A few weeks ago I found a young cat in the street with no collar, looking distressed. I took him home and brought him to a vet, who confirmed he wasn’t microchipped.
I put up posters but no one contacted me, so after a month I took them down. I assumed he had been abandoned so had the cat chipped and vaccinated and bought all the supplies. Now I’ve received a text from someone saying I have their cat. Surely he’s mine now?
Name and address supplied.
Dean Dunham replies: I am sorry to complicate what has clearly been an act of great kindness, but the law here may not give you the answer you’re hoping for.
The uncomfortable starting point is that, in the eyes of the law, a pet cat is treated as property. Finding lost property, even if you care for it devotedly, does not automatically transfer ownership to you.
