abandoned cats? Need help!

Hi Beauroland,
(I was trying to follow-up another post, but this computer seems to be
mentally incapable of doing so!)

This isn't quite the same situation, but similar: I know some people
who were offered co-ownership of a breeding stud cat by another
breeder (at that stage they didn't know what she was like), who then
sent him to live with them. At this stage there was nothing in
writing. On his arrival they were appalled at his condition which had
resulted from the other breeder's lack of care (and the previous owner
before her), so they went ahead and got him a couple of thousand
dollars' worth of veterinary treatment. Then this woman turned around
and said, "No, I'm going to own him outright and he will just live
with you"!!! So they got a lawyer who sent her a letter saying that
if she wanted the cat back she would have to take him back, and not
before she paid all his veterinary expenses (and, of course the RSPCA
might have been interested!)... eventually she sent them a full
transfer of ownership (they did let her know that they were fully
prepared to take her to court over this). The cat lived a happy life
for another 4 years with them before he finally was put to sleep from
health problems (probably caused by the crap care he'd had for most of
his life before that)...

My suggestion is: get the 2 cats microchipped in your name. Get the
veterinary treatment done in your name. Then send him a bill for the
vet fees (and mention that you'll hold the cats as security for the
fees) and he'll probably suddenly lose interest in pursuing this. You
could probably argue that the implication is you've been boarding
these cats for 2 years and therefore you will take the cats as payment
for their care too... something along those lines...maybe a
solicitor's letter?

Just some thoughts,
Cheers,
Catherine