{"product_id":"vragen-25080-er-kwam-in-2010-een-poes-bij-mij-aanlopen-die-er-niet-zo-goed-uitzag-en-zelfs-beet-ze-bleef-elke-d","title":"Unfortunately, the cat's owner remains legitimate","description":"\u003ch4\u003e Questioner\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n In 2010 a cat came to me that didn't look so good and even bit me.\n She kept coming by every day and I asked around the neighborhood who the owner was. I was told the cat was a stray. \nTHE cat didn't seem to want to leave me anymore and after a while I decided to take her in... I bought everything for her. A litter box, climbing pole, the tastiest food... and soon she started to look much better. She stopped biting and seemed happy... of course I should have taken her to the vet to see if she wasn't chipped after all, but because I was very ill at the time with Lyme disease, this was postponed. Eventually she had a wound and I took her to the vet right away... I had had her for years and she looked fantastic by now..... At the vet it turned out that the owner lived around the corner from us. I had never spoken to this person before... The curtains were completely closed, day and night and I honestly thought it was someone who was hardly ever present at the address mentioned. \nbecause I now knew that the cat belonged to someone else I went there straight away, despite the fact that I had been taking care of her for years and she had always lived with me..., no one was home so I tried several times. Eventually the door was opened and I told him that I had only just found out that the cat was his. He replied that he already found it strange that she was home so little. I had to laugh at this to be honest, because the cat was really always with me... I later also found out that he had said to my neighbour, 'I have lost my cat'. I asked what would happen now... and why the cat was with him so little. He said that he was hardly ever there... that must have been the reason... but now he was home more often again.\n I continued to care for her and I think she was with me 90 percent of the time..She would come by every now and then for an hour...when she was doing her rounds..he would still put out kibble etc. \nHe had always continued to do this, but because the cat had been eating from me for so long, she didn't have much of an appetite for him.\n eventually the cat got hurt again, she had an ugly spot and really dragged herself along. I went straight to the owner because he has a car and asked him to take her to a vet straight away. After insisting he did. I gave him 25 euros... paid half of the costs. The last time at the vet I also paid it myself... and never asked for anything in return. He did offer to give money for expenses once, but I didn't want it. I'm just not interested.\n I noticed that every time something happened to the cat I had to explain it again. He didn't seem to notice it on his own... \nAfter the last visit to the vet, the owner personally brought my cat...plus his travel basket and said that it suited him fine, shared ownership, so to speak...I therefore assumed that he would ultimately give the cat entirely to me...after all these years.\n now, after all these years I am going to move. The owner also has to move because in this neighborhood all the houses are disappearing, being demolished. I found a fantastic house with a playground behind it that is mine. A lovely piece of land for animals to play and also safe. No highway or traffic..... I am now much healthier myself and recovering from Lyme disease, which I suffered from for years. I am well able to take full care of the cat. \nI therefore asked the owner if he would reconsider whether I could keep the cat. He immediately became angry and shouted... this is not going to happen and are you actually still feeding her? He had decided a while ago that I was no longer allowed to feed her, because he suddenly wanted her back after 4 years, but I thought this was ridiculous and after all these years I really did not stick to it... What rights do I have now? The cat was chipped by him a long time ago... so it is in his name... My only proof of all the concern would be that residents make a statement and admit that the cat has been living with me for almost 4 years now... she has a cat door, so there is no reason why she should not go to the owner during the day... suddenly she also sleeps with me. He claims that the cat is with him more again, but this is absolutely untrue. He managed to do this for a few weeks, but soon the cat came here again and did not want to leave.....\n\n\u003ch4\u003e Lawyer\u003c\/h4\u003e \nLegally you are in a very weak position, the owner of the business (the cat) is legally allowed to take the cat. You can do nothing legally against that, despite all the care you have given to the animal.\n\n The animal's 'wish' plays no legal role whatsoever and the statements of the neighbours will not help you either. In fact, you are guilty of theft if you do not want to return the owner's property.\n\n If you had owned the cat in good faith for three years, you would have become the rightful owner on the basis of article 3:99 BW. Unfortunately, it is very questionable whether you were indeed in good faith on the basis of article 3:118 BW. After all, your cat had a chip and you only had the cat checked for it much later.\n\n If you were not in good faith, you will only become the owner after 20 years. Furthermore, the current limitation period has been interrupted because the animal has come back into the possession of the rightful owner.\n \nI therefore advise you, if you cannot reach an agreement with the owner, to let the matter rest.\n\n\u003ch4\u003e Questioner\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n Thank you very much for your advice.\n\n I will certainly respect this. I have to abide by the law. I had hoped for a statute of limitations. I read that if the cat lives with the new owner for more than three years, the owner in fact loses his rights. I feel bad for the cat who seems to feel very happy here. But oh well, nothing can be done about it.\n\n\u003ch4\u003e Lawyer\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n Answer clarified\n\n","brand":"Rechtswinkel.nl","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55015156351325,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.rechtswinkel.nl\/en\/products\/vragen-25080-er-kwam-in-2010-een-poes-bij-mij-aanlopen-die-er-niet-zo-goed-uitzag-en-zelfs-beet-ze-bleef-elke-d","provider":"Rechtswinkel.nl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}