Again - Someone tried to steal our cat what to do?
Posted by notintodentify@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 44 comments
This is an update really on the previous thread a few days ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskABrit/s/lfGq6WuZCi
Someone jsut tried today we took it he dogs out for a walk together. Coming back up the hill to our street two children were trying to get our cats attention.
The car back door was open with a woman in the back seat and nobody in the drivers seat. When we came up they look startled like they were up to no good.
I shouted across “can I help you” and the boy looked worried. My partner got their cat type and licence plate this time.
They stayed there with engine on for 15-20 minutes while my partner got our cats attention out of a tree and took him home while I stayed there.
Eventually they gave up when my partner returned and they left.
We called 101. I know we should have been more careful right away but we were working on it by looking and building a catio around our back garden for him. But understand he’s an outdoor cat. He was born outdoors in a rural setting at workand rescued as we couldn’t find parents and no houses nearby and he wasn’t microchipped and he was skinny.
Lesson learned big time. He’s now a house cat until we get a catio setup for him.
We have also posted this on our neighbourhood facebook group to warn others and included who they were and car colour/make.
We have been looking at recommended protectapet but this might be out our price range at the moment. Has anyone got any other ideas? It’s only a small back garden maybe 4x4 meters and high fenced so that might make it a bit easier.
Just wanted to give an update and ask advice about outside space for him etc
Serious_Badger_4145@reddit
Has your cat got a collar? That'll make it obvious it has a owner to anyone walking past if this happens. Have you tried actually talking to them and telling them it's your cat?
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
The anti snag ones w rude before but he loses them because he climbs trees. We went through six in a month then four the next month and gave up with them. I tried calling them but they retreated and looked really uncomfortable. We used his name last time and this time so it’s kinda obvious he’s our cat. I so wishes it wasn’t something mundane the first time as I wasn’t there my partner was. But this time I was and it was clear they were trying to lure the cat and get it into the back of the car
borokish@reddit
You can buy really cheap collars on the internet, safety ones as well. Our cats used to lose them a lot.
RidethatSeahorse@reddit
Ones that are high vis are good.
ShowerNo4684@reddit
People just gotta be wild like fr what is wrong
Flash__PuP@reddit
I can’t help in any way but I really want to see how cute your cat is to drive this family to crime.
weedywet@reddit
Keep your cat inside. Plenty of people have already said this.
chrisridd@reddit
Get him chipped and registered ASAP. Your vet should be able to do this.
Livewire____@reddit
I don't think chopping the animal to bits will help much.
SoggyWotsits@reddit
Well it will make him harder to catch!
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
He is chipped now but he wasn’t when we reduced him. The first thing we did was take him to the vet to see who his owner was but there wasn’t one and with him being so skinny the vet suggested we hike him if we can
Away-Ad4393@reddit
Was it the same people as before?
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Same children but this time it was their mother rather than their father
Away-Ad4393@reddit
Oh my goodness you’d think they’d have realised after the first try that you own the cat. I hope the police were helpful.
Fuzzy_Jaguar_1339@reddit
Thank you for keeping him indoors. Not only does this dramatically increase his expected lifespan, you'll also stop contributing to the extinction-level threat that loose cats are having on many species right now. Cats can he quite happy indoors.
snoozed68@reddit
I dont get why people are trying to steal cats ,,there are so many abandoned poor cats why not go to a shelter and remove one 😳😳
First-Lengthiness-16@reddit
You need to keep that cat inside.
A lot of snowflakes will comment that it is bad for the cat, that its quality of life will drastically decrease?
Yeah it will, so what? It’s a fucking cat and therefore your property.
You keeping ownership of it is much more Important that the quality of life of a cat.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
I’m sorry I understand the sentiment here but I have to disagree here. Legally it’s my “property” but he is still a sentient being with needs an comforts. I do believe he should not go out under any circumstances unsupervised - but I also believe a secure outside space should be provided. He’s not just an iPhone or a TV and I can’t treat him like he is.
First-Lengthiness-16@reddit
So then why are you locking him in your house? That’s not a good life for a cat used to being outside
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
I’m locking him in the house temporarily while building a secure back garden outdoor cat space. Because that’s better than him being catnapped, sold for dog fighting or killed to eat. Literally a short while to provide a safe space for him
Final_Flounder9849@reddit
You’re clearly going to have to keep him indoors from now on.
First-Lengthiness-16@reddit
Agreed man. Cats quality of life is very much secondary here
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
That’s without a shadow of a doubt until we build the catio and move our Ring camera to the back gate and a “Smile you’re on CCTV sign” on the gate
OkTadpole2920@reddit
Was it the same woman?
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Was a man the first time (father?) and woman the next (mother)?
Inevitable-Height851@reddit
I used Tractive when mine was a kitten, it's like a tracking device, goes round the neck, and there's an app shows you where the cat is.
Or maybe a cat cam to go round neck? They seem quite cheap..
I understand your worry, mine goes out all the time, she'd go absolutely nuts if I kept her in. And she has a really fulfilling life outside so I don't want to keep her in.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Ours wa rescued as a skinny kitten from a really urban setting at work so used to being out too. When he’s been unwell he manages a few days indoors. Gives us a bit of time to get a secure outside area for him in our back garden
Inevitable-Height851@reddit
Be good to do it now before the weather turns properly warm. My cat likes being out a lot more in warm bright weather.
I've got a collar with her name and my phone number on her, maybe you could do that. I also read about creating a natural boundary with citrus, make a kind of spray solution with orange and lemon peel.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
We tried collars we went through five one month and four the next. Because h loves to climb trees I think he loses the anti snag ones so quickly
ThePodd222@reddit
Definitely house arrest for your cat! Was it the same car you saw last time?
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Same one yes 😤
AffectTraditional244@reddit
I just can’t understand a family deciding to steal someone’s cat and attempting it two times??!
Like who sees a cat outside and thinks “oh yes I like that one he’s mine now”?! Do they not have a conscience? What kind of example are they showing their kids??
Do they not know there are many shelters to choose from?
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
My boyfriend just said the exact same thing. It’s a disgrace, and to get your children to do that hard bit of getting the cst to them too! I worked in retail and caught several kids on separate eocsdeioms used to do the dirty work and steal stuff off the shelves while their grown ups distracted staff so I’m not surprised - but I’m surprised still yanno? Ther are shelters but you’re looking at least £100-150 for a rescue cat these days. Then if your home isn’t right or you she young children they don’t like to give the cats to them homes. Then what if it’s more sinister - for dog fighting or to eat the cat etc? You jsut don’t know. Our eyes are opened and we will keep him in until we have a safe outside space wether he likes it or not is better than being catnapped
M_Poppins128@reddit
Did you make a full police report on them? It might be enough to scare them off if they talk to them. Keeping him inside and building a secure catio sounds like a good plan
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Yes full disclosure police report full details of who they were what they looked like and their car model and colour etc
M_Poppins128@reddit
Sounds like you're doing everything you can for now
Urban_Peacock@reddit
If it happens again, take pictures of the car and the driver, print them and post them around d the neighbourhood and at local stores with a warning.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
I kept telling my partner to take photos but he wouldn’t and I left my phone at home. W have described the car and colour and people etc and posted on neighbourhood watch group. There’s almost 1k people in there. People already saying they are going to keep an eye on their cars or keep them in. We also suggested them making catios too
Which_Specific9891@reddit
Question-- is it at all possible that they were the original family for him and they're trying to figure out if it's their cat?
‼️ Make sure his microchip is up to date, and I would also alert the vets in the area that someone is trying to steal your cat. This is for 2 reasons 1-- just in case they are doing it to any other cats, so they can alert the community. 2-- just in case someone does take off with your cat, you can let them know and they can be on the alert and make sure to scan every cat that comes in to make sure the person bringing them in is the correct family they should be associated with.
I'm sorry your cat has been threatened, I hope you can sort things out to keep him safe, keep him happy so he can wander, and also have the police look into things to keep him safe. Good luck, friend.
Material-Net-5171@reddit
Wonder if those people think your cat is a cat that they lost.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
You should have seen how shifty they were. The most bizarre strange behaviour from them. They definitely don’t think it’s their missing cat
CappucinoCupcake@reddit
Katzecure did my garden. It’s now eight years old and the cats love being able to go outside safely.
notintodentify@reddit (OP)
Thank you we will check this out we are sort of capable with DIY. If not his nether is a construction worker
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