Doesn't it tick you off when people don't take care of their pets?

Question

My neighbor has a little black kitten, she is so tiny and doesn't look to be any older than 6 to 8 months. She is pregnant and is always meowing at my door and of course I feed her, daily. This neighbor tells me that this is her second litter, that her last litter she gave birth in the woods and they all just died.
My husband told him that we are taking the kitty in and having her fixed.
My question here is this. I hate to mess with mother nature. Should I let her have these kittens? She is so young. Or should I take her to the vet now?
The man refuses to even feed the kitty and his son comes to see his father on the weekends. He is about 12 years old. I heard him ask his dad" Does that mean my kitty is their kitty now?" I came around the corner and told the young man, "No sweetheart, I'm not trying to take your kitty away."
Isn't it time in this young mans life to learn a lesson here?
That if you don't take care of your pets, you will lose them?

Let me explain something. This man lives in a run down travel trailer next to my RV. He has a wife and 5 children who live down the street in a house. He's about 35 yrs old. He says he can't live with his wife and children because he can't stand all of the noise and it makes his blood pressure shoot up. I think he is a weasel and a drunk.
His wife now has filed for divorce. He won't even take care of his own children!! He really dosen't care what happens to the kitty. Yesterday he showed up with a chiwahwah(hahaha, spelling?) little dog.
I will take care of the kitty, even though I have a parrot

Answer 1

Yes but not nearly as much as it does when they don't take care of their children.

Answer 2

I was just going to ditto what Connie had said. I would hate to see the boy lose the cat but if you feel as if you can take care of it I would allow the boy to visit but I would be careful if this cat has remained an outdoor cat so far it may take a huge interest in your bird . Shameful...we have 2 dogs and 7 guniea pigs and if in the hands of the right owner children can really learn to be compassionate through pets. Best of luck to you!

Answer 3

You are the sweetest person for doing this, but you could be setting yourself up. This is still your neighbor's cat. Regardless of who feeds her and cares for her. Even if you go to the expense of having her spayed, she's still not yours. I know you want to do the right thing by her, but unless your neighbor releases that animal to you IN WRITING, I wouldn't spend a dollar on her. What happens if you go on a trip and come back to find the cat dead? Sounds like it could happen, with how little your neighbor cares. Make her YOUR cat. You have no ownership rights, the registration for that animal is not in your name. Make her yours before you make that investment. And as for 12 year old boy, you can let his father explain to him why he signed the cat away. But make sure he really does it.

Answer 4

What a dilemma ! I am livid when I see this kind of thing going on. There must be a reason why the boy can't take his kitty home to his house. If you want to take on the responsibility, then perhaps you should keep the kitty, take care of it, and tell the boy it is still his, but can live at your house and he can visit her.

Answer 5

You are exactly right. Maybe you and the child can make this a project and you can explain the pro's and con's of an uncared for animal. You just answered my question about my kitty. She is the same age and I know nothing of cats, but, she has been acting strange with her tail bushed out and her eyes dilated and I guess she's entering "womanhood". I better get her fixed!!!!

Answer 6

I think if the man refused to feed it, he has as good as abandoned it, and that means renouncing ownership of it. I think it should be your cat if you want it, and if the son asks again, I would tell him that his cat is going to live at your house now and he can come and play with it anytime, and you can take care of it together. That is an opportunity to teach him how to take care of a pet, something obviously his father hasn't done.

A vet may not spay her while she is pregnant, I would let her have her kittens and then have it done asap.

Answer 7

I can make this confession because no one knows who I am but, I once 'stole' a pregnant cat!
We had the council house family from Hell, next door but one. They had 10 children, dogs, cats, mice, goldfish and birds. One of their dog's coat was so matted she used to constantly have a puppy, from the latest litter, hanging off her rump and using her as a raggy toy. The old dog was blind as well. I reported it to the RSPCA and the dog was taken away.
They had about 5 cats and one poor little skinny black thing was pregnant, yet again. She used to creep into my outhouse and eat from the sack of dried dog food. After speaking to the RSPCA they said her kittens could be born blind because she ate the dog food. I immediately 'catnapped' her and took her to a cat Sanctuary.
With love and care she gave birth to 4 healthy kittens.
I have no problem admitting this because I couldn't bear to see the misery that this cat, and her kittens would have had to go through.

Answer 8

I would take her to the vet and get her fixed. If she's so tiny, imagine the strain of her having babies, over and over again. She shouldn't have to suffer just because her "owner" is an idiot!
Tell the boy he can come visit the kitty anytime.
You go girl!

Answer 9

It sounds like your the cat's primary carers now. I would seek a vet's opinion on what's best for the cat, they will look at her age and health and whatever they look for. Cat's are always hardier than they look and she may be fit to carry the kittens to term.

Answer 10

Yes especially when it was my own kids. Litter box full , food dish empty. Guess who had to do it all. Now this son is allergic and I can't have one and he would take care of it.