Question
I am a minor who is coming into possession of a cat. I love this cat with all my heart, and I will pay all necessary fees to keep her alive. However, my family refuses to keep this cat at our house, so I am sharing custody of this cat with a friend of mine. She is allowed to keep this cat; however, her stepfather is a mean drunk and has a history of giving away pets in the house for money or otherwise. There is no other place I can keep this cat. If her stepfather removes the cat, what can I do about it, and what legal repercussions can I enforce? If he lays one finger on my baby, I swear to God I will throw the book at him. Please help.
Answer
Have you and your friend considered finding a loving home for this cat where she will be safe? When you are older and on your own, hopefully you will be in a position to provide a safe home for an animal, but based on your inquiry it seems like neither you nor your friend can do so now. Waiting to see if an animal gets abused, abandoned, or irresponsibly rehomed does nothing to protect the cat. People who suspect an animal has been or is being neglected or abused can contact the police and other law enforcement entities in their area.
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