'They had every resource to find the cat, and they just haven't yet': Neighbors borderline steal neglected cat, turn it into a shelter for adoption, then wonder if they did the right thing

What makes a cat a pet? Is it that you feed them every day? Is it because you give them a place to sleep? Because they come when you call their name? Who knows what really makes a cat someone's pet, but this idea will be crucial for the remainder of this article. When you have an outdoor cat, you have to accept that they will go out and be a part of other families. It's in the cat's nature to seek comfort from hoomans.

But if the cat keeps coming to you, despite being the "neighbor's cat", when do you start to take ownership of it if they clearly aren't? When do you take matters into your own paws? Well, we're not sure there's a "right" answer to that question, but a decision must be made. When one family started feeling that their neighbor's outdoor cat was being neglected, they took the kitty and turned them into the shelter. The neighbors still have not come to get their fluffy feline. Did they do the right thing, or did they steal someone's cat?

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Took a neighbor cat to the shelter… he’s now up for adoption and we aren’t sure what to do

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The first thing you do when you get a cat is you take them to the vet, get vaccinated, and get a microchip. That way, even if something happens to your cat, there is always a way to trace it back to you. This family didn't even do that.
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We would adopt the cat and give them limited visitation rights. You have to think about the cat's best interests - and those are to be safe, protected, and not to cause more problems with other cats.
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