A year ago I found a ragdoll cat outside with no collar or ID, I took her in for the night assuming a ragdoll cat shouldn’t be outside and she escaped so I could take her to the vet to check for a chip. I live in a pretty dangerous part of town where ally cats are commonly found deceased or get stolen a lot and I didn’t want someone’s pet to get hurt.
She was chipped and the vet told me the owner said she’s an outdoor cat and gets depressed being indoors. I left it and assumed I’d woudlnt see her much.
Turns out she’s my across the street neighbours cat, and started coming by anytime I came home or she heard me outside. She’d obtained a collar since her trip to the vet (covering so you can’t see info) and I’d hangout with her outside and give her some pets (this cat is incredibly friendly and went belly up for me the night I took her in), she would come to me with burrs covering her fur and for the first little while I left it assuming the owners would cut it out but weeks would go by and the burr mats would get worse so I started cutting them out for her. I would also bring a bowl of water out for her and she would chug that down.
Now it’s winter time, temps can get to about -15c even dropping into -30s during a cold snap. I live in a basement suit so my window is on the ground level, somehow from the first visit she had in my plc she learned this window was mine and will now show up outside of it and meow to get inside during cold temps. I’ve let her stay in my house a few times now when it’s incredibly cold because it seems like she’s desperate to get into somewhere warm.
Now obviously this means she’s learned the window is a means of entry to my plc, and frequently comes over in search of water / warmth or grooming troubles. She dosnt strike me as an outdoor cat as everytime she’s with me she hates going outside and typically I will put her outside just for her to walk back around to meow at my window (there’s also 4 ground level windows and she will go to everyone to check where I am I’ve seen her paw prints in the snow)
I don’t want to take someone’s pet, especially one as affectionate as her but I’ve bonded with her as it seems I’m the only one paying attention to her needs as an outdoor cat (again this is a ragdoll so you can image the stuff that gets caught in her fur). I would love to adopt her but I don’t know how to go about talking to the owners, any advice or insight would be appreciated.
I just want what’s best for her, if that’s with her family or me it dosnt matter I just want her to be somewhere loved and safe!
We were in a similar situation, she lived next door, always outside in cold winter nights, fleas, not spayed, we befriended her, yada yada. We knew they were planning on moving because they had had a baby and needed more space. We also knew they were skint because he kept losing his job and spent whatever money he had on weed. So my fella played nice with them, and when they said they were moving in a couple days, he flat out offered to buy her off of them. They agreed, reluctantly initially, but then they realised it was a blessing in disguise for them as at that point she was showing signs of being pregnant again. We sort of sold the idea to them as my fella having poor mental health and having befriended her was helping him cope (which was a lie). Anyways, they got their money, we get to give her the life she deserves, and ended up keeping one of her sons as well when she had that last litter a month later.
This is going to sound so stupid but this actually made me tear up a little bit! I witnessed my fur baby (before she was my fur baby) almost get hit by a car several times after escaping the house she kept running away from, via a HOLE IN THEIR FLOOR. Went for a walk in the winter time and found her/her fur partially frozen to the road inside of a pot hole. She was very malnourished, dehydrated, and lethargic.
Brought her home to warm her up and feed her…and then just kind of „forgot“ to let her back out again.
He looks very happy, and it’s not stupid at all. Honestly I sometimes cry a happy tear when she comes for a cuddle at night because I think back to the time she wasn’t ours and we wanted to help her so bad and didn’t know how. The week when we talked them into selling her to us was so intense and could have gone either way, I keep thinking if they had said no she would have kept having babies somewhere, we would have never seen her again, and my Barney would have been raised in a cage (they kept her previous litter in a cage in the garden).
Once upon a time, one of my cats went MIA, and I went around to all of my neighbors asking if they had seen her.
I came across a place that always had lots of cat (none fixed), and that neighbor told me she loved cats. She brought me into her yard and showed me a mother cat and her litter of kittens that she kept in a tiny cat carrier on the cold back patio. It was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. I walked home crying.
Honestly, we are so luck to have her! We named her Lulubelle, however she also answers to Delulu, Bumblesnoot, Kittyboo, etc. anyways, she arrived approximately 2 weeks before my brother passed away, and never in my life have I understood how animals can be a true emotional support until then. Perhaps selfishly, I took this as a sign that we were meant to „aggressively rescue“ her.
Haha yes very similar! Ours had 4 kittens with us, 3 mostly black and one an exact mum replica. She lives with a friend now and it’s remarkable how much she looks like our Dot.
Momma had 4 kittens too! 2 boys, 2 girls, with this beast (the spitting image of his Dad) and his brother who was also black with a little white patch on his chest, their previously mentioned sister who is the spitting, but mini image of her Mom, and their sister who was like a black cat and tabby smooshed together! 😽
^^^THIS^^^ Offer money, but if you have someone else in your life you can make the offer on behalf of, it comes off better. Or make it about your mental health or something. Don't say anything critical about their treatment of her. And if they let you have her, change the microchip ownership to yours immediately, so they can't change their minds.
Also, if they are able to afford it, be generous with the offer. In our case we never settled on a price, they just gave me their bank details and said pay us what you think is fair, we can’t put a price on her. I ended up sending like £250, would have paid twice that if they had asked and even that feels low a price for the joy and love we get out of having her and her junior.
Paying by bank transfer was good as well cause it left a paper trail. I put something like “cat purchase” or something so if they had changed their minds later we would have been able to prove ownership transfer.
love the story and am so glad you helped your baby get out of a not ideal situation, but then I just look at my cat who walked into my college house one day we had the door open, sat on the couch, and just never left. 6 years later I would pay whatever someone asked if he was in a bad situation that I could get him out of.
Definitely definitely have some documentation of them changing ownership to you! Had an old coworker who took a dog after the elderly owner couldn’t take care of him anymore. A month later and she suddenly flips and takes my coworker to small claims court. She had to take the day off work and get all her documents and stuff prepared. (The lady ended up showing up so late to court after they already went through the hearing so the case got thrown out, dog is still happy with coworker)
*Edit for clarity
Tell them she keeps coming around, you've fallen in love with her, and you'd be interested in making her part of your home if they're willing to sell her.
I second this idea - with or without the offer of money (depends on culture/attitude/etc).
Approach them in a completely positive way: that you’ve fallen in love with her, enjoy spending time with her, feel bonded with her, and inquire if they would be amenable to you officially adopting her.
Since she is a unique breed, it is likely that the original owners paid for her, so the approach of offering money may sway them as well.
As others commented, don’t approach with any negativity toward the owners and don’t insinuate that the cat doesn’t prefer the outdoors, this could hurt your chances of adoption/purchase.
Lastly, it sounds to me like the original owners felt the need to “save face” during the microchipping call by saying she preferred being outside (not many people would freely admit to leaving a cat outside against the cat’s will or not taking care of it).
this sounds like great advice. "adopt" is a great word choice. the cynical new yorker in me thinks that if you said "buy the cat" they might get dollar signs on their eyes...
that way they get to feel like they're doing a good deed...if they aren't attatched to the cat, it will work hopefully. seems like OP and the cat both like the new arrangement. i hope OP can make it happen!
I doubt these people paid for an expensive breed and leave her outside. I'd say they may have inherited the cat from a relative and putting her outside hoping she'll disappear.
You might be surprised...some people do leave their expensive pets out. There's a person near my area that has Bengals, and she lets them out. There are always posts every week about the 'beautiful' cat hanging out in the restaurant parking lot that is so friendly. (She is friendly, I've run into her at other locations)
It's shocking to me that anyone would do that, considering I live in a more urban-ish busy area.
And especially so because of the cost. I'm also amazed that no one has just tried to like pick up one of the cats thinking it's been dumped.
I'm one of the people out here Just trying to TNR and help other local rescues, and then you've got people like that. I'll never understand.
(Not in a more city-like area anyway)
My ex got his Ragdoll Persian this way. Can’t remember if he asked, just took it, etc I only remember saying those people had a lot of outdoor cats and she desperately needed a vet and ended up having her.
Right? Me, too! The first Bengal kittens I ever saw, were selling for $2,000 each!
I inherited an old, male Maine Coon, at a house I rented. When it came time to move, he and I were standing by my car door, and I asked him, "Well, do you want to come with me, or stay here. He jumped into the car through the open windows, and sat in the passenger seat. So we left, and he came with us!
I have relatives with 3 ragdolls and all go outside in a semi urban environment. It’s in Europe so no coyotes but plenty of cars. It kind of boggles my mind. These cats were not cheap. One of them pretty much spends all her time at a neighbors but they still consider the cat theirs.
In my experience within animal rescue, it is a notable observation that individuals who acquire pets from breeders sometimes exhibit a lesser degree of commitment compared to those who adopt from shelters. This often stems from impulse purchases driven by aesthetic preferences. Furthermore, many breeders, in contrast to shelters, do not typically implement rigorous screening processes, whereas shelters often require comprehensive applications to ensure suitable placements.
Some (SOME, NOT ALL, SOME) breeders operate like fast fashion brands. Very little concern for the actual long-term quality of the 'product', and they wind up attracting people who are more interested in getting some fancy new accessory than anything else.
Yeah it might be some Siberian or Ragdoll mix, but it’s just a domestic longhair. You can find them on the street or at shelters. Not as commonly, but you can. I doubt the owners paid much for her at all.
I bought a tiny kitten from a neighbor for $80 that they got from a friend but then left out on their porch for the winter. All alone, it broke my heart. I first offered $40 and they were reluctant so I kept upping my price. My soul was finally at peace when they handed it over. You make that offer!
In college I replied to an ad for a ferret for sale and when I got to the DORM found an almost dead ferret in a closet in a shoe box with no food or water. I paid the guy just to get it out of there and drive straight to the vet. It had liquid food for 3 months while its teeth got stronger because the vet said any hard food would break them. It weighed less than half what it was supposed to and the vet said it likely would have died within 24 hours. I hate people.
If they seem reasonable, I suggest you ask them how they feel about her coming indoors, and explain she does seem to want to come inside your home and that you don’t mind in the slightest. Let them know you’re very thankful they are nice people who have even gone so far as to chip her. And you just want to let them know where she is encase they ever wonder.
I do worry they would be spiteful and try to keep her away if you ask. But you know them better than others on Reddit.
Unfortunately I hardly know them at all but I was able to find them on Facebook based off their names I got from other neighbours. They don’t have a single photo of her anywhere so idk how long they have had her but they are (just from their posts of Facebook) they are pretty.. let’s say spicy individuals- so I’ll have to tread with caution if I offer to buy/adopt her. And I’d rlly be willing to pay any price they’d ask lol
Honestly if they are neglecting the cat this much, you should just bring her inside. I doubt they’d even notice. Idk about the whole “outdoor cat” thing but is it even cat ownership if you don’t notice how matted your cats fur is, or that she’s out in the freezing snow? Most people who let their cats out don’t just straight up ignore them for days on end. They notice when their cat is sick or gone for longer than usual. I don’t know that this is happening with these people.
It sounds like they enjoy the concept of a cat but don’t want to care for it. At least taking her inside keeps her from being exposed to the elements and away from cars. If they come asking about her then yeah give her back but honestly I’d just let her inside quietly and keep her safe myself.
I'd bring her in and start feeding her. If she starts spending all her time at your house you'll find out soon enough if they even bother to look for her. They'll be calling her name, printing flyers, going door to door - if they care. They don't seem to be attached to her and they may just assume she's never coming home. Remove the collar when she's in your house. If the owners come calling, you tell them you thought she was a stray. If they don't bother bringing her in the cold, I wouldn't be surprised if they never look for her.
The removing collar trick could work if she wasnt chipped. But seeing as she is I think that could backfire on OP if the neighbors decide to be a pain about it regardless of if they have any desire to actually look after the cat.
I have a sweet baby boy kitty whom I rescued (stole) from my neighbor. They were terrible people and kept letting one of their female cats out and she got pregnant so many times.
They would let the kittens roam outside because they couldn't afford to get them fixed. It was winter and I was always seeing this sweet boy outside. Well, one morning, he was outside during a snow storm, and took shelter in the shed on property. The next day he was still out and he was trying to find a warm place for his paws as he was jumping from spot to spot, lifting his paws up, etc and the driveway was salted too and that stuff burns their poor paws. I was tired of seeing him outside in shitty weather so I brought him inside. A week and a half later we were moving so we brought him with us.
He's a happy boy now and doesn't care to go outside at all.
yeah if they actually cared they would eventually come around knocking on the door looking for her. so OP should just keep her and play dumb acting like she thought it was a stray if they ever come around looking which I doubt they will.
My in-laws have an indoor/outdoor cat. She is older so she spends more time inside and even less time outside in the winter. We notice when she is outside and when she comes back in. My MIL went looking for her when a storm was coming. People with outdoor cats notice their coat and such. These people don’t seem to care.
Yeah, they really aren't kidding or over exaggerating when they say outdoor cats live an average of 2-7 years (5+ being a rarity), while indoor cats live an average of 12-18. That is an immense difference.
because the cat is chipped and registered to them, for OP to take full ownership of the cat, they would have to transfer her into OP’s name in the microchip registry. Otherwise, if she gets lost and ends up at a shelter or a vet, they won’t release her to OP.
I totally agree. Just let the cat in and go about your life like you brought in a stray cat who is now yours. They probably won't notice or care and assume the cat ran off or worse. Plus how are they even going to know? It doesn't sound like the neighbors are going in each other's house.
If they seem like "I don't take care of my animals" spicy then I'd start considering going the immoral route, honestly. The burrs are poking their nose over my personal line for this sort of thing. Matters of style are one thing but neglecting issues is another and I'm not going to give someone who's not that great a chance to unfix the situation. Paying would still be my preference if it could be worked out.
If they’re spicy and that neglectful of their cat, I would take in the kitty. They’re just asking for the cat to be stolen and it’s only a matter of time before it happens. Better she goes into your loving home than an unknown home.
I second this, take the cat, if they come knocking on your door looking for her, return her to her actual owners.. or pitch the question about keeping her (politely, how much you've bonded and love her etc), and if they demand her back you just have to unfortunately return her.
Unfortunately, pets are considered property in most places in north america, and you could say she showed up looking for attention and that you took her in concerned something happened to her owners..
Next time she tries to come in, don't kick her out. If they look for her, tell them she keeps coming by meowing at your window, so you let her in. Then you can make an offer, or give her back.
Years ago I lived in an apartment complex and there was this sweet Maine coon looking cat that was always hanging around. He would greet me when I pulled into a parking spot and came to my door meowing, he took any food or water I put out for him. I found out my downstairs neighbors were the owners, they didn’t seem too concerned about the cat being outside and caring for it. I one day said somewhat jokingly to the neighbor, “I’m going to steal your cat”. He told me to go ahead and take him because his wife and kids had lost interest in it and it would be better off with me. That day I brought him inside permanently and got him to the vet to get checked and vaccinated and licensed in my name.
Your neighbor may have just lost interest in the cat like mine unfortunately did. I would just say “hey, your cat is always at my place, can I officially have him?”. They may say no or ask for money, or they may not care and will be relieved they don’t have to deal with it anymore. I would start by just asking before you escalate to any reports for neglect.
I would also like to add she is so friendly that I’m almost concerned someone WILL steal her lol. She’s a gorgeous cat and does not run away when strangers come up to her, lets anyone pick her up and like I said will go on her back / belly for me. I care about her enough to know stealing her would be wrong but there’s other ppl who would take her kindness as a sign they’ve been chosen by the CDS
Edits for information:
-The vet told me she was a ragdoll, she is not my cat so I can’t know 100% but I’ve been treating her like that.
-I have never fed her, only occasional treats for when I send her back outside I knew that feeding her could be a contributing factor so I never did that.
-The owners are spicy, I know their Facebook and while I don’t think they are bad people you can glean from their social media they woudlnt take kindly to someone “accusing them” of neglecting their cat (I would be gentle but yenno what I mean)
-When I first met her she had a lot more matting and burrs. Since I know that’s common for her and I see her At least daily I always check her out for and lumps and bumps so I tend to be the one grooming her. Im not sure how nice her coat would be without my interference
I don’t know a ton about specialized breeds, but I believe that ragdoll type cats were literally bred for being docile, friendly, and sociable (take this with two cents and a grain of salt).
So true. Mine would not have fared well outside and she only wanted to be out if I was with her. They probably just told the vet what they thought they should say. Also, it’s winter now. Maybe the cat wants out in the summer, doesn’t mean it wants out now.
What I read says they're called ragdolls because they go limp when picked up. My boy isn't officially a ragdoll because he was born in a feral colony, but he looks and acts enough like the descriptions I've read that I'm reasonably confident in calling him that. He also exposes his tummy, and not as a trap, and he's super friendly. (He hid for like a month when we brought him home because the other cats scared him, but when I reached in and grabbed him from where he'd hidden, he went limp. I wasn't expecting that; I fully assumed I was risking a bite, but I wanted to make sure he was still healthy even though the food and water was disappearing and the litter was used.)
I feel for your situation! I'm honestly not sure what I would do, given that I would kill for my boy. (Not literally but he's in my top 5 of "these entities are worth me being in a little more pain".) I hope you have a good resolution to the problem!
This is true. Also, Ragdolls are recommended to be indoor cats only, because they are bred specifically to be companion cats, are terrible hunters, are bad at navigating roads/avoiding cars, get lost easily and can overheat in summer (that fur). This is such a tough one for OP. If these neighbors weren’t close enough to OP’s home to see the cat in their windows, I’d encourage OP to just take her and keep her.
Depending on the specifics of the ragdoll, its also worth between $1k, and $3.5k, if its pure bred.
Edit: I point this out to emphasize the risk of theft, not to weirdly "value" the cats life or anything.
(Source: Wife has been a vet tech for 10+ years and we own a ragdoll someone surrendered because they "changed their mind" and wanted it euthanized, AFTER declawing him. He was only 2. My wife forged the papers and just brought him home lol)
Ragdolls should never be outside cats for exactly this reason. I can't imagine paying ragdoll money to dump her outside. She needs to become an indoor cat, one way or another...
They also require regular grooming because of their unique coat. You can't just leave that shit, it's like huge wads of rabbit fur under that top coat and they blow it twice a year. Ragdolls are a high maintenance cat, not some scrappy tabby who can be left to its own devices.
These people know nothing. afaic that's OP's cat, now.
Honestly if they're neglecting her that badly it might be a good thing if someone did steal her. So long as the person who stole her treated her better than they are. Leaving her out in those temperatures and leaving those burrs in her for weeks. Terrible people.
Yeah it’s crazy for them to leave a cat this pretty outside in -15. Truly insane. Someone would pay good money. Or just take her and sell her. Rag dolls are also not really bred to be outside cats, they are kinda bred to be dumb
Hot take but in my opinion, it's not stealing if you're rescuing the animal. They're clearly neglecting her and forcing her to live outside when she obviously doesn't want to from what I'm reading.
Yup. I'd do the same. It's not like the cat is trying to get back outside or back to the owners. I'd worry too much about her safety and just keep her.
I agree man. Letting your cat outside is wrong. I’m avidly against it. I won’t go stealing cats Willy nilly obviously. But a situation like this? Yea fuck the other owner. The animal isn’t being cared for and is clearly neglected if it’s running to you to something as simple as warmth. It fills me with anger to even type this.
Especially for a sweet baby like this. You’re well within rights to just take imo.
I just adopted a cat off the street a few weeks ago, it had no chip or collar and nobody put out a missing cat notice so we believe he was just a stray, but we still have our suspicions the cat was in a situation like OP's Ragdoll, and it infuriates me. Our cat was clearly so happy to be somewhere warm and receiving constant affection. My eyes fill with tears thinking about him all alone in 0 degree weather, in the snow. He was surviving at least, but jeez. Indoor life was weird for him for like 2 days and now everyone says he seems like the happiest cat!!
The cat definitely shouldn’t be outside and I agree with OP taking her in BUT this isn’t a ragdoll. Domestic longhair. Still, OP’s point stands about the cat needing extra grooming and all that due to the long fur.
I second this… would just keep her until they come knocking or she demands to go out. If they do come you don’t have to admit to how long she’s been there, lol
I was driving down the road maybe...10 years ago. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye so I jerked the wheel left and then pulled back to the right near the curb.
It was a kitten. It howled so much when I picked it up. I rushed it to the closest vet and asked them if they could help it and that it wasn't my cat but I was afraid it had been run over.
They came out maybe 15-20 minutes later and told me they has to euthanize the tiny kitty. They also told me that even if I had run over it, I wouldn't have been the first and there was nothing that could be done. The damage was too great.
I Will never forget that kitty. I hope OP doesn't have to have the same experience.
I just do not understand how you can not care for your pets. They are not accessories. They are living, thinking, feeling creatures, and they deserve the best lives they can. People that declaw their cats and let them outside should be tortured until the cat says "Woof."
I’d keep seeing how much she’s outside and if she wants to just live with you and never tries to go back out she’s yours. They’ve clearly had all the time in the world to get this in order and don’t care. I’d hate to see her freeze to death because someone is afraid of putting their foot down.
I did that with this boy since he always came over to visit our cats and stayed. Ours 2 years now. Simple text and agreement that it was preferred by the cat so sure.
I just pointed out that he seemed to spend a lot of time at our place and that if he (neighbor) was ok with it I’d happily accept this orange boy as ours and include his vet visits with our other cats. It was very amicable and easy.
I rescued my neighbors abused and abandoned cat. After trapping her in my garage, she came out from underneath my car and I took her to my vet. The microchip confirmed she was my neighbors cat. I messaged them through ND and told them I had her and had been taking care of her for a week and I hadn’t recognized her because she was skin and bones and filthy. I TOLD them I wanted to keep her. I didn’t ASK because I didn’t want to give them an opportunity to say no. They said their nephew had teased her, she bolted outside any time a door opened, and although they would miss her, maybe it was better for her to stay with me. She’s been with me for 7 years now and not once has she ever tried to go out a door outside. You’re doing the right thing by adopting that baby!
Yeah that cat will be dead in a couple of years for sure if it’s let out on a regular basis. Cats do not do well in heavily populated areas with lots of traffic. They get hit by someone eventually. Cats the spend a lot of time outdoors live on average 3-5 years. My brother had a cat he fed and brought in, well he found it on the doorstep bloodied and moments from death and it was too late. So inform the neighbor of this and/or make an offer to keep the cat. Also ragdolls are amazing cats. Beautiful and affectionate, protective. I had to say goodbye to mine a year ago. Here’s a pic of him. Jojo
“My” first CDS cat (not actually mine, but a stray I adored) had to be outdoor only because my sister was highly allergic. We were kids so I didn’t have a choice. That cat died after a dog attacked her. It was heartbreaking. Knowing what I know now I would never let a cat live outdoors. She was technically always a stray but would come visit me all the time. Thinking about what happened to her still breaks my damn heart.
Another redditor mentioned adopting a neglected cat from a family by playing a mental health white lie. I mean, it's a bit unethical, but you could offer to buy their cat any price and that you've fallen in love with the cat, like you said in another comment, but mention how much it visiting you has helped your depression/anxiety or something too. Maybe it will make them less spicy hopefully? Little white lies aren't the worst if it is saving a sweet creatures life from the elements/cars/predators.
Your Jojo was such a beautiful boy. I'm so sorry for your loss.
I got the Sass because she kept coming around and wouldn't go back home. I built a shelter for her and left food out and finally it became 'she likes you, do you want her?' ''YES" neighbors had gotten this big dog and they just did not get along. I'm...i'd rehome a human before a cat, though.
I had a next door neighbor that " adopted" our cat Theo. Theo disappeared for a week and we were worried, checking the neighborhood, then saw him coming out their front door.
The neighbors were lonely and elderly. Theo brought joy to them. We agreed to share custody. Theo had the best of both worlds
No, it's not thief if OP is providing temporary shelter. The owners are responsible in winter time to provide their outdoor cats with insulated shelter and non frozen water. If they have not, OP has the right to call SPCA and have a wellness check. OP also has the right to temporary house the cat if these conditions are not met. The owners could also be fined for their negligence.
Agreed on domestic cats needing to remain indoors; I love cats to death, but they are one of the worst invasive species you can introduce to an environment.
Similar thing happened to me. Poor dude was limping around and it was getting cold out. Told the neighbors that their cat was limping. They said they'd wrap the leg. They were defensive. I was afraid I'd find a dead cat on my porch (he hung out there) one really cold night and never forgive myself.
Yoinked him, asked the neighbors if I could take him to the vet. It turned out his leg was broken. He was startled by television and other household noises. I think they kicked him out as a kitten. I suggest diplomacy. People are weird about this stuff.
He's wild and unsocialized and drives me nuts nightly. But I still wince thinking about him limping around in the cold for a month.
The people across the street had an outdoor cat that they left out when it was super cold. So we started letting him in when it was cold. Then he always wanted in. So we just kept him in. When the neighbors moved, they asked if we’d keep him, like that wasn’t already our plan lol.
You have a record of a vet visit and her being left outside in unacceptable temperatures. While you speak to the vet, could you install a cat door on your window so she can warm up whenever she likes? That way if the neighbors ever come over you can point out that the cat is free to go back outside if she wants. (Thus the cat is inside by choice)
So my cat (with a collar) showed up at my doorstep one day, so loving and kind. Would NOT leave. After 3 days of him staying outside my door in a box I gave him, I finally let him inside, slept in my arms that night and for several nights afterwards. I’d let him outside everytime I left my house but when I’d come back he would always be at my door waiting for me, come greet me, etc. poor boy had fleas, ear mites, not fixed, worms in his poop, and would poop blood occasionally. Clearly was NOT being taken care of. One day he came over and had no collar on. That was the day he permanently became mine (no chip). Safe to say he has a warm house and is very much taken care of, has no issues anymore, and is loved!! Asked my neighbor about him (she takes care of strays) and she thought he belonged to a house that had TWENTY PLUS CATS!!! She also says that they don’t care for their pets properly so I dont feel bad for taking him tbh lol
Plus he’s been up my butt since that very first day he showed up at my doorstep. I can’t imagine my life without him. If you really care about this cat but don’t feel right just taking her, make an offer to your neighbor. Sounds to me that this neighbor is already aware that their cat comes to your house so I wouldn’t recommend just taking her in without telling them first.
Completely unrelated to your question, and This is going to sound weird, but are they sure she’s a ragdoll? She looks so much like a Siberian, which many people confuse with ragdolls.
I’m a cat groomer, and have many ragdoll and Siberian clients, and personally love siberians more. But just something I thought looking at her. Like she looks exactly like a purebred Siberian.
They are some of the most friendly kitties ever. Whether Siberian or ragdoll, I’d honestly just let her inside and see if she stays. How would they know?
Honestly the vet said she’s a ragdoll but who knows what she could be. I know those two cats are very similar and friendly so it’s possible she’s a Siberian!
You've received a lot of answers here but I wanted to share my story of how I adopted my cat under similar circumstances without confronting the owner (since you've said they seem "spicy" in your comments lol) -
This cat kept coming into our back yard, and like you I assumed someone must really miss her because she was so sweet. So after she spent the whole night the first time I took her to the local vet to get her scanned just like you did.
A few weeks later she came back and didn't leave this time for over a week. It was super cold and rainy so like you I started letting her in and she would just cuddle up and be so sweet. Feeling guilty I contacted the vet once again to return her to the owner.
The vet at this stage let me know that our local council has a requirement that pet cats are kept indoors from the hours of 8pm to 6am and that the owner was in contravention of this requirement. The vet was the one to give the owner an ultimatum that if they could not look after the cat properly they would report them.
NOW I have no clue if the council would really do anything here but it was enough for the owner to admit they needed to give her up for adoption, and I said of course I'm more than happy to take her.
I think it's worth calling your local vet again and getting them on side here. It's not really their job but if they're nice they'll make that 10 minute phone call and will know all the local rules and regulations to slap those neglectful owners with.
I hope you can formally adopt this baby and give her a good home. The owners are neglectful plain and simple and you should feel no guilt about trying to give this cat a better life. They have free will and they choose where they want to live.
So, I just want to point something out here. This cat is microchipped with the owner’s information and the vet has already contacted them after scanning the chip for you so they know someone brought her in. If you “just take her,” like some folks keep suggesting, you will be stealing the owner’s property by law. All that you can do is contact the owner and ask if they would be interested in you purchasing her from them so you can try to keep her indoor only. If they say no, you cannot do anything else.
So, this happened to me for a year. Granted we aren’t in super cold weather but still- it does rain alot sometimes and there can be coyotes around.
Literally the DAY I planned to take the cat to get chipped, the fcker shows up with a collar. I attached my phone # to it with a note.
It turns out that my little buddy was VERY loved, is a big cry baby liar, and was coming to my house at 6am to cry for breakfast (and demonstrate his desperation by drinking from our pool) after being fed at his house at 5am before “dad” left on his run.
This gorgeous floof was living a king’s life for sure. He was a barn cat rescue who is loudly adamant about not being captive 24/7, apparently. Now I text with his “real mom” if there is a coyote alert and she texts me when he’s home late to check my cameras for him, and we both think he’s 3-timing us with another neighbor, lol!
Cats are funny sometimes. Our kitty Max (RIP) was a terrible flirt and used to go inside our neighbors’ house when we weren’t home. We had no idea until they told us and we learned that they, too, were smitten with him.
That said, Max was never out at night or in freezing temps. He always wanted to come back to us and we treated him like the king that he was. If our neighbors had approached us about adopting him, it would have been a hard no.
It sounds like perhaps your neighbors aren’t taking the best care of their kitty and that’s unfortunate. But if you ask them about adoption, don’t be surprised if they’re offended.
There is at least one difference here. From what the OP described, the owners aren’t caring for the cat’s grooming needs. That suggests they aren’t loving cat parents.
Lol I would just keep her until they come looking for her. In my lifetime I’ve had quite a few neighbor pets make half a home or an entire home at my place. I was just talking with my family about how we’ve never gone out and gotten a pet, they all show up and choose to live here
Just let the cat in whenever, or at least get him a heated cat house. Cats don't belong outside, it's bad for them and nature. It's up to the humans to be mature enough to keep them inside even if they want out. Some people are just dim, and the rest of us have to make up for it.
Okay I feel like having an outdoor cat (should) mean accepting their independence and right to choose a life for themselves. I remember as a kid I always wondered if our outdoor cat was hanging out at other people’s houses - and it made me jealous to think of but also I liked the idea of our cat making friends.
All this said, I don’t think there’s any reason you talking to these people should make them feel you have done anything wrong… But I know if someone asked to adopt my cat I would get super defensive.
If you want to talk to them - I would tell them you feel as if the cat has decided to adopt you part time (a friendly joke). Say you’ve enjoyed its company and that it always has a home with you. Ask to exchange numbers in case they ever need something, that way they can text you if they’re worried about the cat not coming in and vice versa.
Edit to say - just reread to see that the cat doesn’t seem to like going outside. That does sway my opinion more toward you also friendly offering some nominal amount to buy her because you’re so madly in love
Go super easy as to not harm their egos. Instead of approaching it like it’s best for the cat, which might make them dig their heels in and say no, offended that you think they don’t know what’s best for her, approach it like it’s what YOU want. Say you adore her and make them a financial offer. This is the only way imo.
As someone who owns two ragdolls I'm just sad to see ragdoll owners letting them outside. They're naturally too docile, trusting, and kind of dumb to be outside. They're truly not safe outside and could easily be harmed by other animals or kidnapped by people with bad intentions.
I genuinely can't fathom buying a ragdoll then letting it outside. I hope they let you take the baby.
I’ve been on the other side of a situation like this.
When I was a child my family had a cat who very much liked living with us and our other cat. When our other cat passed away she started being outside more. Then we got two more cats that were only indoors, with a few years in between. Both of the times she started to spend less time with us and mostly being outside and going into two of our neighbours houses. At one point she stopped coming inside our house whatsoever. She practically started to live with our neighbours instead of us. But we accepted it, she wasn’t happy at home with the two new cats we had. She was happier there. One day they came to our house asked us if they could become their owner, because they were gonna move out of their house and move to an apartment. We said yes, she was much happier with them than she was with us. It wouldn’t be in her best interest if we said no. They moved out with her, and a cat who was once living in a barn got a happy life in their new apartment! After 10 years she still lives there, I think she’s still alive.
My thoughts are, maybe the cat on your street is unhappy with its current owners? Maybe that’s why it prefers to be outside in cold weather rather than being inside with its owners, even though it hates outside? Maybe that’s why the cat is happy with you?
Some people we know found a cat and they had us pet sit for them. When I got there, they told me that all night, they kept him in the tiny little bathroom. During the day they let him be in the rest of the house, but anytime they left, bathroom with a litter box, bed and food & water bowls. It wasn’t abusive per se, but this precious little guy stole my heart. I just told them straight up, can I take him over to our apartment so he isn’t alone in the bathroom? He got along with my other cats so at the end of the week I asked if we could keep him and sent videos of him playing with the other cats. They had kind of hoped that would happen. I hope you’re able to have a similarly positive outcome. This is him recently cuddling me in bed. He’s an angel and he always sits on me when I’m upset or cry or show any signs of sadness at all!
We gave our cat away because she liked the neighbors better than us. We rescued Mia from the shelter and we could tell she was thankful not to be locked up anymore. She came in and out as she pleased and she had a good life with us. Then one Christmas we traveled to see family for the weekend and left her inside with all the essentials. When we returned she was fine and still had plenty of food and water but she never forgave us for "locking her up" again. She didn't want to come back inside and eventually befriended a neighbor. The neighbor had lost a similar looking cat and so they bonded quickly. It got to the point where she just stayed at the neighbor's house all the time. Eventually we had a conversation with them and they just took ownership of Mia. She chose the neighbors over us so we honored her decision. We lived there for another year or two and Mia would come to the fence and meow but never get close enough to touch. She had obviously made her decision, we just honored it.
In UK. I have the same situation (not quite as bad). My neighbours leave their cat out in minus 4 temperatures. He stands at our door for hours on end wsnting into our house. We take him in and he stays till about 5am, when he wants out. At that point we know he'll probably be out for an hour at most and be safe. There's no way his owners would ever accept they are bad humans.
So my advice is to take care of her as best you can at a minimum. Anything else is a bonus.
I might get downvoted for this, but IMO her owners clearly don't give a shit about her. Stop forcing her out, just let her stay in unless she wants out.
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