'Can we get Bruce back?': After rescuing an abandoned kitty, pawrents face pet custody battle as alleged original owners show up after 3 years demanding return of missing cat

Author image for Sarah Brown
Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
May 20, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

This is one claw-fully complicated cat tale. Bruce, a golden Maine Coon, was basically left to fend for himself when his humans vanished without a trace, which is a purrfect example of pet abandonment. After years of neglect and a furball of matted mess, kind neighbors took Bruce in, gave him the royal treatment with vet care and grooming, and made him the king of their porch.

But then Bruce went missing! When two mystery women suddenly appeared accusing the neighbors of stealing their feline, the tension went through the catalytic roof. They even brandished a "birth certificate," but neighbors confirmed no one had been clawing around looking for Bruce before. The newcomers' hissy fits and nasty social media posts left the new pawrents shaken and stressed.

Now the family is stuck in a cat fight over who truly owns Bruce. It's a tangled web of claws, accusations, and lost trust. Fingers crossed the truth comes out and Bruce can keep ruling his porch kingdom in peace.

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  • 01
    'We officially took him in'
    via By esbene / Canva

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

  • 02
    This might be a weird one, bear with me. So my neighbours used to own this beautiful golden maine coone cat, but around 2021 or 2022 at the latest, they moved out and no one knew where to.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 03
    I assumed the cat was abandoned as there were no posts online or posters around my estate, they didn't even ask anyone living around if we had seen him, they literally disappeared.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 04
    After about 2 years we realised that absolutely no one was taking care of him, his fur was almost one huge matte and he was covered in dirt and dried We took him to the vet to check for a microchip, He had none. So we officially took him in and got him vaccinated, groomed, microchipped- the works, that was last summer.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 05
    Fast forward to last week, Bruce (our cat) went missing on tuesday, on wednesday evening we posted on facebook for people to keep a look out for him as he usually comes home every night.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 06
    On Thursday around midday, the only person at home was my girlfriend, she answered to door to two women we didn't know, she thought "oh good they have news about bruce", oh boy..... So
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 07
    these 2 women start berating my girlfriend telling her we stole their cat and that he's safe at home with them and their family has been "distraught" without him and how they've been in the estate every other day looking for him.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 08
    Now the last bit really got to us because bruce always lies on our front porch, literally where everyone in the estate can see him, and my neighbours confirmed no one came around looking for him, so she's lying.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10507405056
    via By patty_c / Canva

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

  • 10
    Back to the story: So they brought some sort of birth certificate (i didn't see it) and were just really nasty in general, my girlfriend was in absolute bits, she was terrified and they were screaming at her. They posted a load of nasty stuff on facebook about my mother aswell calling her a "sick woman" who goes around stealing pets.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 11
    We went to the gards but they told us it's a civil matter but that they will talk to them about arriving at our house (don't know if they've done that).
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 12
    Basically i'm just looking for advice, we have neighbours that can vouch that the cat was abandoned and no one came looking, do we have legal recourse in this case? Can we get bruce back? In all honesty this
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 13
    has had an awful toll on my family and seeing these people rub it in and spread lies on public forums has really twisted the knife, we really miss bruce and it's like losing a member of the family.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10507399168
    via By corelens / Canva

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

  • 15
    Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, this happened in newcastle west if that helps. ALSO if anyone knows any solicitors in limerick or surrounding that may be able to help with this sort of thing I would be so so grateful.
    via u/Aliennn8
  • 16
    Romdowa Put an alert on his chip that he's lost/stolen and alert the local vets. I'd be telling that women I know nothing about your cat, this is mine. Bets are though that if they let the cat out then he'll come back again and if he does then I'd keep him in so she can't nab him again
    via u/Romdowa

  • Better keep bruce tucked away in his furtress of solitude. No more prowling the porch! with all these copycat claims, it's safest to keep those paws indoors where he belongs.

  • 17
    Kloppite16 OP you could try going back to the Garda station and asking to speak to the sergeant and see if he also gives the civil matter excuse. Explain to him that you are the registered owner and that you see this as theft, therefore criminal.
    via u/Kloppite16
  • 18
    If you have to go civil it would seem things are on your side. Because you got the cat unmatted you will have vet receipts to prove that as well as your microchipping of the cat. The two women claimed they were looking for this
    via u/Kloppite16
  • 19
    cat every day for two years but it seems there is no evidence of this like Facebook appeals or notices taped to lamp posts so its only their word.
    via u/Kloppite16
  • 20
    Your mother also has very strong defamation case against these people for publicly posting on Facebook that she is "a sick woman" who goes around stealing pets. Make sure to screenshot that because defamation cases in Ireland cost tens of thousands of euro to defend and you may
    via u/Kloppite16
  • 21
    later be able to use this as leverage to get your cat back. You should also ask Facebook to remove the post as being defamatory and if they dont they also can be later added on to the defamation action.
    via u/Kloppite16
  • 22
    My advise is to first speak to a solicitor and get them to find out if they are a mark. If they are then there is a way to get your cat back.
    via u/Kloppite16

  • They ignored bruce for years, never lifted a paw to find him. Now they suddenly want him back? sounds like a catastrophic case of too little, too late. Claws off!

  • 23
    dubhlinn39 Send her an invoice for food, vet, toys etc. Tell her you're prepared to forego the money in return for your cat. And as a goodwill gesture you won't report her to the ISPCA for neglect and abandoned
    via u/dubhlinn39
  • 24
    maloushkaa I'm in no way educated enough in that kind of stuff to really answer your question but if there's animal ab e involved (they abandoned the cat) then maybe you can talk to an organisation against pet ab__e?
    via u/maloushkaa
  • 25
    DC1908 Were these women your actual former neighbours? Anyway, the cat is chipped under your name, the birth certificate doesn't have any value. You can go to your solicitor and have very good chances in court.
    via u/DC1908

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adopt pets cat owners pawrents Cats rescue pet ownership abandoned argument
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