Hi Reddit I’m in quite a pickle here and as I love watching Reddit videos on YouTube I thought I’d get some outside perspective from strangers on the internet.
Basically this morning I found a cat in my back yard, I wasn’t going to do anything about it since it’s not the first time a see kitties walking around my neighborhood.
That was until I noticed the cat was blind.
As soon as I noticed this I ran out to go grab it fearing for its safety. After running around barefoot in the snow for a little while and watching the poor thing bump into everything in its path I finally got ahold of it. It felt very skinny and was a bit skittish, hissing at me a few times, however it did not struggle or try to bite, claw, nothing. I got it inside and unfortunately had to leave for work so I left it with my brother and took note of the number on its caller.
The collar was an anti rabies tag you get after getting the shot and did not have the owners information or anything like that however I was able to get in contact with a vet who said they’d try getting a hold of the owner for me.
She finally called me and let me know she had talked to one of the owners…. When I heard what she said next my heart dropped. The owner wanted me to just put the cat back outside. I couldn’t believe it and the vet heard my hesitation but unfortunately she couldn’t do anything more so we hung up.
I just don’t know what to do from here, I mean it’s pretty obvious you don’t let you blind old cat roam around especially in winter but the owner said it new it’s was around and would get home. But what if it doesn’t? What if it gets hit or whatever else can happen to normal SEEING cats in the wild. I myself don’t agree with any cats going outside and I just can’t let that poor thing out my heart can’t take it but it has a family and I don’t want to steal someone’s beloved cat..
my friends and family are split some say I should just keep it and others say it’s cruel to deroot a cat from what they know if I take it home with me. The guilt is crushing me and I’d really like some help so Reddit…. Would I be the asshole?
If someone’s cool with tossing a blind animal out into freezing temps, they don’t get to claim the moral high ground on ownership. This isn’t about “stealing” someone’s cat, it’s about protecting a vulnerable animal from danger. NTA
“Yep, I put the cat back outside. You haven’t seen her? Huh, weird.”
NTA.
I’d personally just keep it safe for now. The owner’s clearly not looking out for the cat, and letting a blind cat roam outside in winter is basically asking for trouble. You’re not cruel, you’re responsible.
I once “stole” a neighbors cat and kept it in my home because they were abusing it. If it’s justified, it’s not kidnapping an animal, it’s saving one. They obviously don’t care for it. You take it.