Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Ohio

keeping an abandoned cat

Our neighbor moved last winter and abandoned her outdoor female cat.This neighbor did not take very good care of her while she had her-eg. she didn't feed her properly, left the cat and the 1st litter of kittens out in the cold. The kittens were dehydrated and malnutritioned. We started taking care of this cat due to the fact that it was winter and we felt that she should not have to suffer thru the winter cold with no food. Recently the old neighbor has been around looking for the cat (who just had another litter of kittens). By law are we to turn this cat over to the old neighbor or are we legally able to keep her. This neighbor had many chances to take the cat with her, it sat under her car while she was moving things from the house. Thank you for your time.


Asked on 6/01/05, 12:27 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Joseph Jacobs Jacobs & Lowder

Re: keeping an abandoned cat

Sounds to me like she abandoned the cat. It's yours now. I would make her sue to get it back but the key word in your defense is "abandoned." If have anything and you leave it for a long enough period of time, then you have abandoned it - just like a couch on your front tree lawn. Once she left that cat for a long enough period of time that the cat had to feed itself, I would consider that abandoned. If the police or court get involved, get a lawyer.

Joe

216-952-1990

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Answered on 6/06/05, 6:51 am


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