"I don't understand how taking a single cat and mother who are obviously sick and/or injured equals me being a thief": A temp worker's attempt to rescue a neglected cat and kitten from a nursing home bush leads to an accusation of theft from her boss

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Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Aug 12, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

We have said once if we have said it a thousand times, cat rescues are trouble. Not that it means that we should not do them, but when you lay your hands on a cat who desperately needs help, it is worth knowing about at least some of the many things that act can make happen. For some it is an emergency trip to the vet, for others it is a case of the original owners turning up at the last moment, and in the case of this story, it is absolute lunacy that makes little sense and uses the rescuer as a scapegoat.

A truly difficult position to be placed in and an even tougher one to get out of. So come with us on the journey of one woman who just wanted to spare a mamma catto and her kitten from another night of sickness, who found out the hard way that sometimes what you give, is not what you get back.
 

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  • 01
    hello! i work for a temp agency in ohio as a STNA or CNA whatever you wanna call it. I volunteer with a cat rescue in my free time.
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  • 02
    I was sent to a nursing home and when I was there I came across a cat and a single baby kitten.
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  • 03
    the momma cat has a very obvious respiratory infection or something else going on (wheezing and green snot) and the kitten has some eye gunk. whatever.
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  • 04
    i talk to the residents feeding them (they are part of the AL side of the nursing home) and they are adamant she doesn't need vet care whatever. i
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  • Oof, you can tell that this is going to be one heck of a sticky situation from the get-go. A bunch of senior citizens who have become emotionally attached to a neighborhood cat, yet whose eyesight might have caused them to overlook the cat’s health. Going up against a volunteer who just wants to make sure that the cat gets the help and care it needs. All bets are off.

  • 05
    talk to the local humane society about it and they tell me i am good to take the cats because they have a previous
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  • 06
    agreement with the nursing home to take their cat because the nursing home does not want it. i think ok this is
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  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10540867328
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  • 08
    kind of sy, but it's 90+ degrees outside rn in ohio and the cats are basically dying here. they were living in a BUSH. the
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  • 09
    resident can not take them inside or anything like that. so i do it for the better good (whether you agree with me or not) the
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  • 10
    other side has several plump cats that the humane society has Trapped and Neutered so im not stealing their only pet/ or way of fun.
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  • Hmm, the plot thickens, it is not like this heroic volunteer was going to be taking the only source of feline goodness in the area, apparently there were plenty of chonky cattos to go around. But you know how it is with us cat lovers, our cat is our cat there is no replacing that.

  • 11
    i live in an apartment. i have my two pets, so i post on facebook asking if anyone would be interested when they're done w vet care. but i
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  • 12
    finally get the cat and kitten here. they're set up in a separate room. they're all set to go to the vet today (tuesday) i took them on sunday night. i
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  • 13
    get a call from my boss saying someone from the nursing home (resident or not) called them and said i stole their cat and was trying to rehome it. (yes
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  • 14
    this cat will be rehomed because she is gorgeous and deserves a life). she says im a thief and i was stealing. i explained i
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  • 15
    talked to the humane society who works closely with the nursing home and that she was living in a bush and she was in super bad shape. i didnt
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  • 16
    steal anything. she said it wasn't my responsibility and that i needed to return them and that she was my boss. i told her i
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  • 17
    worked with a cat rescue and she said again it wasn't my responsibility or business...
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  • 18
    so i called the humane society. they are F ). absolutely pd off at this nursing home. what should i do? or was i wrong? i'm super stressed
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  • 19
    and i dont understand how taking a single cat and mother who are obviously sick and/or injured equals me being a thief. this nursing home
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  • 20
    was begging the humane society for food according to the humane society. they said they'd give them a call and figure it out, but honestly im more pissed off about the call from my boss. i honestly think the resident is the one who called.
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  • 21
    BrianRa... What is the cat accused of stealing
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  • 22
    bookwiz... You can't own a cat. No one does, so you can't steal something that can't be owned.
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obvious cat worker accusation single mother nursing home cat stories kitten reddit story attempt taking neglect dont understand sick injured theft thief rescue
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