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Foster cat - lost &found

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  • 15-11-2011 3:06pm
    #1
    sarahbro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭


    Not sure if this is the right forum so feel free to move it


    We're fostering a cat since Thursday but have fallen in love with her and would like to keep her.

    I was told yesterday that a picture of her would have to be put up in the lost & found section of the rescue centres website to see if an owner can be found.

    I completely understand that this has to be done (secretly hoping no one comes forward though!)

    I'm just wondering how long the picture would have to be up for before we can keep her?
    Just don't want someone to come along in 6 months ya know?


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    #2
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,738 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    sarahbro wrote: »
    Not sure if this is the right forum so feel free to move it


    We're fostering a cat since Thursday but have fallen in love with her and would like to keep her.

    I was told yesterday that a picture of her would have to be put up in the lost & found section of the rescue centres website to see if an owner can be found.

    I completely understand that this has to be done (secretly hoping no one comes forward though!)

    I'm just wondering how long the picture would have to be up for before we can keep her?
    Just don't want someone to come along in 6 months ya know?

    Hmm. An interesting situation!
    It is difficult for an owner to prove ownership of a cat, unless said cat has pedigree papers and is registered, or unless the owner has a receipt for purchase of said cat. Or, if the cat is chipped or was wearing an ID tag on a collar. Needless to say, these are rather rare scenarios.
    Circumstantial evidence can also be used, for example, if the cat had no ID but was wearing a collar which the owner could describe.
    In other words, most cats aren't legally "owned".
    Things that are "owned", like handbags, wallets, and dogs (!) are subject to the 366 day rule, giving the legitimate owner this length of time to claim their property back (the exception with dogs is the pound system, where dogs become the property of the State after 5 days.
    So, with your cat, you won't know whether it's legally owned until someone comes forward with proof of ownership. So in theory, if the owners have the necessary proof, they can take their cat back any time in the next 366 days. But if they've no proof, they could have a job taking the cat back.
    All you can do is sit tight on this one, in the knowledge that the chances of the owner coming forward are fairly slim.
    Good luck!


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    #3
    Themadhouse
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭Themadhouse


    Awkward as the previous poster has said.
    What is her background, how long was she with the rescue before being fostered out? Why have they not put up a picture in the lost and found section already, why do it now when you have decided to give her permenant home? That is strange....
    I@m assuing shes not chipped and that the rescue has looked locally for missing cat signs or looked in the likes of pets.ie etc to see if she is missing.


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    #4
    sarahbro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭sarahbro


    Themadhouse wrote: »
    Awkward as the previous poster has said.
    What is her background, how long was she with the rescue before being fostered out? Why have they not put up a picture in the lost and found section already, why do it now when you have decided to give her permenant home? That is strange....
    I@m assuing shes not chipped and that the rescue has looked locally for missing cat signs or looked in the likes of pets.ie etc to see if she is missing.

    There was no picture put out as she was hit by a car and was found in a bad way and the vets had to do a few operations. We have had her since Thursday when she got out of the vets.
    As far as i know she's not chipped and the vet isn't sure of her age. I've had a look at lost and found sites and haven't seen her.


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    #5
    anniehoo
    Registered Users Posts: 6,596 ✭✭✭anniehoo


    OP, the legal ownership of cats is in quango in Ireland as they are still considered a "wild animal", unless an owner can prove otherwise. The only way for that is a microchip to be honest.
    DBB wrote: »
    In other words, most cats aren't legally "owned".
    Things that are "owned", like handbags, wallets, and dogs (!) are subject to the 366 day rule, giving the legitimate owner this length of time to claim their property back (the exception with dogs is the pound system, where dogs become the property of the State after 5 days.

    As far as i know there is NO legislation in place for owners to reclaim their cats if they cant genuinely prove it.(See outdated 1965 Protection of Animals Act) There are no "pounds" for cats either.

    I dont think a cat can even legally have 5 days, nevermind 366 days tbh, but im open to correction here. Lost dogs are actually "lucky" that they even get to a Pound. If i lost my dog and tried my best to find her, id have some hope she was either rehomed or peacefully put to sleep in a pound, rather than ending up as half dead roadkill or overlooked like a lot of cats are.

    Cats are pretty much ignored for the most part and are less commonly picked up as "strays" due to owners (like myself, not anymore though*) letting them roam.

    OP, if you've proved you tried your best to find this cats owner and checked for a microchip, she's pretty much yours.As theres no legal ownership to cats, the only problem will lie in the emotional tangle you might find yourself in if the owner ever does show up. It'd want to be a very strong owner to fight you for her and it will just be a matter of how long its been and if the "goodwill" on your behalf is there anymore.

    *Molly awol since Aug...its not worth letting them out anymore!


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