Knowing What Cat Abandonment Means

When the cat is left at a veterinarians or kennel and the pet owner does not returned to pay or collect their pet after a certain amount of days then the cat is known as being abandoned to the animal facility.

Photo taken on day we rescued kitten

A cat can also be abandoned when the owner leaves the cat in a public place, park and neighborhood and does not return.  This abandonment happens frequently in my neighborhood.

1. Pet owners drive to the entrance to the woods by my home and then pick up their cat and carry them to the entrance of the woods before they drive away.
2. Many people will abandon their cats by moving from their home without pets in hopes that new owners of the home will take on the cat care responsibility.
3. Then there are the people that put their house cats outdoors before they move away.  They stop feeding the cat and do not give them shelter and the cats get freaked out and roam the streets for food, shelter and a person to love and care for them.

Kittens drink up formula in plate

We have taken in cats that were removed from their owner’s cars and left at the entrance of the woods.  These actions were clearly animal abuse and it was noted that owner no longer wanted to care for the animal. 

In our experience no owner has tried to reclaim a cat that they have left in the woods, none have felt remorse for their actions.  Had they come forward we would have returned the cat to the pet owner but cat owner would be liable for all expenses occurred while we cared for the abandoned cat.  As an example when we take in an abandoned cat we immediately care for any injuries.  Then after two weeks waiting we will then take cat to the veterinarian for checkup, Feline Leukemia and AIDS test and rabies shot.  Should the pet owner return after the medical care was administered we would then return the cat only after all expenses were compensated.

Note: 

As a rule we always post found cat signs in the area where the cat was left. These signs will aid the pet owner that may feel guilty for their actions.

When the cat owner refuses to care for their pet by abandonment then after a certain period of time the owner may be charged with a misdemeanor as it is against the law to abandon a pet.

Other Cat Blog Posts That You May Like

Last Attempt to Find Pet Owner

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Checkup

Why do Cats Leave Home

Last Attempt to Find Cat Owner

Today I ran my last classified ad in the lost and found section in our local paper.  At 6 p.m. I got a call from a cat rescuer who was seeking lost cats from the tornado in 2011.  I got to talking to her a found that she does the same type of work as I do only on the opposite side of the city.

The civic minded cat person told me that many of the cat owners had moved away but still had hope that one day they would be reunited with their cat.  She then went on to say that many of the displaced cats were picked up in my neighborhood.

I had rescued three cats during the tornado of 2011 and tried my best to locate the owners; I ended up keeping two and placed the other in a forever home.  Tomorrow I am meeting with the cat person to look at her flyers of lost cats.  If I have any of the cats at my shelter I will make arrangements to meet with the cat owners as I will need to be compensated for the care of these cats for the last three and half years.

Many of the tornado cats that got adopted by other families have left their adopted families and walked many miles to get back to the area where they once lived.  The area has no homes and their families have moved on.  It is sad as all these cats want is to be with their families once again. 

   

Other Cat Adoption Guide posts that you may like:

Why do Cats Leave Home

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Medical Care

Foster Cats When Disaster Strikes

Ways to Determine Ownership of Cat

Ways to Determine Ownership of Cat

Yesterday I thought we had located the lost cat’s owner as I got a call from one of the ladies that help me with the cats.  She had given a flyer to a family in the neighborhood and they said that is our cat.

As a rule I never release a cat without determining ownership of the pet.  I do this by asking the owner to identify the cat’s special characteristics. 

When they person called me to claim the lost cat I asked them “what is the name of your cat?”  They said “Moxie” I addressed the cat and there was no response.  I then asked them "what is the sex of your cat" and they responded female and I said this cat is a male.  The caller said I am mistaken, our cat is a male.  I took this as a “red flag”. I then asked one more question to determine the ownership "Is the cat neutered" they said yes and I am sorry this is not your cat.

I told them that I would keep an eye open for their cat and notify them if their cat comes into my woods.

So this week I am running another lost and found in our local paper in hopes to find the “real cat owners”.

For more information on the lost cat read: http://catadoptionguide.blogspot.com/2013/10/found-declawed-aegean-mix-cat.html

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Checkup

The Aegean-mix cat that I found after following distress meowing in the woods had a bite wound to the tail, cold-like symptoms and stomach upset with diarrhea.  

Since there was no way of knowing how long the cat was outdoors it was taken to the Veterinarian for a wellness check up.  While at the veterinarian the kitten received a rabies vaccine, test for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus the results for cat disease were negative.

The kitten is being treated for the bite wounds however will be released to me and I will continue my efforts to locate its people. I will make every attempt to find the cats people and if they pet owners are not located the cat will be put up for adoption.

I will not turn the declawed cat lose in hopes that he goes home as there are dogs that run loose in my neighborhood as well as coyote.  A declawed cat has no way of protecting itself from these predators.