Conference misery::feline_v1

    What a terrible story!! It is sooo heartbreaking! This 
    happened to my grandmother about 5 years ago. She had 
    to move in with us and she brought her cat along. His
    name was Trixie (We thought it was a girl at first 8)
    so we kept the name!) But Trixie was let out only a 
    couple of times before he was Catnapped and brought 
    out to the boonies !!!! We found out who took him 
    and come to find out-he thought it didnt belong to 
    anyone even though he had a flea collar on! He said
    he bothered his birdfeeder! GOD it hurts when I think 
    how this guy took our cat like that ! My grandmother had
    him for 13 years ! We went out to where he jut DROPPED him
    offf and we searched and searched and searched with no luck.
    What a terrible time... We never found Trixie and I prayed to
    god that someone found him and took GOOD care of him...  8(
    
    SueJ & Alex

    I believe vet records and pictures are valid evidence of ownership.  It
    is unfortunate that some folks feel that every cat that goes outside is
    neglected.  However, I don't think there was enough information in .0
    to establish why the cat was taken in the first place.  Was it being
    forced outside?  Did the woman leave it out day and night with no
    food/water or shelter?  Was it fixed?  I have two indoor/outdoor cats
    who are fortunately terrified of strangers so keep a safe distance from
    people and noise.  I try to keep them indoors whenever possible but in
    the warm weather I hardly ever see them until they are hungry and want
    to eat.... and most of the time they will sit on the back deck and look
    at me through the slider with this "I'd like to dine out tonight Mom"
    gleam in their eyes.  So I put food and water out on the deck and
    they're happy.  Some folks might interpret my actions as neglect, but
    the neighbors know I love them and they have an open invitation to come
    into the house anytime they want.  They are vaccinated, vet checked
    annually, brushed and combed daily (I get them while they're sunning on
    the deck and they love to be fussed over), and are not allowed to
    harbor parasites.  This doesn't mean they don't get them on occasion
    (the ticks this year are AWFUL!), but I am always on top of things in
    regards to their overall health.
    
    I haven't been following the story and it appears there are some
    missing links.  The woman who took the cat might truly be a froot
    loop, or perhaps the lady who owns the cat really was neglecting it in
    some way.
    

    Sorry about the missing links.  The woman who owns the cat apparently
    let it out during the day while she works.  The cat preferred to be
    outside.  The woman who took the cat refused to take the cat to a vet
    to be sure it was being neglected.  The owner tried to talk her into
    doing this to prove she was neglecting the cat.  When the people from
    the local police called, the woman told them she had just lost her
    kitten to FELV and it was her mission to rescue and save all the
    neglected cats.  When the court officers called and told her to return
    the cat, she simple disappeared with the cat.  She left behind a
    husband.  To me it doesn't sound like this woman is playing with a full
    deck.  That's all the story gives for details.
    
    Kim
    

    No, it doesn't sound like she's playing with a full deck.  I imagine
    that if the husband is concerned enough he will try to find his wife
    and hopefully the cat will still be with her.  I would think that the
    cat wouldn't be in any danger - i imagine she is using him/her as a
    replacement for the one she lost.  This is so very sad and scary.  One
    volunteer that I worked with would taken it upon himself that any
    outside cat that he had seen around more than two or three times had to
    be rescued.  His heart was in the right place but his mind was little
    out of it.  He almost snatched up this lady's cat one day when I was
    with him - I knew the cat had a home - but he wouldn't believe it -
    until the lady poked her head out the window and let him have it!
    
    Keep us posted - I hope both the cat and lady are ok.
    
    Giudi
    

	It's quite odd looking at the outdoor issue from the UK.

	It is normal for cats to be outdoors/indoors, mostly with catflaps, but
	quite often outside all day.

	What does upset many people, is the thought of an "indoor only" cat, 
	and that this must be mistrating the cat, keeping it in all day.

	I can just imagine a group of Americans and British in the same area,
	The British going along and opening all the doors to let the cats
	out, and the Americans going along opening all the doors to let
	the cats in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

	Heather	

    According to the paper, the cat has returned to the proper owner.  The
    woman who took the cat was not charged with anything.  However now that
    it has been published, I am sure it will be a while before she can live
    it down.  I couldn't believe it, because it was a cat they didn't press
    charges.  Geez give me a break!  The woman who stole a baby because she
    had a miscarriage was at least put into therapy.  I know I know some
    people will say, it was only a cat.  It's still a living thing, and the
    poor owner had to go through alot emotionally.  Oh well at least the
    story had a happy ending.
    
    Kim
    

    Thats is wonderful to hear...!!!
    It really gets me mad when people say:Its only a cat.
    Thats bull! Only US devoted cat lovers know the meaning
    of the word cat=LOVE.
    
    SueJ & Alex
    

    I'm glad she got her cat back, but I can't BELIEVE they can't press
    charges!! Never mind, stealing a kid, if you stole her credit cards,
    or even a jacket....you'd have charges brought up on you faster than
    you know! Sometimes I just don't understand our judicial system (not
    that I disapprove of it, but...)!
    
    Bon 

    re: .5 -  Your comments made me smile and I needed that in the
    middle of this discussion.
    
    I am very glad the cat is back with its owner.  I am also very
    very sorry that the woman who catnapped it hasn't received
    some therapy.  I would suspect that she feels partially responsible
    for the death of her kitten and is having trouble forgiving herself
    for whatever she imagined she did to contribute to the kitten's
    death.  She is probably trying to "undo" what she perceives she did
    wrong with her kitten by "saving" this other cat.
    
    And nevermind "its only a cat".  What matters is how the person is
    reacting to the loss, not what the loss was.
      Nancy