I’m interested in some of the judge shows on TV—well, an author needs a break from writing and the curiosities that come up in some of the cases keep the brain active. Sometimes you see cases to determine custody of dogs and even cats. A typical cat case is when someone leaves their cat(s) with a roommate or a friend for a couple of weeks and they don’t return to 
get them until many months later. Who should be given custody of the cats—the person who owned them, but abandoned them or the person who cared for them and has become attached to them?
In most cases the one who is now in custody of the cats gets to keep them. In a recent case, however, one judge (of three) ruled that the original owner should get his 
cats back—since, by law, cats are considered property and the cats are his property.
The other two judges on this panel, however, thought it would be best for the cats to stay where they are—a stable home where the cats have been for many months. Do you agree or disagree? By the way, both 
litigants in this case were men and both quite emotional about these cats.
I’ve seen cases where the original owner seems to do everything she can to visit the cats, take food to them, and so forth, but the temporary custodian of the cat(s) won’t let her on their property. In some situations the fact that the original owner has been recorded displaying disruptive behavior and acting rather crazy outside the custodian’s home causes her to lose her cat(s).
It’s a good thing to have a backup person to care for your cat(s) should you become ill or you must go out of state to care for an ill relative or something. But if you want your cats back, you really need to create evidence that you truly deserve to have them. You know how 
easy it is to become attached to one or more sweet cats. The caregivers just might want to keep them and they’ll start gathering evidence against you.
In one cat case I watched, the person who had agreed to care for the cat for a period of a few weeks or a month or so, ended up giving the cat away after having it for several months. The owner sued for monetary damages. The judge ruled against the owner because he believed that he had abandoned the cat.
While we’re on the topic, be sure to choose a willing and capable guardian for your cat should you become unable to care for it and put it in writing—in your will for example.
