Kitten who's been neglected by the neighbors shows up at couple's doorstep, begging for a warm home, but just as they decide to take her in, the neighbors collar her: 'They continue to keep the cats outside full time'

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Dec 2, 2025 6:00 PM EST

It's not the first story about a neighborly dispute and it won't be the last. The couple in the story below finds a small and affectionate kitten keeps coming to their door. They take her in at first, but temporarily. They feed her and care for her, but understand that it's not practical to keep her long term since the protagonist has a cat allergy. Over time, they become more and more bonded with the kitten. They feel bad for keeping it outdoors, but the bond remains. One day, they see the kitten while talking to the neighbor, and the neighbor informs them that the kitten is the son of their big grey cat. 

The couple is shocked, they didn't realize that the neighbors were supposed to be responsible for the cat. They can see that the neighbors don't do the best job taking care of the cat, and the longer time goes on, the more they consider adopting the cat. They've made their decision to adopt, and even scheduled an appointment at the vet when suddenly they see the kitten is still outside, but now with a collar on. The neighborly dispute has started, and read the full story below for all the juicy details. 

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  • 01

    Disagreement with neighbors over cat

    Kitten at doorstep
    via Anselmo Machado from Pexels / Canva

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

  • 02
    About 2 months ago a very affectionate small kitten showed up on our doorstep without a collar. We ended up letting him in
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 03
    the house and caring for him but continued to let him out as we were unprepared for a cat and I have pretty severe cat allergies.
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 04
    We know we shouldn't have let him roam but we live in an urban neighborhood with ample street cats and food on every corner.
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 05
    Fast forward a month and we're chatting with our neighbor when the kitten shows up in their yard and starts playing with a grey
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 06
    Kitten
    via Swapnil Kulkarni from Pexels / Canva

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

  • 07
    adult cat we frequently see on our block. He tells us that the grey cat belongs to his sister and the kitten we've been taking care
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 08
    of is her son. We ask if they let them in the house and he tells us no, they're outside full time.
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 09
    Neither cat was collared at this time and we didn't pay it much mind.
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 10
    Nevertheless, we weren't planning on adopting him at the time, just giving him a warm place to sleep when it rained and
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 11
    some good quality food since they never allowed him inside. Overtime, my body has gotten
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 12
    adjusted to him and we began taking the steps to bring him in full time and make him a house cat (including booking
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 13
    appointments for shots/neutering/chipping him). Right when we make the decision to adopt him, we come home to find he has a collar now. They
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 14
    continue to keep the cats outside full time as he spends all his time at our house. Our vet appointments are literally
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 15
    tomorrow. Kitten is currently unneutered and I think it's safe to say he hasn't had any shots.
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 16
    Should we respect our neighbors and let him be an "owned" street cat or proceed with taking him in full time? Neighbors are
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 17
    standoffish about the cat so I don't want them to retaliate before we bring him in. We really love him and just want to give
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 18
    him a good home so knowing he's basically a stray forever sucks. My only hesitation is
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 19
    Neighbors
    via Koldunova_Anna / Canva

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

  • 20
    creating bad blood with the neighbors. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Advice?
    via u/biggestAmoeba
  • 21
    J... • • 10h ago Edited 6h ago Your neighbors are being lazy scumbags. I'll never get why folks like that even bother attempting to be pet
    via u/JG723
  • 22
    owners when they don't even act like they want to be pet owners. Leaving unfixed cats outside 24/7 is so completely negligent.
    via u/JG723
  • 23
    At my old apartment I had a neighbor who got pregnant and dumped her unfixed, skinny, flea-covered male
    via u/JG723
  • 24
    cat outside in the middle of the summer. He cried and cried as folks walked by him into the apartment and
    via u/JG723
  • 25
    wouldn't let him in. Finally we brought him in because the next morning they were
    via u/JG723
  • 26
    going to re-pave the whole block and we knew he would be terrified.
    via u/JG723

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