are cats property

[doorknob]

Under English Criminal Law can you steal a cat? ie. is a cat property for the definition of theft?

[cheries]

I sincerely hope not. I stole my cat two years ago after we moved away from our old house. We returned a couple of months later to find the next door neighbour's cat (who we'd loved and cared for) sat on our old doorstep, looking thin, bedraggled and desperately sad.
So we took him
And if that is a criminal offence then I'm Myra Hindley. I'd do it all again for the little chap too.

[shomer42]

Stealing a cat is a criminal offence. Property includes animals within the Theft Act.

No more stealing pussies!

[mushroom25]

you don't own a cat - they employ you as staff. we've been adopted by 4 cats over the years......

[buildersmate]

Do they purrr the Minimum Wage?

[mandimoo]

i thought i had read or heard that a dog, being domesticated, was your property. for some reason cats arent classed as such and therefore arent property. but dont quote me on this, as its just a vague notion!

[daffy654]

I always thought that pet cats were still classed as wild animals as they can't be trained as such. I know years ago the cat I had attacked a neighbour and she went to the police who told her they couldn't do anything about it.In my cat's defence she was provoked by the woman's son who made his dog attack her and when she fought back against the dog the daft woman tried to separate them with her hands,she got quite badly bitten, my cat came off worse though and needed a lot of treatment for her injuries.