Lost Cat Goes From Street Survivor To Family Royalty, Scammy “Owner” Demands Him Back Years Later

Did you know that in ancient Egypt, people worshipped cats so much that they even paid their last respects by making mummies and placing them in special small pyramids? Back then, thousands of years ago, losing or even throwing a cat out of the house was unheard of. Today, alas, things are quite different…

For example, the user u/Pettheftthrow once found a cat while out for a walk – hungry, thin, and injured. A compassionate person picked the animal up, nursed it back to health, and essentially let it live its best life – but, as it turned out years later, this was only the beginning of the whole cat saga…

More info: Reddit

When you find an abandoned cat somewhere in the street, sometimes it can turn into a real cat scam saga – and here’s the proof

Young woman holding her orange cat indoors, showcasing a loving bond with a lost cat turned family royalty.

Image credits: lookstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author of the post found a young abandoned cat one day and spent lots of time, effort, and money to cure it

Text excerpt about a lost cat discovered injured and skittish, highlighting its transformation from street survivor to family royalty.

Text explaining efforts to find a lost cat, including contacting shelters and checking for a microchip, street survivor cat story.

Text describing a lost cat’s recovery from injury and transition from street survivor to beloved family member.

Veterinarian in scrubs gently examines a relaxed orange and white lost cat transformed from street survivor to family royalty.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author found no reports about a lost cat in the shelters, and the pet wasn’t chipped

Text excerpt describing a lost cat’s recovery and care while efforts to find the original owner fail over two and a half years.

Text describing a scammy owner demanding back a lost cat who went from street survivor to family royalty.

Text discussing a lost cat’s journey from street survivor to family member despite the original owner demanding him back years later.

Text excerpt about a lost cat going from street survivor to family royalty amid owner disputes after two years.

Bald man with glasses talking on phone, showing concern indoors near window with light curtains and plants.

Image credits: sarah b / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

So the author took the cat home, and they gradually became best friends with the animal

Text update about a lost cat’s original owner contacting via social media with matching photos and markings.

Text about a lost cat who went from street survivor to family royalty, with a scammy owner demanding him back.

Lost cat goes from street survivor to family royalty as scammy owner demands him back years later.

White and brown cat resting on a blanket while a person holds a phone, illustrating lost cat going from street survivor to family royalty.

Image credits: user19739995 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

However, one day, three years later, the author got a message from someone claiming he was the cat’s original owner

Text showing ongoing messages and court threats from a scammy owner after a lost cat becomes family royalty.

Text discussing concerns about legal action for cat custody involving a lost cat and broken leg evidence from a vet.

Alt text: Text expressing refusal to give up a lost cat who went from street survivor to family royalty despite demands from a scammy owner.

Text about someone concerned over a scammy owner demanding back a lost cat turned family royalty.

Woman gently petting a lost cat turned family royalty indoors, reflecting a street survivor’s journey to safety.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The man attached a pic of a similar kitten, and wrote that his little daughter was very distressed about the loss

Text update about a lost cat rescued as a stray, fostered, and adopted after no ID was found.

Alt text: Text describing dispute over lost cat's ownership from street survivor to family royalty with scammy owner demanding return

Alt text: Letter demanding return of lost cat raised as family royalty, with owner concerned about cat’s safety and home security.

Lost cat transitions from street survivor to family royalty amid scammy owner demands years later.

Alt text: Text about a lost cat who became family royalty despite scammy owner demanding him back years later.

Young woman shocked reading a letter about lost cat going from street survivor to family royalty and being claimed back years later.

Image credits: namii9 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author refused to give the cat back, so the man demanded some money for “emotional damages”

Alt text: Text update about a lost cat survivor whose scammy owner demanded him back years later via social media and letters.

Text about a lost cat scam involving fake owner demands and a letter from a nonexistent lawyer’s office threatening to sue.

Text discussing worry about a lost cat being stolen and a possible ransom demand in a strange catfishing scheme.

Text about a lost cat's custody dispute, showing the cat as a street survivor turned family royalty facing a scammy owner demand.

Woman in white sweater looking thoughtfully out the window, reflecting on lost cat survival and family royalty story.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The man sent message after message, and even started threatening the author over this, demanding money from them

Text update about lost cat story becoming stranger, highlighting lost cat survival and family royalty themes.

Text excerpt about a lost cat turned family pet facing scammy owner demands years later, highlighting street survivor story.

Text excerpt describing actions taken against scam letters involving threats to safety after reporting to the bar association.

Text about filing a police report and securing a no contact order to protect a lost cat turned family royalty.

Text about a lost cat's journey from street survivor to family royalty amid a scammy owner demand years later.

Image credits: pettheftthrow

So the author just ended up reporting this to the police and asking netizens for advice on whether it was the proper decision

So, the original poster (OP) says they once found a lost cat. Young, skinny, ragged, and apparently injured in a fight with other cats. The author picked up the kitty, spent a considerable amount of time and money on its treatment (it later turned out the cat also had a broken paw), and then kept it.

No, the author first did everything necessary to find the cat’s previous owners. The animal wasn’t microchipped, and there were no missing cat reports at local county shelters. So the original poster, with a clear conscience, kept the cat – especially since they had clearly become friends over this time.

And then, three years later, the story took a completely unexpected turn when the original poster received a message from someone claiming to be the cat’s original owner. According to the letter, the person’s young daughter was particularly distressed by the loss of the cat, so he demanded that the cat be returned.

The author quite reasonably noted that even a photograph of a kitten with similar markings isn’t sufficient proof that it’s the same cat, and that the animal had lived with them for much longer: three years versus six months. So the OP flatly refused to return the cat and asked netizens for advice on the matter.

Missing cat poster on a wooden pole for lost cat, highlighting a street survivor turned family royalty story.

Image credits: Erik Mclean / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Experts almost unanimously agree that the mere fact that a cat was abandoned, with no chip and no reports, almost certainly means the animal was neglected. For example, this dedicated article on the Animal League website asserts that even the most sincere regrets and desire to return an animal after abandoning it don’t give the right to a return.

“Regrets do not equal rights. If litigated, courts will consider the evidence to determine whether an animal was given away, abandoned, or boarded,” the article states. So the original poster did everything correctly and, by and large, could’ve sued the cat’s former owners in response. For example, this dedicated post on Cats.org.uk strongly recommends this.

People in the comments also fully sided with the original poster, asserting that if the cat was abandoned, the previous owners have definitely lost all rights to the pet. Moreover, according to the responders, the presence of vet bills in the author’s name also speaks in their favor. However, something is definitely wrong with the letter itself, as someone else added as well.

By the way, in an update to the original post, the author explained that this was probably indeed a scam attempt – after all, in subsequent letters, the “previous owners” no longer demanded the cat back, but asked for a couple of hundred dollars for “emotional damages.” So, the OP was completely justified in reporting this to the police. Do you think, our dear readers, they did the right thing?

Most commenters supported the author, claiming that after a pet is abandoned, the previous owners in fact lose their rights to the pet, but this perhaps was just a scam attempt

Screenshot of an online discussion about a lost cat’s journey from street survivor to family royalty.

Screenshot of a conversation about protecting a lost cat’s anonymity and discussing the cat’s story of survival and family royalty.

Comment discussing a lost cat’s survival and disputed ownership involving a scammy prior owner demanding the cat back.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment expressing love for a furry cat, relating to lost cat street survivor and family royalty story.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment expressing frustration about a cat’s behavior and joking about rehoming the pet.

Comment about vet bills in text format, related to lost cat going from street survivor to family royalty and owner dispute.

Comment text about lost cat survivor and owner dispute, highlighting scammy owner's demand years later.

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