How Much Would You Do to Return a Lost Kitty?

Congrats on a new member of the family are a bit premature, but not out-of-line. Boo Boo is worming his way into our hearts. We can't take him to a shelter where his chances are slim at best. :guilty:

To the AP, just before I read this I was talking with dh and we both thought the same thing--that the lady who brought him to the vet was the owner! And didn't know the kitty had a chip! Probably Grandma gave them the kitten for a Christmas gift and she didn't want it. Well, now Grandma knows what happened to her gift. I've managed to track down Grandma. She didn't sound senile--like she'd forget it as soon as she hung up the phone. She said her daughter had lost a cat about a week ago and her granddaughter was missing it. She also indicated that her daughter had changed phone numbers and gave me her cell. I'm calling the right number, it answers with the registered owner's name (we got that from the registration database). If I was constantly dialing a wrong number, you'd think they'd at least call back to let me know and stop the calls. Not responding seems like an admission of guilt to me. Come to think of it, the voice on the cell message sounds somewhat familiar. Kind of like the voice of the lady who brought the kitty in to the vet, but can't say for sure. Perhaps the owner moved to an apartment where she couldn't keep pets, maybe her boyfriend doesn't like cats, who knows! All I know is that I'm a sucker for a cat--especially one in distress. All my cats are hard-luck cases.

Perhaps this will bring me luck. :wizard: My mother used to say that when a cat finds you its good luck. Did Boo Boo find us? Well, it was rather odd how I was there at that time. It wasn't a vet I use or had ever been to before. I needed cat food and it was convenient. I made one last call to the owner and sent an email to Grandma. I gave them a time limit. :hourglass I told them if no one claimed the cat or made some attempt to at least contact us by Monday we would consider it to be "abandonded property" and make whatever arrangements we consider appropriate. I didn't say we would keep the cat, but, of course, that's implied. I'd hoped that a time limit would at least get some sort of response, but so far, nothing. I haven't told my kids yet that we might keep Boo Boo, because I don't want them dissappointed later. As of right now they think we will return him to the owner when claimed. However, we can't live in limbo forever wondering if Boo Boo is ours or not. I'm almost positive now that they just don't want him.

He's black & white, and anyone who's familiar with cats knows that b&w cats make wonderful pets, very affectionate and sweet-natured. We lost a b&w cat to cancer six months ago. Since then we found another b&w kitten, a half-starved stray that wasn't even weaned and we bottle-fed. He's now 8.5 pounds! I always felt he was sent us to help ease the grief of losing the cat with cancer. However, they really need to know at Rainbow Bridge that we have enough b&w cats now!

Now we have to figure out how to change the information on the chip. I don't know if it can be done by anyone other than the registered owner. Perhaps we will have to remove the chip and have a new one implanted. Question for the vet. Come Monday we will take him back to the vet and start all over with shots since we don't know his medical history. ..............for everything else, there's MasterCard!


We were thinking of buying some new furniture. Our present sectional sofa has been clawed by cats, peed on by kids (when they were younger!), and just seen better days. Well, of course its been steam cleaned. Maybe we can just re arrange the furniture so the clawed part doesn't show. I guess I'll have to wait until I'm an old lady, with no kids or pets, to have my "perfect" house. "Perfect" houses are lonely places! Welcome home, Boo Boo!!! :grouphug:
 
I hope you have a good weekend with Boo! He sounds so cute! We had a black & white kitty once, he was black with white on his face, chest, tummy & paws. Best buddy we ever had and much friendlier than the other kitties we had.
 
Okay, once you name him.......that is what happened to us. My Dh did not want us to name the last two kittens I brought home from the barn. Both were sick and needed immediate vet attention. We called them Buster and Sassy Cat, he thought just referrals to kitties. Well, Buster and Sassy have been part of our family for 9 years, but DH was sure careful about bringing new "babies" home after that. BOO BOO is a cute name.
 
Its now Saturday afternoon with no response to my phone calls and emails. I've called and emailed grandma as well as called and called the owner. I think Boo Boo is ours!

The problem is the chip. We just got our cat neutered and chipped yesterday. They gave us a "certificate of ownership". I think the chips came from the same company. Funny, I always thought those chip tracking places contacted the owner for you, not put it off on the "finder". Not that I mind, I was happy to be returning a lost kitty. Well, I've done more than most people would have! The information given me was incomplete. The local number for the owner was a non-working number. I even called the phone company and did a reverse look-up to see if there was a forwarding number. Nothing! Then Grandma's number took the most detective work. It was given as a local number, but came up as a non-working number. The exchange looked familiar to me. It was the exchange for Texas A&M, many miles from here! I recognized the 845 exchange because I used to work there (as a research librarian!). So I dialed the 845 number with the area code. I got a voice mail with another name--same last name, different first name. I left several messages with no response. Because it was a Friday I figured Grandma had gone home early. I did a Google on the name and got a home number. There again, no response. Finally, someone answered--the housekeeper, who spoke no English! Not to worry, I speak Spanish. she gave me Grandma's cell. I called and actually got ahold of Grandma. That's when I found out that I did have the right people--it was her daughter who had lost a cat fitting that description. Her daughter had changed phone numbers and she gave me her daughter's cell. That's the number I've been calling. I know its the right number because the message answers with the owner's name. I also searched A&M's databases and found Grandma's email addy. I've sent Grandma another email telling her I've had no response to the cell number she gave. Because its a weekend I'll wait until Monday for Grandma to pick up the message. However, a google revealed yet another email addy for Grandma--she owns a horse breeding business. I sent several emails there as well with no response. From what I can determine, Grandma is some sort of professor/administrator at A&M. Perhaps she's too busy to get these emails. On the other hand, people with that many responsibilities are usually quite prompt in answering their messages. Their cell and emails are their leash.

Wow, just reading all that! That's more than most people would have done! I don't mind the effort, I just want to help this kitty. However, I've done my part and then some. Face it, they just don't care. I don't know what's involved in transferring "ownership" of the cat to us, but I will be sure to keep a log of all the attempts I've made to contact the owners, the phone numbers, and the emails. Surely that should prove diligence. The law considers animals property, just like a tv or car. I just want the paperwork all in order so there's no question that Boo Boo's mine now, although from the way things are going I don't think there will ever be a dispute! BTW, Boo Boo is fitting in quite nicely with my other cats. Only thing is, we kept him in the bathroom the first day and he now thinks its his territory. He's fine with the other cats unless they come into "his" room, then he hisses! Well, they just have to work it out!
 
Well, its now Sunday night with no response from Boo Boo's owners. I did try contacting several no-kill animal shelters around here but they're full and some don't even have waiting lists. I guess Boo Boo's ours now.

He's such a sweet kitty and fits right in with our family. Not agressive or dirty, very "well-mannered". I figured the real "danger" was that I'd get so attached to him that I couldn't part with him.

I just can't understand why his owners don't at least return my calls or emails. I even emailed them that I'm not expecting a reward, and his has not bitten or scratched anyone so we're not looking for a lawsuit. I emailed them that even if he did bite or scratch someone, we took him into our home so the law would see it as our risk, the owner's couldn't be blamed. I thought perhaps they didn't want to claim the cat for fear of some sort of repraisals. I just can't understand why someone would go to all the trouble of having a cat "chipped" then not want him. Its so sad. Makes you lose your faith in human nature, if I ever really had any to begin with. I'd like to believe there's good people out there, but none have come across my path lately. Oh, well, Boo Boo is ours now. He seems happy enough with us! Still, the whole incident has left me feeling so depressed--why are people so mean? :sad2: :sad1: :confused: :sad: Guess that's just life! Welcome home, Boo Boo!!! You are now cat number four! :grouphug:
 
vhoffman said:
Welcome home, Boo Boo!!! You are now cat number four! :grouphug:[/QUOTE

:goodvibes :goodvibes I found that 4 is a lucky number when it comes to kitties. I am so glad that he found you! :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc
 
Just read through this thread and realized its over 3 weeks old. An update--Still no word from the registered owners (I've stopped calling). We now consider Boo Boo to be ours. I have to see about changing the information on the chip. I suppose they will give it one more try to locate the owners. I'm just afraid they will respond when I don't want them to. If I could just have that darned chip removed! Perhaps I should call a vet I have no intention of dealing with and "fish" for solutions. Boo Boo is a great little kitty and he looks almost exactly like a cat we lost last summer to cancer. I want him! He' s mine! :cutie: :love1: :ccat: :ccat: :ccat:
 
Congrats on the new kitty. Glad to hear he is fitting in well. Can't believe the original owners still haven't called you. I too am a big cat softie!! I don't have a black and white cat but I think he has that personality ~ he is white with tiger stripe spots and he is the biggest (and I mean biggest ~ he is over 15 pounds!!) baby ~ he will let me do just about anything to him and he just chills with me. He always follows me around and "talks" to me or anyone who will listen.
 
I'm so glad Boo-Boo found you!!!!

I hate to think of stray or abandoned kitties!!!!!

You are right....there is a reason why you were at the vet when the lady brought him in. You were his "Angel" in disguise. I feel so horribly that some people beleive that animals are not worth what human life is and that they can be "disposed" of just like that.

My Lily (cute fluffy 3 year old kitty) thanks you!
 








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