‘I would be stealing someone's cat’: Neglectful neighbors give their 10-year-old son a kitten without helping him care for it, concerned cat mom contemplates stealing the kitten to give it a better life

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Mar 19, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

We have a soft spot in our heart for animals in need. We know that we are all about cats here at I Can Has Cheezburger (because cats are the best), but no matter if it's a cat, a dog, a bird, or a snail, we can't not help an animal that could use some hooman intervention. However, what do you do if the hoomans are the problem? Not everyone is cut out to be a cat owner, it's just as simple as that. A lot of people don't know how to care for cats, and if the cats need help…do you break the rules and save them?

This story is mixed up with pawsitively ethical dilemma. A concerned cat mom saw that her neighbors gave their 10-year-old son a kitten, but didn't teach him how to care for it. The cat is left outside and isn't being fed correctly. Should she step in and steal the cat to give it a better life? What would you do? Read below to see what choice she made…even if it isn't one we would have chosen ourselves.

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  • 01
    How unethical would it be to steal my neighbor's cat?
    via fotocelia

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My neighbors have a 10 year old kid, and they gave this kid a kitten.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 03
    I fist found out about this when I found a kitten alone outside, and thinking it was lost/abandoned, I brought it inside. Eventually this kid showed up and asked about the cat.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 04
    This isn't the first time it's happened. Some years back same thing happened with a different kitten, but that time someone else in the neighborhood kept the kitten (neighbors never found out).
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 05
    I am sure this poor kitten is not being fed properly. I've asked the kid about it and he says that he feeds it milk, cheese and ham. The kitten also spends all day outside sleeping under cars, and I've heard fights with other cats.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 06
    I leave out food and water for him, bu when the kid isn't at school, he keeps the cat inside and it worries me so much that he's keeping the poor kitten without food or water.
    via u/lemoncry_

  • We honestly can't decide what we would do in this situation. On one hand, the cat needs help. On the other hand, the kid also needs help. But imagine going to court and being the person defending themselves after stealing a 10-year-old's cat? Not a good look.

  • 07
    Disclaimer- I'm not blaming the kid. I'm blaming the parents, and I despise their lack of responsibility or care for their child.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 08
    I keep thinking of simply stealing this cat, and find him a proper home. But I also wonder if this kitten dissapears, how much time until these idiot parents get the kid another unfortunate kitten? And the cycle would continue.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 09
    I don't think authorities would do anything about this. I've tried talking to the kid on how to take care of a cat, but he's not all that intereted. I just dont know what to do.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 10
    *** Thank you everyone for your input, I know this is a sensitive topic and it s ks to see an animal in a compromised situation.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10480646400
    via Dmitry Egorov

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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  • 12
    That said, I don't think this situation has a perfect solution. I know taking the cat myself and lying about it may seem like the right thing to do, but I was also a kid that didn't take proper care of its pets because my parents didn't help me or educate me on how to do it. So what I want to do, is help this kid care for his pet.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 13
    Take also into consideration that I have two cats already to take care of, one of which is a kitten herself, so a third would be more than I can afford.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 14
    I will always provide food and water to the kitten when it's outside, I will also offer the neighbors a bag of food and my help vaccinating and neutering the kitten. Thankfully we don't have any large predators, or live near traffic, so my main corcern is to keep the kitten fed and as healthy as possible.
    via u/lemoncry_
  • 15
    . Ok-Kaleidoscope5627 1d ago Do what let's you sleep at night.
    via u/Ok-Kaleidoscope5627
  • 16
    There is a risk that they'll get another cat, and you might have to do something about it again. Eventually however the neglectful parents would get fed up with their kid constantly "losing" cats and stop getting him more. That's probably the best you can hope for.
    via u/Ok-Kaleidoscope5627
  • 17
    electric29 • 1d ago Milk, cheese and ham. That kitten will if you don't steal it.
    via u/electric29
  • 18
    Soft-ivy 1d ago 1d ago Edited 1d ago Absolutely keep the cat and if they ask, send them on a goose chase down the road. You could throw in a "I actually heard someone say they saw a kitten hit out on the road and they took it home but not sure if that was yours sorry" which is a horrible thing to say but... better than a neglected kitten
    via u/Soft-ivy
  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10480647680
    via Yan Krukau from Pexels

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 20
    orcabones · 1d ago • It's actually the most ethical thing you can do when someone is leaving a cat outside. It's yours now
    via u/orcabones

  • If the cat is sleeping outside and doesn't have a chip, is it technically the neighbor's cat? Legally, no, but ethically, yes. This one is a doozy. What would you do? Would you steal the kitten for the greater good?

  • 21
    unmilkedcows • 1d ago . Kitten probably doesn't have a chip and in that case, it's a free cat and not owned. Maybe take it to a vet to see if it's chipped (probably isn't) and if it isn't, I'd say it's yours.
    via u/unmilkedcows
  • 22
    Meant4the60s 1d ago Ten year olds don't always tell the whole truth. It COULD be possible that the kitten gets a bowl of dry cat food every day put out by parents but THE KID feeds it "treats" like ham, cheese and cream. Both can be true at the same time. Heck,
    via u/Meant4the60s
  • 23
    my kid will tell you he feeds his cat Temptations and catnip, and might not mention I feed the cat his dry food daily. I would find out more before taking action.
    via u/Meant4the60s
  • 24
    If you take this cat there's a good chance they'll just get him another. Gently educate this kid and he will care for every cat moving forward.
    via u/Meant4the60s
  • 25
    ThePercysRiptide • 1d ago Man this whole sub is awful. How about maybe have a conversation with the kid about the things he can be doing to take better care of his cat? Or maybe contact his parents first?
    via u/ThePercysRiptide
  • 26
    Fall these comments telling you it's okay to steal someone's animal based on what limited set of information you have. And if you do, prepare to fight it in court, as the guy that stole a 10 year olds kitten. That sounds like it'll be fun.
    via u/ThePercysRiptide
  • 27
    On top of that if you do this his parents will probably just get him another one. Are you going to steal that one too? This is not a long term solution and is only going to make you look like a
    via u/ThePercysRiptide
  • 28
    Ready_Willingness_82 1d ago • Could you maybe use this as an opportunity to educate these people - and in particular the child? You could show them what to buy and how to feed the cat. Or you could simply feed the cat whenever it's outside. This kid obviously loves the cat, and if you teach. him how to care for it properly he will go on to care for other cats in the same way.
    via u/Ready_Willingness_82

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neighbors cat mom stealing kitten animal rescue worried feline cat rescue forever home Cats loving cute kittens animals son rescue
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