Stray Cat Chooses New Family, But Her Original Owner Isn’t Ready To Let Go
It started with an adorable kitty showing up at a couple’s door one spring morning. She was tiny, gentle, and surprisingly affectionate for what seemed like a stray.
Before long, the little cat became part of their daily life, stopping by every morning and night, curling up on the couch, and napping beside their two resident cats.
The woman (OP) and her boyfriend didn’t think much of it at first. They’d feed her, give her treats, and let her hang around the house.
But after a few weeks, the woman began to suspect something: the cat looked pregnant. When they went on vacation and came back, the cat was thinner, and it seemed clear she had given birth somewhere nearby.
Wanting to do the right thing, they took her to the vet, planning to officially adopt her. That’s when they learned she had indeed been nursing kittens recently.
OP decided to follow the cat one afternoon, only to discover where she had kept her kittens…on their neighbor’s patio. What a real bummer!
The neighbor claimed the cat as hers, saying she fed her milk and considered her an outdoor cat.
She didn’t seem concerned about vet visits or spaying and even offered OP and her boyfriend two kittens as a “thank you” for everything they had done.
But after spending months caring for the mother cat, paying for her vet visit, and watching her bond with their pets, OP can’t shake the feeling that the cat belongs with them.
Now, with their move out of state approaching, they’re torn between doing what feels right by taking the cat along or saying their final goodbyes.
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Let’s dig into the details
OP and her boyfriend were getting regular visits from a female cat. Over time, they socialized it with their own cats, and it became a family friend
OP finally decided to adopt the kitty. But in the process, she found out that the kitty belongs to her neighbor
OP and the neighbor have been going back and forth ever since she discovered that the neighbor doesn’t have any proof of ownership
OP and her boyfriend would be moving out of state pretty soon, and she wants to know if it’s right to take the cat along without informing the neighbor, who can’t prove ownership
We gathered some interesting comments from the Reddit community
“Nta for taking her. BUT if you don't take the kittens too, you're an a**hole.”
“The cat does not belong to your neighbor. Its a random stray they happen to occasionally feed and that's it.”
“NTA. Take the cat back to the vet, get her fixed and microchipped.”
“If you're able, swipe the kittens and work on finding homes for them. Legally, the neighbor doesn't own the cat or kittens.”
“But I would hope you would not just leave her kittens there and try to find homes for them as well.”
“But I would hope you would not just leave her kittens there and try to find homes for them as well.”
This one’s tough because both sides have some claim to the cat. The neighbor may see the kitty as “hers,” but it’s clear OP has been doing all the real caretaking.
In addition, OP noted that the neighbor still hasn’t been able to provide any proof of ownership, which makes her claim a bit suspicious.
The cat herself seems to have already made her choice, and that complicates everything.
Whether taking her would be wrong or simply compassionate depends on how you see ownership when it comes to animals that roam freely.
What do you think? Should the couple take the cat or leave her behind?
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