ethics followup: Not the same cat

My wife and I went with great trepidation down to the rec center where the neighborhood kid had seen the 'missing cat' poster.

It wasn't the stray we've adopted. Much ado about nothing.

Well, maybe not nothing. It got me worked up again about how careless some folks are with their pets. We adopted a stray several years ago that was on death's doorstep - a raging infection, worms, mites, everything. We coaxed him back to health and he turned out to be the most loving, wonderful cat I've ever owned. Three years after his adoption he developed some horrible FIV-like disease, and we had to put him down, but he lived three years longer than he would have, and he didn't have to spend another Minnesota winter outside.

But we later found out his origin.. a neighborhood family just decided they didn't want a cat, so they let him outside and never let him back in again.

I just hope we can get this current guy to live amicably with our other two cats. I let him out for a peek at our bengal the other day, and he zapped him like a cobra, wounding the bengal's ear. I'm expecting a long, careful quarantine and introduction...

I would make sure that they knew everybody in the neighborhood (their schools, local community, church, job, etc) knew. Lowlife scum.

Glad to hear it wasn't the cat in the poster. One less thing to worry about.

I've heard of many people just locking the cats out. Frequently it seems to happen when a female turns up pregnant. The people don't want the hassle of kittens and are too cheap to get the animal neutered.

I had a neighbor move away and just leave her cat, dog and bird in the house. Her brother came over to clean out the house and took the dog and the bird - just left the cat to fend for herself.

That is exactly how I got my Shadow. I knew who his previous people were. To think they used to be my friends until they did that.

I'm glad you get to keep your kitty and you've done a good thing.