‘I keep thinking of simply stealing this cat, and find him a proper home’: A neighborhood cat lover grapples with the moral dilemma of rescuing a neglected kitten, fearing that doing so would only perpetuate a painful cycle of animal neglect

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Aug 30, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

The mistreatment of animals is one of the toughest fights to fight in our modern world. We have become so ingrained in the way that we view animals that it is hard to remember sometimes that they are beings with souls, just like ours, who want happiness and safety in their lives just as much as we do. Which is what makes today's story so heartbreaking, as it details yet another hooman having their thoughts poisoned by adults who do not know better and do not care to know how to properly treat a cat child.

And when our neighbor protagonist caught wind of the neglect and mistreatment taking place, a moral quandary was formed. The question was whether to steal the cat away from the child to spare it from any more mistreatment, or to try and educate the child little by little because this was not the first kitten the parents had gotten the child, and if this one disappeared then another would closely follow, repeating the cycle. What would you do in such a situation?
 

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  • 01
    My neighbors have a 10 year old kid, and they gave this kid a kitten.
    via lemoncry_
  • 02
    I fist found out about this when I found a kitten alone outside, and thinking it was lost/abandoned, I brought it inside.
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  • 03
    Eventually this kid showed up and asked about the cat. This isn't the first time it's happened. Some
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  • 04
    years back same thing happened with a different kitten, but that time someone else in the neighborhood kept the kitten (neighbors never found out).
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  • 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
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  • Oh, dear heavens above, what is this kitten being fed? Dairy products that are not intended for cats, and processed meat that most animals would not go anywhere near? Poor little kitten, it is not much of a surprise that even in its young and fragile state it tried to escape.

  • 06
    spends all day outside sleeping under cars, and I've heard fights with other cats.
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  • 07
    Black and white lying ina grassy field
    via kmls via Adobe Stock

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

  • 08
    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
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  • 09
    that he's keeping the poor kitten without food or water.
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  • 10
    Disclaimer- I'm not blaming the kid. I'm blaming the parents, and I despise their lack of responsibility or care for their child.
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  • 11
    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
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  • Yeah, it certainly sounds like an uphill battle that would have little to no resolution. Plus, surely it cannot be all too good for the kid to have two kittens lost under his watch. While theft is not a great option in any scenario, it might be vaguely warranted here, maybe…

  • 12
    kid another unfortunate kitten? And the cycle would continue. I don't think authorities would do anything about this.
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  • 13
    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.
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  • 14
    *** Thank you everyone for your input, I know this is a sensitive topic and it sucks to see an animal in a compromised situation.
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  • 15
    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
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  • 16
    brown and white kitten looking scared on a tree
    via fantom_rd via Adobe Stock

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

  • 17
    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
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  • 18
    want to do, is help this kid care for his pet. Take also into consideration that I have two cats already to take care of, one of
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  • 19
    which is a kitten herself, so a third would be more than I can afford. I will always provide food and water to the kitten when it's
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  • 20
    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
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  • 21
    traffic, so my main corcern is to keep the kitten fed and as healthy as possible. I'm sorry this isn't the happiest of resolutions, but I
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  • 22
    believe it's a step in the right direction. Again, thanks for the support. Whatever news I may have I'll update you all.
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  • 23
    Lastly, if possible donate to your local cat rescues or foster kittens, let's make a difference in whatever way we can.
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cat stealing morals dilemma neighborhood cat stories kitten find reddit story thinking cat rescue neglect proper home cat lover
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