Ginger-lyn Summer wrote:

(snip)

And as you said, you
wouldn't want to break a little kids' heart.

Give me a break! Cats aren't children's toys and children don't have
the knowledge or the means to properly care for animals. Parents are
responsible for children's pets and, if this cat is the poster cat, the
parents were negligent in searching for the cat and in failing to neuter
and treat its earmites. There is no reason to believe they will behave
differently next time, if the cat is returned to them.

Let them buy their kid a plastic action figure and let the cat remain
with responsible caregivers.