still hope she is alive and happy in a new home.

Sea Pines 50, it is good to read that things seem to be working out fairly well.

This is just a thought but maybe next time you see your neighbours you could suggest that they contact the local animal welfare agency to get one or more cats of their own?

That would be a good outcome for them, their kids and the cats.

All of my cats (I am now on my third generation) arrived that way which has worked out well for all concered.