I took in a lost cat which didn't have a collar and wasn't microchipped. Now, a month later his 'owner' wants him back... but I don't want to return him. DEAN DUNHAM reveals uncomfortable truth about a very common situation
By DEAN DUNHAM KC, MONEY MAIL CONSUMER LAWYER
Updated: 08:21 EDT, 21 July 2026
A few weeks ago I found a young cat in the street with no collar, looking distressed. I took him home and brought him to a vet, who confirmed he wasn’t microchipped.
I put up posters but no one contacted me, so after a month I took them down. I assumed he had been abandoned so had the cat chipped and vaccinated and bought all the supplies. Now I’ve received a text from someone saying I have their cat. Surely he’s mine now?
Name and address supplied.
Dean Dunham replies: I am sorry to complicate what has clearly been an act of great kindness, but the law here may not give you the answer you’re hoping for.
The uncomfortable starting point is that, in the eyes of the law, a pet cat is treated as property. Finding lost property, even if you care for it devotedly, does not automatically transfer ownership to you.
The fact you have chipped, vaccinated and re-homed this cat does not make him legally yours. The original owner’s rights do not simply evaporate.
That said, your position is far from hopeless. First, the sender of that text must prove the cat is theirs. They would need convincing evidence: photographs; vet records; a description of distinguishing features; perhaps witnesses. It is important that you do not hand the cat over on the strength of a single message.
In the eyes of the law, a pet cat is treated as property. Finding lost property, even if you care for it devotedly, does not automatically transfer ownership to you, writes Dean Dunham
The law does expect owners to take reasonable steps to find and reclaim lost pets. You behaved impeccably and if the owner made little or no effort to search for the cat, and only surfaced weeks later, that genuinely weakens their claim and strengthens the argument that the cat was abandoned.
Since June 2024 it has been a legal requirement in England for cats over 20 weeks old to be microchipped. This cat wasn’t and this is a breach on the owner’s part that hardly bolsters their case.
My advice: Don’t panic, and don’t hand him over immediately. Ask the person for proof of ownership and details of what they did to find him. Keep all your vet receipts and a record of your efforts. If it becomes genuinely contested, seek tailored legal advice before doing anything.
My son booked a hire car but when he went to pick it up there were no cars left – can he get compensation?
My son’s car broke down so he booked a hire vehicle online for £360. He took the train to the car rental firm to pick it up, but on arrival was told there were no cars available. He would be refunded within ten days. He had to organise a car with another company and paid £260 for this, so is £620 out of pocket while he waits for the refund. Is it legal to be charged for a product that isn’t available?
H.G., Devon.
Dean Dunham replies: Your son has been badly let down, and the short answer to your question is no – taking payment for a car they could not provide puts the hire company firmly in the wrong.
When your son booked and paid, a binding contract was formed. He pays, they provide a car.
By having no vehicle available on arrival, the company was in breach of that contract. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be provided with reasonable care and skill, and failing to give him the car he had reserved and paid for is about as fundamental a failure as you can get. The refund is his legal right.
Taking payment for a car they could not provide puts a hire company firmly in the wrong, writes Dean Dunham
But your son may be entitled to more than his money back. Where a breach of contract forces you to spend extra, the law allows you to recover your reasonable additional losses, known as consequential losses. Your son had no choice but to hire another car, and the extra £260 he paid flows directly from their failure. He can therefore claim that sum too.
Write to the company formally. State they breached the contract, demand the £360 refund without waiting the full ten days and claim the additional £260 as a consequential loss caused by their failure. Attach both booking confirmations.
If they refuse the extra £260, don’t be fobbed off, as this is a straightforward small claims matter. Also check whether he paid by credit card. Section 75 protection may offer another route to recover his money. He should keep every email and receipt.