Is it wrong to lock this stray cat out of my garage?

[Anonymous]

A couple of days ago I found a stray cat hanging out in my garage meowing at me. I fed it, and let it stay there while I was waiting for the humane society to open so I could have it scanned for a chip. I just went to have that done, and no chip. Since the cat was well fed, and looked healthy, they said its probably one of my neighbors, so just lock the garage door, and stop feeding it, and it will go back to where it came from. I felt like it was cruel, so I questioned them, but they assured me that it's the right thing to do. What do you think?

[robhazelnut]

I can understand how an organization would refrain from advising someone to possibly accidentally adopt another person's cat. You might ask them for all the reasons why they advised that. That said, if it's freezing or colder where you live, the cat could freeze to death without shelter. If it is, then if I were you I'd let it stay warm enough in the garage, without keeping it trapped there all day, and look for missing cat reports about it.

[petitedollbabee]

It is the right thing to do.