I've been fostering my friend's kittens for 2 months, got them when they were 4 months old. She won't be back for a year and now doesn't want them back. I'm fine with keeping them, but she wants the female to have kittens so she can have 1 or 2 when she returns.
She said if I don't want to have a breeding queen another friend would pick them up. They are 7-toed cats so a lot of people want them and apparently Polydactyl cats produce polydactyl kittens.
My problem is my family, dogs and other cats have accepted them, and everybody gets along.
I've never had an unaltered animal, but I don't want her to go to someone who is going to let her produce litter after litter. I strongly believe responsible owners get their cats fixed. Should I get her fixed without telling anyone, let her have a litter then get her fixed or give her away. If I get her fixed without permission have I done something illegal.
2006-10-19 08:39:20 · 22 answers · asked by LAUGHING MAGPIE 6 in Pets ➔ Cats
that's what I call a sticky situation. I'm no lawyer but..
while your fostering. their her cats, you take care of them. and now she doesn't want them any more and your still taking care of them that make them your resonibilty and property now.
but she want the kittens, which means she still wants part of the cat. but your taking care of them and have a say in what happens.one way of making her change her mind is to charge her for EVERYTHING! stud fee from a breeder($700) food, litter vet bills and pay you to raise her kittens and compensation to your family for doing this for her.ball park $5000(that is if she doesn't have money.)it's not fair for you to do all this work for free
I think your right, well what happens to the cats she doesn't want if you couldn't keep them for more than a year? there's 2 abandond cats! and the other kittens? sell them to other people that are going to breed them? or even worse people who don't care about them? people who don't fix them and end up with more abandond cats? breeding animals because their cute is wrong, only pure bred should be bred.
before you fix them get the law on your side, call the humane soicety and local rescue groups and get severial opinions. maybe they can help you get a free lawyer conselltation with the right lawyer.
IF you fix them without her permision, at least offer her back her cats. while your taking care of them you have a say in everything, including not giving them to her other friend to take them and breed them
2006-10-19 09:51:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell your friend that since she left the cats with you and doesn't want them anymore, they are now YOUR responsibility. Since you don't like having unfixed cats in your home, they're getting fixed. It might put a strain on the friendship for a while, but she'll soon see your side. If she left her cats with you, and now wants kitten by the kitty she left with you, what do you think she'll do with the kittens you give her?
Polydactyl kittens are rare, and they seem to be "in" right now, but what about all the cats and kittens being put down in pounds and shelters all over the country? Tell her if she wants kittens, she should go to the pound or shelter and adopt.
If you have her fixed without permission, it's not illegal. You've been taking care of her cats and she's told you she doesn't want them anymore. They're yours. It's up to you to fix them or at least be responsible with any kittens that may result from an escape.
Good luck.
2006-10-19 09:20:56 · answer #2 · answered by Lizzie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YOU ARE RIGHT!!! She is your cat now! Get her fixed and don't say a word. If your friend brings it up tell her that it is your cat because she left it with you or don't tell her a thing. I am a vet tech who works for a non-profit group where we spend all day spaying animals in LA. We have to kill about 75,000 animals a year. Over half are cats.There a thousands of poly dactyl cats! They are NOT rare. There is also no guarantee that all of the kittens will inherit the gene and then what? You are doing the right thing a and a year is a long time. She might just forget by then or you can tell her the vet said it would be a risk to her health to have babies. Sometimes a small untruth serves a greater purpose.
2006-10-19 11:32:00 · answer #3 · answered by suncat 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your so called "friend" has put you in a terrible position, so whatever you decide don't base it on trying to keep her friendship. Do you have some type of agreement in writing? If not an oral agreement might not hold up after a year's period but it may depend on your state's law. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/58882/understanding_oral_contracts.html
Contact your local bar association and see if they will give you a quick low cost legal consultation. Do you really think she would go to the trouble and expense of trying to sue you? How much could she try to claim anyway?
It seems she transferred the cat to you. What would happen if the cat got sick while you had her? Would you have to go to the vet and list yourself as the owner and pay for the cat's treatment? If the cat broke some animal control law or bit someone, would you be the one fined or sued as the owner? Does this help you in making your decision?
Can you tell her the cat fell into the hands of the local trap/spay/neuter release program? This would not be a total lie.
I admire your dedication to sterilization of animals.
2006-10-19 09:43:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do the responsible thing and have the cat spayed. Your friend has told you she doesn't want the cat back but she wants a kitten. Sorry, but to me she has already proved she is an unfit pet owner because she lefted her kittens in foster care for a year or more, then decides she doesn't want them anymore. Would you expect her to keep the new kittens? More then likely she will not do better next time. IF she wants kittens when she gets back tell her there are plenty of homeless kittens already available and she should adopt one of them.
2006-10-19 08:55:39 · answer #5 · answered by mobilepetgroomer 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with what others have said. I mean, she has basically given you the animals, so it seems like you are free to do with them as you would --- which in this case, the responsible thing to do is spay the cat. If your friend loves 7 toed cats so much then she should probably look to adopt one when she comes back in the country. I don't think this is illegal in any way. Does she have official ownership papers for the cat? If not, I don't see that she really has a leg to stand on. It would cost her a lot of time and expense to sue you, and I think this case would be laughed right out of court. Even Judge Judy would side with you on this one!!
2006-10-19 08:52:48 · answer #6 · answered by J.Z. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Polydactyl cats do not necessarily produce polydactyl kittens. I have a poly kitten of my own. His mother and father were Polys but he was the only poly of the whole litter of 5.
Your friend needs to stop being picky...technically they are your cats since you have been caring for them. Get them fixed, it is torture to breed cats over and over again just to get possibly a few polydactyl kittens to sell.
If she wants one or two of her own, then she can find some again I am sure. Keep the cats, fix them, tell her to get over it.
2006-10-19 08:57:10 · answer #7 · answered by Casey B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have the kittens fixed. There is no sense of putting them through the torment of being in heat, just because all the sudden 7 toed kittens are in high demand. That is crazy. There are so many unwanted and homeless animals, to breed just for the sake of breeding is crazy. Those are your kittens as far as I'm concerned. You will have had them longer than the original owner, and you need to take care of them the way you see fit. (The right way)
2006-10-19 08:49:30 · answer #8 · answered by Jessica 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would spay that cat, I am a firm believer in that. You need to tell her that you will get the cat spayed if it is up to you to be her owner. She can not just pawn her responsibilities on you, for the cute cuddly kittens. You know what the right thing to do is. 7 toes or not there are too many cats already. And to go somewhere to just keep reproducing well she said she doesn't want them so they are yours to decide what to do.
2006-10-19 14:47:58 · answer #9 · answered by Phoenix 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, Im sorry you are in this situation. If your friend doesn't want the cats back you are free to do with them as you please (getting them fixed). As for her wanting kittens...if you are willing to go through the whole process of a litter, you should have her foot the bill for the extra care needed, such as vet visits and the extra food the mommy will need. Other than that, I don't see that your friend who is taking her extended leave of absence and essentially abandoning them to you has any right to dictate what happens with them. This whole situation may put an ugly rock in the shoe of your friendship with her though.
2006-10-19 08:46:54 · answer #10 · answered by riaaleigh 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋