You can't own it because it chooses - Harry

We did not know Harry's name when he showed up. In the winter when it was close to zero degrees F. Harry came to our house every morning. He was a bedraggled, skinny old black cat. He came to the front door where we kept kibbles and water in a heated bowl outside for the few outside cats afraid to come in the house. During this time period a family owned two Chihuahuas that were allowed to run free. They came over and menaced Harry, biting and tearing at him. Bil scared them off, brought Harry to a vet, repaired minor cuts and did a lab workup. No major disabilities except kidney disease was indicated and we adopted him. Brought him in the house, gave him his own heating pad and medicated him with subcutaneous Ringers' solution three times a week. Harry was doing well. When the weather warmed a few degrees from zero Bil walked the neighborhood knocking on doors. It turned out that Harry belonged to a couple a few doors away. They claimed they had owned him for more than 15 years. Bil told them what we were doing for his kidney disease, asked them if they 'd like to know how it was done so they could take him home and do it (we had the vet show us how) but they were not interested and said they'd let nature take its course. We decided they didn't deserve this cat, so we refused to relinquish him. He showed no desire to go outside, even when we left the door open, and seemed happy and comfortable. 

Many months later I received a letter from the feminine half of the couple saying she was angry we had stolen her cat. She wants him cremated when he dies so she can have his ashes. That her family has loved this cat who was a member of their family. We ignored the letter because, after all, if Harry was a family member, why wouldn't you want to take good care of him: we kept Harry with us and continued his subcutaneous Ringers solution for another couple of years until eventually he died. He got along well with our other cats, learned how to use the cat door and could have gone home any time he wanted. 

He chose to stay with us - although I call him ours, he was his own cat because he chose. You can't own something that chooses.