How long until a cat is abandoned?

[tskoffina]

I've been feeding my neighboors cat for almost a year. He's supposed to be indoor, outdoor, but he has been more outdoor. Intact male pedegreed Siamese. She would put him outside, no food or water for day's, up to a week, on end, come home for a day, then leave again. I think she only let him in when she had visitation with her kids. Today she packed up her house into a truck, applianced and all, and left. Frosty is still here. I would have done something to help him, other than feeding him, a long time ago, but I have a feeling he's microchiped or tattooed. I don't want to get in trouble for taking him, and finding him a better place, and I don't want to report her because then they just do a cat round up and all the indoor, outdoor cats end up at the kill shelter. At what point is he abandoned? I was thinking about trying to find him a home, or bringing him to the no-kill shelter.

 

[InkedupTara]

I would just call the local shelter and ask them. They should be able to give you specific time frames for your area. Me personally, I would take it in, and find a home, and if she asks, you didnt see it.

Sounds as though the cat would be better off in a new home.

 

[Rickman]

I thoroughly agree with Tara - she abandoned the cat a long time ago, leaving it to the elements, without food!
If it's friendly and no bother, see if you like it before giving it away!

 

[Chinniechantel]

Yep I agree as well. I would try to find him a new home, just be careful and don't post pictures and your number, use an email or something. Poor kitty, people are just so cruel sometimes.

 

[Jenn]

If she has moved away, I would think the cat is officially abandoned, which is enfuriating that she would just leave her cat to defend for itself. Why did she even have the cat in the first place? It's great that you have been helping this cat and I would suggest contacting your local shelter and inform them of the situation and find out what would be the most appropriate next step.

 

[Rickman]

Since you're in Florida, maybe donate it to a retirement home - pets are supposed to really help the elderly, and he'd get spoiled rotten, too!!

 

[tskoffina]

I think she got it because her kids wanted it. She had two of them and a dog. One day one cat was gone. Frosty started spending more time outside. Then the dog was gone. Then they took her kids, and he was almost always outside. I figured if I brought him to the shelter they would check for a chip and contact her. The house wasn't sold, or forclosed, but she just left. I didn't know if she would come back for him. I have 2 cats, and a dog, plus the little animals, so I don't want to bring any other animals in right now, at least not that would have to be quarentined and maybe treated for pests, before having free roam of the house. I'll ask around and see if anyone will take him, give it until tomorrow to see if she does come to get him. If not I'll try to take him to the shelter. I hope they don't try to charge me to take him. I don't think and of the senior homes could take him. Most don't alow pets.

 

[Jeanette]

I'm assuming that by 'they', you mean child services.
And if this woman abandoned her house, I would say that it is safe to say that she abandoned her cat. What number would the shelter use to get ahold of her? She abandoned her house, and the telephone inside of it! People go through cell phones like they do underwear, so I don't think that they would be able to contact her. And, if she was irresponsible/mentally unstable enough to abandon her house, why do you think that she would be responsible enough to get her cat microchipped?

I say go for it.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Any laws I can find having to do with abandoned pets only talk about them being abandoned at a shelter or boarding facility. It was considered abandonment after 10 days. I would assume, as most things that there are no specific laws on, that after a reasonable amount of time and no care, it would be considered abandoned, or at the very least, neglected. Either way you should be able to step in. I also doubt she had the cat microchipped, and if she did, they can ask why the *** she left the cat alone.

 

[arf2184]

I would wait 10 days from when she left and see if she comes back. Yeah, she's probably abandoned the cat, but since you've already been feeding him, it's not going to hurt for you to wait a week. After that time, I'd say he's been abandoned without a doubt and then you can try to find him a home. Personally, I wouldn't bring a cat to a shelter without trying to find him a home first. So many cats go through the shelters and most end up put to sleep. Even if he is micro chipped, they'd have to be able to get a hold of her for it to mean anything.

Since he's already outside, you're already caring for him, and you live in a warm climate, if you aren't able to find him a home and are willing, I'd get him neutered and just keep him as an outdoor cat. That would make him your full responsibility though.

 

[menagerie]

You can take him to any vet and they will scan him for free. That way you'd at least know if he's chipped. In San Diego an abandoned animal becomes available for adoption at animal control after 7 days.

If you've been feeding him anyway, would it really impact your life to continue? You'd want to make sure that he is neutered and get him wormed and looked at by a vet. Is he friendly?

 

[tskoffina]

He's friendly, at least with me. I used to cat sit when she did keep him in the house and went on vacation. They is the courts. One of the fathers sued for full custody, they did home studies and gave him custody of one and the other father the other 2. I like him, I really do. It's not the cost of getting him fixed, or vet visits that make me want to find him a new place. I would feed him forever, and keep him out there. I've wanted to find him a home for over a year now, but since he wasn't mine I couldn't really do anything about it. He's obviously pure pred, and I remember her saying he was papered and that's why he wasn't fixed, so I kind of assumed he would be chipped. My shelter cat is tattooed, and my rescue cat was chipped, and these were animals I payed 70 for, so I just figured a cat like him would have something. Guess I'm wrong. I had an outdoor cat. He was the sweetest thing. My friend was moving and couldn't take him. One day he wasn't there. I didn't see him for a few days. I asked around. Looked. Two weeks later I was talking to a neighbor and she said he was hit by a car. Animal control was called instead of me, even though he had a collar, and non of the neighbors thought to tell me. I was so sad. I don't want something like this to happen to any other animal. That's why I don't want to keep him out there, and I just can't bring him in. I'm asking around, trying to find a home. I'm going to ask local vets if they would take him, explain to them. Last resort will be to bring him to the no-kill place. I'm not sure what's doing with her. The place is empty, but she's there, and he's still outside. She is nuts though, really, so I wouldn't put anything past her. Just would hate to get sued for trying to do the right thing.

 

[equus_peduus]

If he was papered and she cared about him, he'd be an indoor-only cat. Many cat breeders stipulate that as part of their purchase contract. They also typically stipulate that non show quality cats be neutered when old enough. It sounds to me like she was using it as an excuse to not get him fixed. And purebred, papered cats aren't cheap... I would expect someone with the sterling qualities you've described to try to sell a cat like this, rather than just abandon it.

It'd be easy enough to find out if he's chipped or tattooed, and if so, and you give her a week or two to come back for him and she doesn't, you may as well take him and look for a place for him. If he is chipped, then the microchipping company attempts to contact the owner; if they can't contact them, then I'm not sure what the legalities are, but probably you can take over responsibility then too.

 

[Rickman]

Chantel is our in-house lawyer - P.M. her on the legalities!