'I did not trust my roommate with the cat': Roommate accuses couple of stealing their cat after moving out, despite not paying for any vet visits, food, or litter since 2023

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Aug 17, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Being a pawrent is hard work. You literally have another living thing to take care of. It's not just about ensuring they have enough food and water; it's about taking a sick day when your cat needs to visit the vet ASAP, providing them with the mental stimulation they need to prevent destructive behavior, and grooming them (even when they don't like it). Your life is no longer just yours; everything you do now depends on something else. It's not impawssible to do it alone, but it certainly is easier when you have a co-parent by your side, be it a friend or partner. The problem with that, though, is that if you two ever split, who gets the cat?

Luckily, we never had to cross that bridge, but lots of people do. Below, you'll find a story of a roommate accusing her other roommate of stealing her cat when they moved out. She said they adopted it together, but she hasn't taken it to the vet or bought a single bag of food or litter since 2023 (when they adopted the kitty). The other roommate was the primary pawrent, and she's ready to defend herself if necessary. The lengths we won't go to for our fur babies, huh?

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  • 01

    Roommate claiming cat is theirs. I have proof of ownership

    '[They] threw my remaining things on the lawn'
    via Visoot's Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    In 2019, my roommate and I took in a cat their friend could no longer care for. We have lived together until today, my move in day in my new apartment. Despite claiming ownership (they claim they took the cat in) my roommate has not cared for this cat at all.
    via Mahkelroy
  • 03
    I have solely taken care of the cat and one other cat (who I have owned for 10 years) including feeding 3x a day, changing water, changing litter, purchasing all food/litter, and brushing/other care like cleaning dishes (and general housework) for the past 2 years. I have also taken the cat to the vet 3 times since Winter 2023 because my roommate refused to do so beforehand.
    via Mahkelroy
  • 04
    The cat/microchip is not registered in their name (the cat was pretty much dumped on our doorstep) and my name is on all 3 vet bills, with the 1st visit because the cat was limping for 4 days and roommate refused to take the cat in despite me asking them to, and two yearly checkups in Jan 2024 and 2025.
    via Mahkelroy

  • Before us and our partner were official, we had a cat. We made it purrfectly clear that the responsibility of the cat would fall solely on us; they were our cat. Should anything happen to us as a couple, the cat would come with us, no matter how much he fell in love with her. He would be more like the fun, loving uncle until we made it official.

  • 05
    I took the cat when I moved into my new place because I did not trust my roommate with the cat (long story, but they will frequently leave the home for 24+ hours without notice and are generally not taking care of the house. They also refused to euthanize their previous cat in 2024 after a diagnosis of malignant stomach growth/tumor).
    via Mahkelroy
  • 06
    My roommate did not like this. They verbally abâ– ed me, threw my remaining things on the lawn, and threw dishware at me/my girlfriend. I'm not concerned with the property damage/physical harm as of yet, just with the possibility that the roommate tries to get police. involved. Just to note, they did not try to stop me from taking the cat.
    via Mahkelroy
  • 07
    FRAG
    via pixelshot

    Roommate claiming cat is theirs. I have proof of ownership

  • 08
    Should I be concerned or is my proof of ownership sufficient against their lack of proof?
    via Mahkelroy
  • 09
    Edit: removed pronouns Edit 2: 1 reviewed my vet bills and saw that the cat is not microchipped. I will be setting up an appointment in the morning (4am as I type this, I could not sleep).
    via Mahkelroy
  • 10
    RangerNo2713 I would get the microchip registered to you. I'm sorry to hear about all the drama.
    via RangerNo2713

  • Get the microchip registered, and then you can furget about this problem entirely. The cat is yours, and you have the receipts to prove it (literally). That's the one good thing about cat ownership: it's relatively easy to prove when you need to. 

  • 11
    SnowWhiteOA No, it sounds to me like you own that cat.
    via SnowWhiteOA
  • 12
    Spirited-Simple379 I believe the legal battle (if your roommate were to bring it to court) would default to you as the vet records are in your name and you've paid for all of the food, water, and litter for the cat. You could also press
    via Spirited-Simple379
  • 13
    charges on them for throwing things at you as that is a ault. Definitely get the cat microchipped and in your name, but I'm not sure that would matter much in court because it happened after the argument about who the cat belonged to.
    via Spirited-Simple379
  • 14
    My guess is the roommate will stay bitter about the situation but won't press any sort of legal charges. If they're too lazy or cheap to take the cat to the vet, then they definitely don't have the time or money to start a legal battle. But if they're too lazy do, you have the cards stacked in your favor anyway.
    via Spirited-Simple379
  • 15
    Frosty_Astronomer909 If you're in the USA pets are considered property, so if the said property is in your name it's yours.
    via Frosty_Astronomer909
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10542509056
    via CozyLife's Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 17
    OkScre... A friend of mine had something very similar happen- knew someone who got a husky thinking they knew better and could "train the husky behaviors out" - when they couldnt they gave their dog to my very active friend who grew up with
    via OkScreen127
  • 18
    huskies. When she got the dog it was severely underweight, so dirty I was shocked when she bathed him and he was nearly all white, and afraid of everything. She dedicated everything to this dog and changed his life for the best.
    via OkScreen127
  • 19
    6 months later they saw the dog again and it was so well behaved (as she literally made this dog her life), that they told her they want the dog back now as they didnt believe he could be well behaved.. Within a week that dog was neutered and
    via OkScreen127
  • 20
    microchipped in my friends. name (he was still just under a year old), they took her to court over it and she provided the written texts of them asking her to adopt their dog and her agreeing, along with the vet bills from when she first got him and took him in and then his neuter/chip records - she won the dog.
    via OkScreen127
  • 21
    7 years later she still has her furry best friend and hasn't seen those sh ty people she used to believe were "friends" since.
    via OkScreen127
  • 22
    Edited to add, I also rescued a French Bulldog (honestly did not want to, but it was me or euthanasia)- she was so severely abled at her first home she was a mess and still can be in the wrong hands.. She was kenneled nearly 24/7, only
    via OkScreen127
  • 23
    let out to "play" with their 16y/o special needs child who they admitted would punch and kick the dog until she wouldnt stop attacking him then they'd put her back in the kennel.... Several mo ths after I got her, the wife of that family reached out saying she saw a video of my
    via OkScreen127
  • 24
    kids and dogs and it made her realize this was a good dog and she asked if Id give her back.... I told her if she ever contacts me again I will report her and her husband for animal abe as she knew all of our conversations were recorded - so she could take me to court or forget I exist. She chose the latter.
    via OkScreen127
  • 25
    PaintingByInsects Good thing you're getting the cat chipped. The cat is yours, period
    via PaintingByInsects
  • 26
    Cinnamarkcarsn Police in my city would tell them to get another cat and stop wasting their time when they have actual crimes. Sounds like you will be ok.
    via Cinnamarkcarsn
  • 27
    Sshank96 Just came to comment that I'm glad there's a fight for the cat, most of them just get left behind around the complex or neighborhood
    via Sshank96
  • 28
    Environmental_Log344 Not sure how come the reaction was so extreme. Is the roommate bothered by more than the cat thing? They sound absolutely nuts. Were there other problems?
    via Environmental_Log344
  • 29
    jellybeannc You have vet bills in your name and soon the microchip as well. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
    via jellybeannc
  • 30
    angeljuicey 21h ago . That baby is yours!! You take of it and evidently they did not. If they want a cat so bad they can go adopt one in need!!
    via angeljuicey
  • 31
    Silly Stallion Send them a bill for vets bills and food for the time you lived together. Im sure the vast bill would change their mind
    via SillyStallion

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stealing 2023 bad roommates litter box vet food roommates Cats animals
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