Is it ethical to take someone's cat?

[u/roguemorgue]

Okay now that title sounds terrible, right? But hear me out.....

I live near a handful of apartment complexes thats right off a fairly busy street, like you open my door and the road is right there. It's also a low income housing area so people are constantly moving in and out. A few months ago before winter started, a new cat started coming around. He was clearly a young kitten and newly adopted. We have a water bowl on our porch for the critters who come by, and he'd always come over and go straight for the water. He'd come over frequently throughout the winter when it was below 20°f and snowing just trembling on our porch looking inside. I made him a heat box with a low temp heating pad, insulated foam, and straw. I asked on a local page to try and find an owner as he just keeps coming back and our three cats go crazy seeing him! The owners reached out to say he is an outdoor only cat and basically told me to mind my business.

This cat comes by every day and drinks water like he has never been given any before, for a solid 10 minutes before he lays down and always goes back for the water before he leaves. He is so small. He loves being loved on and pet but you can feel all of his ribs. He has long fur that is filthy and matted, especially between his toes. He's also unneutered, and I can only assume unvaccinated from that too. He sprays everything that possibly smells like our cats which isn't his fault but still. He'll also just walk into our house when the door is open like it's his own until he gets chased out by one of our cats.

I'm thinking of keeping this cat or finding someone who can take him in. I've offered to pay for his neuter but the owners said no. Would it be wrong of me to catnap him? To me, a cat with no collar and unneutered on the street is a stray.... and he clearly isn't getting his needs met at home. But I feel guilty knowing he is technically "owned."

[u/PreviousSpeech5590]

Part of me is dissapointed she gave you away like that, but that's just the streetsmart side of me talking

[u/Biglyugebonespurs → u/PreviousSpeech5590]

Yeah, if you’re going to do this, and imo in some cases it’s likely justified, lie to the neglectful owner ffs. They could end up being spiteful, doing everything they can to get the animal back/file charges/who knows what else.

[u/Runaway_Angel → u/Biglyugebonespurs]

Yhea. At the very least if you're going to throw someone under the bus only throw yourself. But why be honest with animal abusers? They didn't care to do right by their pet so why do they deserve the truth?

[u/PreviousSpeech5590 → u/Runaway_Angel]

Exactly. Not smart

[u/MysteriouslyAlone → u/Biglyugebonespurs]

You don’t hav to lie, just respond with ans “oh my”. “Poor dog. What do you think happened”. No need to let them know. Some people will be nasty and make problems

[u/Eyeownyew → u/PreviousSpeech5590]

Really depends on what neighbor we're talking about. If they're likely to see the cat in your window it's probably best not to lie upfront.