Are my neighbours breaking the law by taking Cat?

Question

My cat recently 'moved' to my next door neighbour's. This is probably because i work and they are retired, so i cant really compete for the cat's attention. I didnt ask them to take in my cat, they just did, and made no effort to shoo it away etc. I wondered if anyone reading this might know if my neighbours are breaking any kind of law by doing this, does i count as stealing? They say that the cat chose them, but i cant believe that. I know this is a weird question, but i just want to know the naswer so i know where i stand with them.
Thanks
P.S. I am in UK, so only English laws apply

Answer 1

what do you mean it moved next door? its a cat!!
are they keeping it inside?

ask for it back - if they dont give it to you, yes its a crime and its theft - call the police.

they cant just claim your cat as their own because it goes into their garden.
.

Answer 2

Outdoor cats fall into drains, get hit by cars, and killed by other animals. If you chose to have an outdoor cat, consider yourself lucky that it wasn't abused and killed. It is better off with your neighbors, clearly you were not responsible. I know this sounds mean, but get a kitten, keep it inside and get it fixed. Cats need care and love, a home and medical treatment. I don't know why people think cats can live pn a porch and be happy. They're subjected to the weather, other animals and cars!

Outdoor cats are not that different from cats that have been abandoned. If you abandon your animal and it finds a home, good for it.

Please do some research about how to care for a cat. Poor cat, if it chose somebody else, there's a good reason.
Maybe you can visit the cat and still have a relationship.

Answer 3

I'm not familiar with English laws but I think the main problem is the fact that you let your cat live outside instead of inside your home. If they don't return the cat to you and you decide to get another one, make sure you keep it indoors. Perhaps you can get two cats so that they keep each other company while you're at work. I work all day also, but I have three cats and they sleep all day while I'm at work and then when I come home I let them go outside for a little while but they have to come back inside before I go to bed.

If you want to take your cat back, there has to be a way. Did you have a license for the cat or ownership papers, pictures of him etc? Here in the US pets are considered property and if you can prove that someone took your "property" then you can get it back. Here you have to have a license for each of your pets and the pet needs to wear the identification tag provided to you by the county once you get your license. Without an identification tag or microchip on the pet it would be more difficult to prove ownership. Go tell your neighbors that they made a mistake, that you're the owner of the cat and that they should return it or maybe you can share ownership, they can have it during the day and you can have it nights and weekends.

Answer 4

Cats choose their own homes and masters/mistresses. If the grass is greener, they move.
It can be a bit annoying if you pay a large sum of money for a pedigree animal and especially if you love the creature very much but as Chalice explained there are no clear laws in UK about this.
Your long daily absences from home may well be the reason for the 'desertion' Perhaps in the circumstances you shouldn't have this type of pet. It would be very cruel to lock it in the house while you go to work.
I feel sad for you because you obviously care for the animal. But you should really consider it's happiness and welfare before all else. If the elderly couple, that 'it has adopted', give it greater contentment and attention than you can, then possibly it is better that you accept the situation and seek a more suitable 'companion'.

Answer 5

you may take the cat to the vet, or according to hazard call the humane society and tell them that your associates have animals that they are neglecting. Your associates gets a great be-careful call whilst the government take place on the door. The humane society may even take the animals after which you would be able to undertake them your self. Animal forget is prohibited, somebody could do the excellent difficulty and swap in the associates. Take some pictures of the cats additionally, you have gotten some concrete evidence of forget.

Answer 6

I did some research on UK legislation and found the following;

"The Theft Act 1968 acknowledges that all domestic animals, including cats and dogs, are capable of being stolen if taken from their owners unlawfully. Successful prosecutions have been made in the past, for example at Clerkenwell, three men were fined on charges of having possession of nine cats, knowing them to have been stolen and conveying them in such a manner as to cause them unnecessary suffering."

If your cat is microchipped this is the best proof of ownership. Though I would imagine that copies of vet bills etc., would also help prove that you are the legal owner of the cat.

They are not obliged to shoo it away, but neither are they obliged to encourage it to move in with them. Are your neighbours actually keeping your cat in their home against it's will, or is it simply choosing to spend more time there? Personally, I would try to have a civil conversation with your neighbours, explaining that you love your cat very much and are unhappy that they have encouraged it into their home. (if this is indeed the case). I would also suggest that you keep your cat indoors whilst you are at work, and just allow it outside when you are home and better able to supervise it's whereabouts. Spend as much of your free time with your cat as possible, spoil it with treats so that it always remembers where it's better off.

Good luck.

Answer 7

If the UK laws are like the Danish ones, pets and livestock are considered property.

It's not illegal to feed a cat or not shoo it away. Also it will be your responsibility to keep your cat away from the neighbours' property if you don't want it there.

BUT if your neighbours took your cat and/or are refusing to give it back to you, then I would assume it would be considered theft.

In theory your cat could be a valuable purebreed and would the neighbours be allowed to take something worth hundreds of pounds just like that? I don't think so. And the law will be the same for all cats, no matter their monetary value.

Answer 8

I live in the UK too. No law has been broken here.

Unfortunately there are no laws at all, that I know of, governing the ownership of cats because they are more or less classed as 'wild animals' I think, unlike dogs. This means you can't even prosecute someone for running over a cat and driving off.

A friend of mine had a similar problem with her cat going in her neighbour's a lot, but he asked her if this was OK with her and she decided it wasn't and asked the neighbour to put her cat back out if he came in, which he did. In your case I doubt these elderly people would kick up a huge stink if you asked them in a POLITE and friendly way if they could not encourage your cat inside. Bear in mind though, if this is what your cat wants it's not really fair to deprive him of it.

My cat made my next door neighbour's a bit of a second home, I didn't really mind though because it was very convenient if I was on holiday! I know what you mean about wanting your cat to stay at yours though, but if you're not in that much it's nice for your cat to have somewhere else to go. Maybe you could get in to a routine where you have him round yours in the evening and he's at your neighbours during the day.

Chalice

Answer 9

Sound to me that the cat went where it got attention and food. The neighbors did not steal the cat they are probably just kind hearted and like animals so they fed it and the cat stayed Animals tend to be like that . expecially cats they are so independant . Just be happy that they took the cat in since you did not have the time for it . It might be nice if you go over and at least let them know the cat was yours and its name . Maybe you should not have a pet if you don't have time for them ..

Answer 10

Not sure if you have leash laws like we do in the US, but you would probably get fined for letting the cat roam. In my opinion though the cat is still yours. Have you approached them about it? Don't do it with hostility, just ask if you can please have your cat back. If they say no, decide whether the issue is that you really want your cat or if you are just doing it out of spite at this point. No judgement here, just an honest answer.

Answer 11

i think you should not pursue any recourse on this matter,I'm sure the cat chose them to go to, that happen to me ,its like a bird set it free if it comes back it was meant to be,if it doesn't it never was, now if it was and indoor cat yes i would per sue this ,but if it was an out side cat, don't be angry at the old people, you have a chance to be humble and make some old people happy, i think the cat likes them and vice / verse don't be upset , please be a stand up guy, as long as you know someone else loves it, you may be making an old couple live longer, maybe. The cat might have been run over,attacked,at lest you know you have done great sacrifice for you but your higher power will reward you for your kindness, and soon i feel this in my soul I FEEL not to day but in the near future