Against my judgment, I told my children and asked their advice on this.

I explained it in age appropriate terms and finally my oldest said, "mommy, it's not the Wiccan Way." And she's right.

As mean as what they did was, it is not in our nature to do anything that could create pain and harm to another. Because what we do comes back threefold. The kids then said to let it be and they were happy she was alive.

I've raised some pretty amazing kids.

all i can say is...WOW! there is no way i would let those people get away with HURTING MY FAMILY. you are not hurting them or anyone else by taking YOUR CAT back.
you have some strong, understanding kids. you are a strong person yourself. i would have been furious with those people for stealing from me PERIOD.

I can sure see you point of view BUT don't forget to keep in your thoughts the fact that this father STOLE a cat for his daughter and now she is happy keeping the cat even though she knows it's stolen. I know you don't want to be mean but isn't it also "mean" in a way to allow this little girl to learn it's ok to steal to get what you want?

oh wow, I would never let that family get away with that! This is your cat, and they should know that. Like someone said before, that lady did let her daughter love that cat. They should just get their own cat, not steal one! That is terrible Maybe your cat was rubbing against you and purring because she wanted you to save her. Usually kids don't treat cats right. Yours seem like they would, but that girl seems spoiled. That's just my opinion. I think the right thing to do would be to take back YOUR cat!! Sorry for my ranting. lol.

i am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around". you are obviously a wonderful mom, your kids are incredibly caring in the fact that they are happy that their cat is still alive and find solace in it. you are also very strongly family oriented and involving the children in a "family" matter will mean alot to them, that you are treating them as people with their own opinions and feelings. kids need to be included, i see a lot of "here's $50, go and find something to do" and then people wonder why the world is the way it is. if you earn the respect of your kids while they are still young, they will pass that respect on to those who deserve it. (and by learning now... they will know who does and doesn't)with what you are giving out, you will be truly rewarded and people like that man will have a very hard road ahead.
ye reap what ye shall sow... you will be certainly be rewarded with bountiful harvests, and you will deserve them.

As much as I know she's learning a horrible lesson in how to get things, as Trinity has said, let it be. Once my son was in bed, I sat and talked some more with my 5 year old and she said that the girl would learn her lesson one day but it was not for us to teach because it wouldn't be what the Goddess would want of us.

I asked her how she would feel if I did get Hannibal back and with us again and she told me though she'd be happy and the little girl would learn her lesson, she would feel wrong too because it would go against what I have taught her.

And then of course, she asked me if we could take care of Hannibal financially especially since I have lost my health insurance and almost got evicted this month if it hadn't been for some reinforcements and I know I can't. After texting my friend she said she couldn't take her and no one in my family likes animals.

I had my cry once Trinity went to bed, called to the Goddess to look over Hannibal and give the child who has her guidance in learning right from wrong that her parents have not taught her.

I know it's hard for many of you to understand and will probably think that I do not love Hannibal because of this decision, but I feel okay with it now. My children are okay and I did inform my landlord on what happened. So I guess it's done for this. Thanks all for your honesty and advice.

If you feel good, and your kids feel good, then you did good.

Although what they did was horrible, at least you know she is alive and doing well. If you feel okay with the situation then you did good, like caribbean mom said. It may be mean for me to say this, but maybe it was for the better? Like you said in an earlier post you are going through some tough times and may not have been able to take care of her. Things happen for a reason, or at least that's what I believe.

I thought about something else. If that man has keys, (and I agree, even if he says he doesn't-he does), whether or not you decide to report him, I would get a new deadbolt installed, and maybe a security camera. Used black and white closed circuit cameras are not expensive.

What if he decides to take some more of your pets or posessions because he thinks you're a patsy who won't tell, or if you do tell, he retaliates against you?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that you are doing the child a greater disservice by letting her keep a knowingly stolen pet than causing her the pain of taking the cat back. Her parents can get her a new cat that hasn't been stolen.

And after I got my cat back, I'd move to a new apartment complex.

I've lived in apartments and maintenance having access was always a source of agitation to me as a single woman. Once when I was in the shower and didn't answer the door, the maintenance man opened my apartment and came in just as I was leaving the bathroom with only a towel on my head.

He had no reason to be in my apartment, so when I complained he got reprimanded and put on probation. The next time I traveled for work, when I came home, there was a huge mess in the toilet that had been there for days, and my houseplants were dead. I moved rather than put up with that.

DeShanna, i know you have made your decision and I respect that.

However, since we're on this subject, I thought of something I saw on Animal Planet that addresses this scenario: You take two washcloths and with one, you rub it all over one cats body and do the same with the other washrag, on the other cats body. Then rub the rag on the oposite cat and the other one the same. they will have the same smell and will make it easier for 2 animals to adjust to each other since their smells are the same.

Also, how does your third chakra look.
Love and Light to you and yours, DeShanna