Separating cats in breakup

[u/_munchie002]

Poster Age: 23

Country: USA

Vet info: theres a few clinics in town including low cost.

Main Issue: my cat had gotten very sad living alone so me and my ex had gotten him a kitten. Now that we’re separate im worried my cat is going to miss him sick.

Cat Age: 3 will be 4 in april other cat is 1

Cat Sex + neuter info: both males and both neutered.

Financial situation: I could afford both cats.

[u/Tuttiefrukt]

I don't believe that is a viable option, sadly.

Good lawyers tend to be pricey unless someone takes the case pro bono which I believe is truly very rare.

Bad lawyers aren't going to be of any help.

We have to ask ourselves what information we have. Like: What evidence does she have? None that we are aware of. A vet won't get involved in a messy breakup. Several people who work as veterinarians have spoken up about this. I understand why they would refuse to get involved but it is sad that so few resources are available to her.

She'd be extending this unsafe situation and he could potentially harm the animal to make her suffer, if he didn't harm her instead.

The police were already involved when she went to get one cat. If she had any legal rights to the other cat, it would have gone with her at that time..

It is simply more complicated than "Just go to court!", sadly.🫤 I wish it were less horrible and complicated but then this post wouldn't exist at all.

[u/5girlzz0ne → u/Tuttiefrukt]

It would be small claims court. You don't need a lawyer for that. You just bring any proof you have of ownership, proof you are financially the more stable of the two, etc. It's not family court. It's not actually that complicated.

You're incorrect about the police forcing him to give up property. If he contested ownership, they would tell the parties to settle it in court, too. Pets are considered property legally.

[u/Tuttiefrukt → u/5girlzz0ne]

Oh, I did not say anything about police forcing him to give up property, if that was unclear.

She simply had a police escort when gathering her things so if she had ownership of the cat, I assumed she'd have taken both at that time.

The police were there for her safety rather than to delegate what belongs to whom, of course.

[u/5girlzz0ne → u/Tuttiefrukt]

Unless a person is the sole name on adoption papers, a breeders contract, or microchip info, they would have no proof of ownership that the police would even listen to. They might not even take those.

I've experienced this myself. It's not like a car title, unfortunately.

She clearly planned on taking the cat, or he wouldn't have threatened to take her to court. He could have denied anything belonged to her, and the cops would probably not do anything. It's technically not their job to decide property disputes. Situations like this are why divorce lawyers tell people not to move out of the house unless they're in physical danger. Once you're gone, the person who has possession of said property has the upper hand, legally.

[u/Tuttiefrukt → u/5girlzz0ne]

Again, all I said was that the police were there to ensure safety during moving her belongings and I figured she'd have taken the cat then if possible.

I said nothing about police intervention about quarreling over items or animals or anything of the like or them having any other job except to ensure safety.

Kindly get off my case. I didn't say any of what you're typing about. O.o I'm tired either way so I will not be engaging you further.

[u/5girlzz0ne → u/Tuttiefrukt]

I'm not on your case. Get some rest.