Is there any way to get legal ownership of a cat?

Yes there is a way to get legal ownership, though I do not know how I know it’s possible. I know this from watching Millionare Listings, for Chad’s birthday his girlfriend get’s him a certificate of sorts stating that he is legally responsible for the cat (like visitation) and responsibilities for food and such are now split 50/50

So yes it is totally possible!

I think animals are considered property and are treated as such.

Authority: Ponder v. Angel Animal Hospital (very sad case involving a little dog)

Note: The above is only opinion and does not offer any guarantees, warranties, or promise of any sort. Weeveeship is not liable for anything that results from said opinion.

There is a cat’s life involved here. There is a cat’s happiness involved here.
You need to resort to whatever it takes, (so long as your description of the fact he fails to take care of the cat, is accurate). The ethics of this depend on your honesty with yourself and with us.

In order to protect the cat, you need to act like you’ve given in to your ex boyfriend’s demands, so he lets his guard down.

You need to take the cat from him while you are there, somehow. Quickly exiting and driving off for eternity.

Or… when he’s at work, you need to enter his house and take the cat. (And ONLY the cat.) Then leave him $300 cash for repayment of the vet bills.

There is a life and a soul involved here.

And the drastic measures I’ve mentioned are only right, if he really is incapable of taking care of the cat properly.

If what you said about the hamster is true, then you need to take the hamster, too.

If there is any way at all of talking him into giving up the cat voluntarily first, though, that will be tremendously less chaotic.

I think you might be able to get legal ownership of the cat and the hamster (probably easier with the hamster due to the lack of vet records) through the theory of abandonment. Abandoned property can be claimed by anyone, so you could therefore claim the animals.

I called our animal control, and they said who ever has physical possession of a cat is considered it’s owner. There is no licensing or other requirement.

@YARNLADY Ah yes, possession is 9/10 of the law.

Under English law, it’s impossible to legally own a cat as they are classed as wild animals.

My apologies, guys. I live in the US. I’ve researched the laws and did read about the English law, @meiosis

Offer to buy the cat from him. Or, take the cat with you, leave him a check for the purchase of the cat, and on the memo line, write “For the purchase of Fluffy.” If he cashes the check, you own Fluffy. You have compensated him for the cat.

Stop talking about it with your ex right away. Take the cat when you move. Do not leave a forwarding address with your ex.

I would second both of the last two suggestions. Leave him a check in which his signature constitutes a sale of the cat to you.

Your canceled check with his signature is, in effect, your receipt for proof.

For now, just act as if you’ve accepted his assertion that the cat is his. Any conversations you have about it should be centered around what he must do to properly care for the cat. Vet check frequency, type of food, brand of litter etc. If you didn’t express these types of concern, his susicions may be aroused.

Give him your move out date as a day or two LATER than when you actually plan to leave. Do your ACTUAL leaving on a day when he is at work.

If you leave him the check, at least you’re being ethical about compensating him for whatever he was out of pocket for the cat.

If you do this and leave ahead of the date he thinks you’re moving, it’s pretty unlikely he will attempt to cause further trouble. After all, you’re going to another state.

If you don’t leave him a check he may very well be so resentful as to cause you problems. Don’t cheap-out here. Your cat deserves a happy life.

If it were me, I’d take the hamster also.

Thank you guys for your answers. I didn’t even consider writing out a check for him. That sounds like a great idea. I am certainly taking the hamster as well. The apathy he displays toward them is repulsive. I am currently training to be a veterinary assistant and I will make sure my pets are well taken care of. I want them to be happy and healthy, and I will not, under any circumstance, let him keep them because he has shown 0 responsibility.

I bet that will pacify him. Good ol’ money.

I think that was a stroke of genius from @BarnacleBill. That may very well prove to be a critical point if he ever does decide to call the cops on you in another state or something.

But my guess is he’ll take the money and be done with it :)

try going through the proper legal system (small claims court). but make sure you have all the legal documents to support you.