# Look what followed me home from school



## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

Michelle said:


> They have about 15 cats so they dont notice when one is missing. I just looked again and there he is...


are you serious?? I'm pretty sure that's hording and illegal


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## myfunnyvalentine (Mar 9, 2010)

That is so sweet. I had that happen to me before but once the cat got in, he didn't want out and did about everything to keep that from happening. Cats seem to gravitate towards people when they need something. Are your neighbors cats all outside cats? But 15 thats crazy. :arrogant (2):


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

cats are actually better equipped to fend for themselves than our dogs are- how many mice, birds, or other small animals has your dog killed? (none I'll bet) but for the cat is a daily natural thing to do
I wouldn't worry too much about the cat going hungry, if you're worried about his weight, catch him in a crate, and take him to the vet other wise there's not much else you can LEGALLY do, it is your neighbors cat, so keeping him in your home could be considered a theft.


btw, how's Atticus leg healing? is he all better yet?!?!  we want him to come play with us at our next poodle playdate!


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

Hahah I had a neighbor's cat follow me home one time. She was also an outside cat, a total doll. She was SO sweet, I'd known her for years cause I'd always see her chilling under the bushes on my walks around the neighborhood and I'd stop to pet her. The woman who owned her was a single mom with four children (ages 3, 5, 10, and 16 if I remember correctly) who were all home-schooled. They have four or five dogs at a time (all in the backyard, all the time), as well as anywhere between four and eight cats (sometimes one of their cats would have kittens, too, or they'd foster a litter, so that's up to 12 or so cats at once, as well as the dogs). 

Their house reeked of urine and feces; you could smell it at the opposite end of the cul-de-sac. It was disgusting, all of their animals were underfed and under socialized. They've had dogs escape from their fence and wander the neighborhood, barking and growling at people who try to return them home (and then when they finally DID get back home, the owners acted like it was totally normal for their dogs to escape. ughhh). I hate them, always have. They were "fostering" a German shepherd pup at one point for several months; he was tethered out on their front steps the ENTIRE time, stepping in his own crap and drinking out of dirty bowls. It looked like something you'd see out of "Animal cops" or something. It was atrocious, that poor pup. 

But yeah, their cat, Smudge, followed me home during the summer, we gave her some water since the bowls were empty at their neighbor's house (who leaves out food and water for the lady's outside cats who, otherwise, would probably have no food/water for days at a time). She was crazy thin, too. You could feel all her ribs and hips and stuff, yikes. Probably because she was stuck out in the hot TN summer with barely any food or water. :rolffleyes: 
She stayed with us for a few days, and I thought, "I should probably take her home". I walked her down the street and as soon as we got to the cul-de-sac where her old house was, she stopped dead. I coaxed her to come, she didn't. I picked her up so I could bring her to their house (she loves being picked up at my house or whenever I was out on walks). She was fine until we started towards the steps of their house, she was meowing, groaning, and clawing. She was very distressed, and finally jumped out of my arms and ran back to my house!! LOL I tried several more times to return her, but she refused and would go back to my house, so she stayed with us for about a year. 
They didn't notice she was gone until 9 months later, when they FINALLY started looking for her. :doh: Some people... She's gone now. We'd let her out some days and I guess they found her one day and kept her inside from then on. (but a few months later, they asked me if I'd seen Smudge.. sounds like she took up residence in someone else's house, again..) 

Hahahah oops, I'm rambling!! Relevance: sometimes neighborhood cats are better off with out their old family. Maybe you should take him to a shelter, just tell them he's a stray (since he practically is, if he wanders outside all day). But, it's up to you. Use your best judgment. I'm pretty sure having 15 cats IS illegal hoarding though...


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## *tina* (Jan 3, 2010)

On the news a few weeks ago, they had a thing about 45 cats in an apartment being rescued but that wasn't illegal. Of course, in Hawaii, pet abandonment is a fairly regular thing. I feel bad for "pets" who go un-loved. I am not a cat person, but if I had a cat follow me home and it was fairly tame, I would probably give it some water and then take it to the shelter or cat rescue.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

problem with the shelters is that you have to make sure to take it to a non kill shelter, other wise it could be put to sleep within a very short time


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Aww.. he looks REALLY sweet. He just wants to be loved.


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

That's how I got Opi and Booger. I actually took Opi to the shelter the day I found him but called back after his 3 days were up and adopted him. Booger was going to go to the shelter too, but he showed up on Friday evening. (The shelter was closed and I was smitten by Saturday night.) I have no problem taking a cat to the shelter though. Even if they are PTS, it's better than fending for themselves, starving, being hit by car, being attacked by one of the many loose dogs, hurt by the many unsupervised kids in the neighborhood or catching a disease. Plus, if they do belong to someone, maybe they will decide to keep the cat indoors or at least spay/neuter it. I don't think outdoor cats are appropriate if you live in close proximity to your neighbors. Besides all the other things I mentioned, they dig up gardens, leave waste, get into the trash cans, scratch up cars, and harass dogs. They are also detrimental to the wild bird population. And most people who keep outdoor cats never bother to spay/neuter them so they add to the pet overpopulation. I honestly think Booger came from a litter the neglected cat across the street had. I saved him, but what about the other 40 or so kittens she had over the years? (She's since disappeared.) Indoor cats live so much longer too.

There may be no limit to the number of cats you can have or a leash law for cats, but there could still be a health violation? If all the cats are outdoor cats, see if there is a trap, neuter and release program in your area.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

LOL - I my younger kid has cat allergies so I always hope some neighborhood outdoor cat will "adopt my garden" *sigh ... No luck yet : ((


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