New parent of abandoned kitten refuses to return her to former owner without proof of previous ownership: 'I am NOT interested in giving her back'

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Sep 13, 2025 2:00 AM EDT

Adopting a pet from a shelter is a truly life-changing experience. It's both exciting and deeply rewarding; not only do you gain a fluffy new companion, but you also give an animal in need a second chance at a happy, loving home. As any seasoned cat parent knows, once a kitty curls up on your lap, purrs against your chest, or follows you from room to room, they stop being "just a pet" and become family. Even the 3 a.m. meows for snacks, the occasional hairball, and the kneading claws digging into your ribs somehow feel worth it when you've got a furry little friend you adore. 

That's exactly what one new pet parent felt after falling head over heels for a six-month-old kitten at her local shelter. The tiny cat had been abandoned and badly injured from a dog bite, but after weeks of recovery, she was finally ready to find her forever home. However, just days later, the adopter got a surprising phone call. On the other end was someone claiming to be the kitten's "real" owner, complete with old photos but no official proof. Now, the new cat mom is left wondering if is she wrong for refusing to give up her newly adopted kitty, or if there is something a bit off about the situation. 

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  • 01

    Am I [wrong] for adopting a kitten & refusing to give her back to her previous owner?

    Cheezburger Image 10552598784
    via irynakhabliuk

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

  • 02
    I (21F) went to an animal shelter about 2 weeks ago and fell in love with this gorgeous 6 month old kitten, who was so friendly and
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 03
    needed a home. I asked the team about her history to find out why she was here and they said she was found in the road,
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 04
    abandoned and bitten by a dog. I immediately filled in the adoption paperwork for this kitty but she was still healing so I couldn't take
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 05
    her home straight away. On Saturday she was finally spayed, microchipped and ready to come to her new home which she has slotted into perfectly.
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10552598272
    via Gustavo Fring from Pexels

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

  • 07
    So tonight I received a call and message from an unknown number that says she is the owner of my kitten and she wants her back. She said she saw a
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 08
    post on Facebook that I had adopted her kitten and tracked me down on Instagram to find my phone number on my business's
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 09
    account. She explained that she moved out of her parents' house where the kitten lived and that she had to wait for her new
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 10
    landlord to tell her if she can have a kitten or not. She said the kitten kept trying to find her and one morning the kitten went outside to find and wasn't seen again.
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 11
    She asked me if she can have her kitten back, she will even pay for her because she's been looking for her for a month and sent me photos to prove it is hers. I told her that I adopted her from an
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 12
    animal shelter where she was recovering from a dog bite and kept in a cage and that I am NOT interested in giving her back. Am I the a hole?
    via u/anonymousmeowww
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10552598016
    via Joana Baumg from corelens

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

  • 14
    eventhoughitsnotreal NTA, The kitten wasn't chipped. There's no documentation proving she owned the cat. Block her and move on.
    via u/eventhoughitsnotreal

  • Maybe this was her kitten, or maybe it's a scam. It really doesn't matter. If she was the original owner, she unfortunately proved that she was not responsible enough to be a pet pawrent. 

  • 15
    SnooDrawings888 Absolutely this!! Sounds like someone wants a free kitten. Block them immediately.
    via u/SnooDrawings888
  • 16
    Fionaelaine4 And the story how the kitten got out doesn't hold water. The kitten was at the shelter for quite a while with the injuries and then being put up for adoption. And a kitten isn't going to chase a parent who has left them in a house...
    via u/Fionaelaine4
  • 17
    Netlawyer Shelters do hold strays for some period of time before putting them up for adoption and I assume this happened in this case. The "owner"
    via u/Netlawyer
  • 18
    apparently didn't even do the minimum of (1) chipping her "beloved" kitten and (2) checking the shelter for her.
    via u/Netlawyer
  • 19
    STILL MISSING MO is Lost Gower St./York St. Area Missing since April 5th Indoor Cat No Collar Microchipped Black Long-Haired Fluffy Tail Missed Deeply Call or Text: 697-3519
    via Erik Mclean from Pexels

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


     

  • 20
    Shelters do not want to adopt out loose pets. The kitten belongs to OP.
    via u/Netlawyer
  • 21
    Ok-Complex5075 NT. I would be completely uncomfortable if someone found my information like that and tried to convince me to give them my kitten (I adopted an abandoned kitten in 2023). I'd block her. You
    via u/Ok-Complex5075
  • 22
    adopted that kitten, followed all the procedures, and if she had had that kitten previously, she clearly didn't look hard enough, as you found her in a shelter. If my cat got out, the first places I'd be looking are shelters.
    via u/Ok-Complex5075
  • 23
    electric-cowgurl I also was severely off put about how the person tracked them down. The OP is NTA, but even if they were, that person had no right to hunt down OP like this and find their personal info. That alone is grounds for getting blocked.
    via u/electric-cowgurl
  • 24
    Cosi-grl Absolutely NT . The kitten wasn't chipped, was left out on the street. No way was the kitten "trying to find her", and who knows if it's even the same kitten.
    via u/Cosi-grl
  • 25
    IcePrincess_Not_Sk8r NT. - I volunteer for an animal rescue and when people who care, lose their pets, they're contacting every shelter, rescue, posting online, making flyers, etc.
    via u/IcePrincess_Not_Sk8r
  • 26
    to try to find their pet. The shelter took the kitten in, had the kitten long enough to have it heal from an injury, and then fix, vaccinate, and microchip the pet.
    via u/IcePrincess_Not_Sk8r
  • 27
    If the person had invested even the amount of time in finding the kitten, that they did tracking you down via the internet, they would have found them at the local shelter. That's YOUR cat. Not theirs.
    via u/IcePrincess_Not_Sk8r
  • 28
    eventhoughitsnotreal NT, The kitten wasn't chipped. There's no documentation proving she owned the cat. Block her and move on.
    via u/eventhoughitsnotreal
  • 29
    electric-cowgurl I also was severely off put about how the person tracked them down. The OP is NT but even if they were, that person had no right to hunt down OP like this and find their personal info. That alone is grounds for getting blocked.
    via u/electric-cowgurl

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wholesome missing cat adoption pets cat adoption kitten cute cats adopted cat story cat dad feline pet pawrents story Cats
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