I thought that I would update this thread! “Nipper” is now at home sleeping in my armchair. After the comments on the night of starting this thread, my mind kicked into gear. I was able to find online a Cats Protection leaflet (amongst others) that laid out in clear terms that cats are property, and what you are expected to do if you find a lost/stray animal! Which I emailed to the officer in charge, because she and her superiors did not have the right information. In fact I spoke to several officers due to the shift/leave patterns. I was promised my calls would be returned and they rarely where! I have calls from County H.Q. informing me that I would hear back, I am still awaiting calls back from Sat 15th Sept and Mon 17th.
To cut a long story short, I visited the “Catnappers” home but failed to regain the cat. But I did record the Husband stating that if I paid the vets bill I could have him returned. (Which was soon done.) Prior to this the wife had stated she was rehoming the cat, because we could not care for him. Yes I admit he was ill and looked a bit of a state, but we had obtained a course of treatment which was being given. So due to their actions we had had to pay for two sets of treatment! We offered them to visit us to see our other cats and the treatment we where using on “Nipper” They where not interested. I should state at this point the moment they know the cat was ours, is the time that the law requires them to return the animal, they have no power to remove the animal, only the R.S.P.C.A. and the Police can do that. One further point being that the vet they took him to didn’t call the R.S.P.C.A. which they should have done if they had concerns.
After speaking once more to the Police I was advised not to go back to their property (Mainly due to the veiled threat of dogs!) Unable to get contact by phone or email and with the Friday rehoming deadline, wife and myself where at wits end, I contacted various local and non local cats’ homes to inform them of this situation. I write a formal letter requesting the return of the cat, which I had delivered to their roadside mailbox. On Sun 16th phone call from the wife, informing that we could have the cat back because it had run away while they where feeding him! Strange as this animal will not pass a plate with crumbs on it! So a few very choice words and a promise that I would see them in court!
The upshot being on the following Tuesday afternoon, a phone call from the vets the cat had been handed in and could be collected from them, all very strange!
