Neighbor rescues and rehomes momma cat and three kittens found in her shed, but when the original owner shows up, she demands them back: '[They] have been hostile'

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Mar 16, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

What kind of cat owner lets a cat with kittens roam outside to be lost for over a month?

How many times have we sat here and typed out this same sentiment? If you're going to "own" a cat, you need to take responsibility for it. That means keeping it safe, and even if it cries and screams to go outside, you have to teach it to be an indoor cat. Especially if it just had kittens. The big, bad world is no place for a momma cat and her baby kittens to survive in. Not with cars speeding by, hungry predators looking for their next meal, and snowy weather just waiting to do them harm.

Luckily, mom and her babies were rescued by a neighbor who found them in their shed. They took them in, and honestly, they did their due diligence in trying to find the owner. They posted on Facebook, asked the neighbors, called local vets to see if anyone reported a missing cat and kittens, but got no response. So, they did what any compassionate and caring purrson would: they found homes for the kittens and kept the momma cat.

Well, the "original owner" showed up out of the blue and demanded her cat and kittens back. She even threatened to call the police!

Okay, Karen, you go ahead and call the police. We can't wait for them to show up and laugh in your face.

An owner who doesn't care enough to find her fur babies is not a cat owner in our eyes at all. Scroll down to read the rest of the story!

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  • 01
    'The police are going to laugh at them'
    via baratibor

    Orange cats' family portrait

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

  • 02
    A little over a month ago, I found a momma cat and 3 kittens out in my shed. I took them in and gave them food and water. I started by asking the neighbors but no one claimed them. I then contacted the vet clinics and the local animal shelter telling them the situation and left my
    via myrighteyelash
  • 03
    contact info. No one had claimed them. I then posted the kittens on a free rehoming page on Facebook. I found good homes for the kittens with good families.
    via myrighteyelash

  • That's more than we would have done. We might have posted on Facebook and asked the neighbors, but that's about it. If we see a cat and her kittens in need, we're not going to sit around twiddling our thumbs while we wait for some irresponsible hooman to come find us. If they really cared about the cats, they would be actively looking for them.

  • 04
    6 days after the post, I got contacted by someone claiming to be the owner. I asked for evidence and they sent pictures. They also sent very lengthy messages that sent up a red flag in my mind that the cats were better off not with them. But that I guess doesn't really matter.
    via myrighteyelash
  • 05
    The cat they sent does look like the one in my possession. I explained that the cat does look like the one I have but the kittens had already found good homes. I also explained that I had gone through the process of trying to find the owner.
    via myrighteyelash
  • 06
    This person has been hostile and have threatened that they have already contacted the police and given them all of my information. I told them I was happy to give momma cat back but I could not do anything about the kittens since they already found homes.
    via myrighteyelash
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10615412224
    via Juanmonino

    Angry woman 

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

  • 08
    What legal standing do I have? Can I get in trouble with the law in this situation even though I tried my best to find the owner?
    via myrighteyelash
  • 09
    Zanctmao Kittens are generally given away for free. This person would have nothing to sue about.
    via Zanctmao
  • 10
    myrighteyelash OP And that's what I rehomed the kittens. Free. I made sure they were fed, dewormed, and vaccinated. I just wanted them to have a good home. This person has called me everything but a Christian and I have tried to be kind but my patience also only goes so far. I want to give momma cat back if it is theirs but I also don't want to meet up with someone who has been hostile and threatening. I might drop the momma cat off at the shelter and let her pick it up there because I don't thi
    via myrighteyelash
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    Cheezburger Image 10615411968
    via RonaldPlett from Pixabay

    Three orange kittens outside 

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

  • 12
    bobfromsanluis Offer to give the Momma cat back, AFTER they reimburse you for the expenses you incurred while waiting for someone to come forward. If they refuse, keep the cat, let them sue you, you could then counter sue (in small claims) for the expenses.
    via bobfromsanluis
  • 13
    sylverbound You cannot get in trouble, you are not at risk legally, and honestly I'm not even sure you should or need to give the mom cat back. Call a local rescue or shelter for advice about local policies though?
    via sylverbound
  • 14
    Armadi1 There is a good chance this is a scam.
    via Armadi1

  • It's crazy to us that some people would try to scam you out of a cat. Isn't the world a dark enough place without getting cats mixed into it? Just when you think you've seen the worst of humanity, they always come up with something even more surprising. This is why we prefer cats over people.

  • 15
    Impressive_Crazy_223 You're fine re: the kittens. Re: momma, if you're uncomfortable giving her "back" to a potentially bad situation, I would take her to the vet to scan for a microchip--if she has one, great, you've found the owner, and if she doesn't, that's a point in your favor.
    via Impressive_Crazy_223
  • 16
    Also ask the supposed "owners" for veterinary records or adoption papers demonstrating that they own the cat. Sometimes that's enough to scare off the people who are pet owners.
    via Impressive_Crazy_223
  • 17
    A local vet clinic or shelter should be able to advise you on your legal standing, too, since they deal with this sort of thing all the time, e.g., at what point has a "stray" been held long enough by the shelter for them to legally put it up for adoption? In most places I've dealt with, it's been somewhere between 3-7 days. And since pets are generally considered property, well, they shouldn't have left their property in your yard.
    via Impressive_Crazy_223
  • 18
    jaaqash Too bad you didn't get Momma fixed already. And what kind of owner misses all your efforts for over a month. If it was my cat I would be scouring everywhere and everything everyday. Not much of an owner there.
    via jaaqash
  • 19
    RoookSkywokkah If the loved the cats so much, why weren't they better cared for? You did everything you could. If they want to sue in small claims court, they can try, but not sure how they can quantify their damages. You can also contact the police and let them know what's going on, just in case.
    via RoookSkywokkah
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    Cheezburger Image 10615367680
    via Valuable_Log_518
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    Cheezburger Image 10615367424
    via Newplanter11

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demands neighbors cat mom momma cat hostile cat owners cat rescue Cats cute kittens animals
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