Poor GJ. I can empathise with you over this dilemma. We had 3 cats who have all sadly passed on now (from old age) but we'd kept 2 kittens from a litter of a stray we'd taken in.

The last one alive was named Esky and he was a really loving cat. Our next door neighbours did the same as your's are doing, and eventually locked him in their house so he couldn't get out.

It took a long time and many threats before we eventually got him back, and I don't know what we'd have done had the police not gone to their door. Thinking we'd called them, they opened their back door, and our cat ran home to us.

We did keep him inside ourselves after that, and he got to rather like the extra attention he was getting.

Good luck GJ. I hope you get Murphy back soon, and I hope his abcess is all better after the antibiotics you gave him.

Oh, GreenJeans,

definately ask ALL the neighbors....especially ones that are friends with those people....

We had a cat years ago adopt a family 3 houses down....the poor cat was getting double shots and everything! When we finally realized it was when they decided the cat should be an indoor only cat!

They were nasty to us, claiming the cat had always been theirs!!!

I only have indoor cats now that I'm "grown"!! LOL Well, with the exception of one....my girls are "old" They are 15 and at least 13 years old....

My poodle Chako escaped once from a kennel. We'd gone down South to visit my mom's parents, and on the way back we stopped at a hotel. Got back from Worlds (and Oceans) of Fun to find that my aunt had called to tell us Chako had taken off the night before when the kennel owner opened the door to his dog run and he took off.

Chako was probaby looking for home and couldnt find it.

We got home the next day and my mom and I went looking for Chako around the kennel. It was in a rural area on the north side of town. I was about 14 at the time, and we drove up and down a bunch of streets. I kept wanting to go east, and we looked for hours.

Turns out, that when we stopped to go home the last day we were out looking for him, we were within maybe one or two blocks of where he was found. Someone found him on the side of the road about a week or so after he disappeared. He was starving (surprised me, because he was a good bunny hunter) They gave him some water, and some cat food and were able to get close enough to read his tags.

They called us and said they'd bring him home to us. My parents bought them a HUGE box of expensive chocolate candy (they had kids) and gave them a cash reward. (I think $50) I think they were really surprised that we rewarded them. They didnt seem to expect it, but were nice and took it anyways.

Chako was so happy to see us. He velcro-ed himself to the nearest human for the next few weeks. If my parents werent home, he'd be right next to me...he didnt like my sister much.

I was thrilled to get him back. He was one of my favorite possessions as a child. I got him the day after I broke my arm in 1980. He lasted longer than my first dog, a Yorkie named Killer, and my last dog TinyMonsters did. Killer was 11 when he died (kidney problems) and TinyMonsters died young. He was 9 and also had kidney problems. I might just get myself another poodle, since they seem to be tough little guys...


Hopefully you get your kitty cat back...There's nothing worse in pet ownership than losing the pet. When they die, that's bad, but at least you know what happened...but when they up and disappear on you, you're constantly wondering where the heck they are and if they're ok and being taken care of.

GJ - I wouldn't hesitate to knock on their door. Even though you both care about this cat it is yours and it needs it's medicine. It would be cruel on their part to not give him back so he can have his medicine.

I do home he comes back and all will be well. Sending you some cyber's.

GJ - I'd knock too. Tkrik has a good point about the meds. Anyone who cares for the cat would want him to get better, right?

Why people think keeping cats indoors is cruel baffles me.

I'm sure my dogs would rather run loose too. And the sheep and llamas and horses. Is that cruel too, keeping them in fences? Nobody seems to think so. and nobody wants to wake up and find a llama on their lawn, either, lol.

It's what is best for their critters. They know where the animals are, they can feed them and keep them safe.

I know plenty of house dwelling cats and they seem pretty content to me - well, as content as cats ever seem.