Matted "stray" cat wanders for months until he gets rescued by caring couple, until they take him to the vet and find out he already has a family: 'The vets said they didn’t want to hand the cat back over to the original owners'

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jul 7, 2026 5:30 PM EDT

You know it's a bad situation if the vets don't want to give him back.

People adopt cats for all different reasons. Companionship, love, because they're cute, on a whim, they receive them as a gift, or they simply inherit them. But, no matter what the reason, if you don't want to care for the cat fully, to make sure it lives a safe and healthy life, then please, give it to someone who will. No cat deserves to be forced to survive outdoors and only get your love and care when you want. That's not pet ownership. A cat is a commitment, and they deserve 100% of your love 100% of the time. 

If you adopt a cat and make it live outside, like our matted "stray" from Reddit's r/straycats community, then you're not giving it the life it deserves. A neighbor noticed them wandering around outside for months, but it wasn't until a caring couple took them in, assuming they were a stray. So when they took the cat into the vet to check for a microchip, they were shocked to find out they had one. And even worse, the original owners wanted them back.

This is a question we come across a lot here at I Can Has Cheezburger. What is more impurrtant, a cat's well-being or the "rights" of pet ownership? Obviously, we do not encourage stealing. But, do you really maintain your "right" to an object you mistreat? Technically, yes, but morally, no. Keeping a cat just for your benefit and not caring about the actual state of the cat is not how an owner should be. Do better.

Our couple and the cat's story continues below.

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  • 01
    This cat is living a life it doesn't have to'
    via Javid Bunyadzade

    Stray cat sleeping on an outdoor bench

    Cat is a model and not represented in the story

  • 02
    My girlfriend and I were driving home (Maine, USA) and found a stray cat (no collar) drinking from a puddle on the sidewalk. (Photo attached of the sweet boy) He was extremely friendly and loved being pet. We talked to a neighbor who said the cat had been around for months at least and so definitely wasn't a lost indoor cat.
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 03
    We ended up taking him in and he loved being indoors. So much so that we believed he may have been an indoor cat previously. We joined some facebook groups and looked for missing cat posts but didn't ever see any. Because of this we planned to keep him.
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 04
    We named him, gave him a bath, got him all of the essentials, and scheduled an appointment for the vet. When we took him the vet scanned him and found a microchip with contact information. The vet called the owners and let us know that they wanted the cat back. The
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 05
    cat was apparently adopted a year prior and was entirely an outside cat. The owner also did not sound like they cared too much about their cat (who was with my girlfriend and I for a week) was found. The vets said they didn't want to hand the cat back over to the original owners
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 06
    due to the negligent level of care they gave the cat but they had to. We asked them to give the owner our contact information and let them know we would be happy to home the cat or even just get it groomed but they never reached out.
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10644815872
    via Deep_Construction856

    The "stray" cat, returned to their owners

  • 08
    My girlfriend and I believe this cat is living a life it doesn't have to and we want to find a way to work with the owner to get the cat cared for better or find a way to home him. He was matted to the skin and skinny, while also drinking from a puddle rather a bowl at his owner's home. If anyone has input on this situation or advice on how to give this cat its best life it would be greatly appreciated
    via Deep_Construction856

  • Cats need routine, a safe place to eat, shelter, and grooming every once in a while…. none of those things are available to them if they have to worry about their own survival most of the time. An outdoor cat is essentially a stray, and if in my humble opinion, it should be free to anyone who wants to give them a better life than you provide.

  • 09
    also extra context, we initially found him only a few hundred feet from our apartment so he's very local
    via Deep_Construction856
  • 10
    BKEDDIE82 I would see if you can find the owner and see if they would give him up for some cash.
    via BKEDDIE82
  • 11
    Annual-Willingness92 I agree with everyone else. The owner of this cat obviously, and to the physical and emotional detriment to this cat, can't be bothered to provide this cat with basic living care. Ling time cat owner but just learned about 5 years how painful matting of their fur is to cats. The matted fur literally pulls the fur away from the cat's skin.
    via Annual-Willingness92
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10644819456
    via fotolgahan

    Dirty cat meowing on orange dumpster

    Model representation

  • 13
    halreddemion girlfriend here! we would definitely talk to the owner if we had his info and knew where he was located. that's the only issue. i would pay up to $100 to get this cat back because it breaks my heart we had to give
    via halreddemion
  • 14
    it back. and the issue with kidnapping him again is the fact that he's microchipped and we legally couldn't bring him to the vet without the owners approval. the owner was given our information and just didn't reach out :/
    via halreddemion
  • 15
    Constantprotest6 I once kidnapped a neighbor's cat when they moved out and left the cat out in cold rain, enough that I had to take him to the vet to see how I could save him.
    via Constantprotest6
  • 16
    The "owners" came back 2 weeks later; somehow they knew he was with me and asked if I had their cat. I told them they no longer had a cat. Leaving him outside for an indeterminate amount of time in cold rainy weather is not what cat owners do. After taking him to the vet he became my cat and I will continue to care for him.
    via Constantprotest6
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10644820480
    via laura adai

    Woman petting a loving cat 

    Subjects are models.

  • 18
    RGQcats Try to talk to the owner face to face. They're negligent a holes, but telling them that won't get you the cat. See if they'll listen to reason, if they're open to pleas, cash, etc. If you get nowhere, kidnap the cat. It's
    via RGQcats
  • 19
    Maine, I am assuming animal control probably won't step in to make them surrender the cat, they probably don't have the resources. Also if there's a rescue near you, maybe talk to them and get their advice, they may have a better idea of what to do. I hope you get this poor kitty back.
    via RGQcats
  • 20
    Far-Conclusion3923 Same here, i and the neighbor take care of a neglected cat from anotjer neighbor down the street. Cat sleeps eats at our house. We've gotten message not to do it, but i dont care. The cat normally sleeps oitside in the winters but now it sleeps at on my bed the whole winter.
    via Far-Conclusion3923
  • 21
    You know rhe real owner doesnt really care, they just dont want to admit guilt. To this daythe cat stays with me, goes back maybe once a while for an hour but its always outside until ita time to get home. (My home)
    via Far-Conclusion3923
  • 22
    Just keep takimg care of it. no matter of anyone says.yoi know its neglected.
    via Far-Conclusion3923
  • 23
    Upset-Routine1783 Get a hold of Humane Society explain the situation to them. They will call him. And then go by their recommendation. Given them the proof that he's being neglected.
    via Upset-Routine1783
  • 24
    bbbourb dry voice "Oh no...it escaped..."
    via bbbourb
  • 25
    Kat-o-rama Well, I know what I would do... But this poster has a better idea. Offer cash. Everybody has a price.
    via Kat-o-rama
  • 26
    Punkinpie999 Ok I wanted to see how some of the comments were leaning before I just came right out and said what I really wanted to say. So here goes....as I mentioned above...I work for a shelter. There is many times and situations that we find ourselves
    via Punkinpie999
  • 27
    in touch or just searching for neglectful owners. I wont say that we havent done what i think you know what was the RIGHT thing to do FOR THE ANIMAL! And as a rescuer, thats my MAIN CONCERN.. Especially when someone has adopted
    via Punkinpie999
  • 28
    from a shelter and basically lied on their application saying it would stay an INSIDE CAT ...which is what is on al of our applications. No rescuer is for cats being outside and possibly getting hit by a car, poisoned, attacked by a predator or contracting a deadly virus.
    via Punkinpie999
  • 29
    Having known this to be true, I have no alliance towards these people amd I do whatever is necessary to make sure the animal is safe, receives vet treatment, eats well amd gets
    via Punkinpie999
  • 30
    fresh water and finally LOVED! If i can find that for said animal....thats where its new home will be. ..not outside drinking from dirty puddles. Sorry, nope sooooo NOT SORRY!
    via Punkinpie999

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stray cats veterinarian cat ownership
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