DEAR JOAN: A man who lives in our small, quiet neighborhood stole our cat and decided we were not fit to have it anymore because he got outside. Then he decided to gift it to his daughter.

All of this happened on my 7-year-old son’s birthday.

When the man realized that we weren’t going to stand for him stealing our cat, he told us he dropped him off in multiple different locations on multiple different nights, sending us out late into the night and the wee hours of the morning, frightened that our kitten was cold and hungry or — even worse — dead. He tortured our family.

My children have been in tears, missing their cat and asking daily when he’ll be coming home. After days of research, we located this man’s address. When he realized we were on to him and knew where he lived, he started acting strange, wandering around the neighborhood, looking in people’s backyards, hiding behind bushes.

By the time police were able to get to his residence to search, there was no cat. We found out from a friend of the man’s daughter that sometime during that same day when he was acting so strangely, he gave our cat to a friend of his. We have no clue who this friend is or where he lives. It could very well be in another town. Our last hope is to get the story out there and that the person who now has our Jones has a shred of decency and will give us our cat back.

We miss our little guy so much and want him home where he belongs.

Jones is almost 10 months old, an orange and white tabby. He is super small and five weeks ago he underwent hip surgery on his right rear leg. His fur, which was shaved for the operation, may have grown back by now, but he probably still has a limp as he was supposed to be getting daily therapy. He went missing Nov. 14, and was given to the “friend” on Nov. 19.

Megan R.

Danville

DEAR MEGAN: That is the meanest thing. I hope you find Jones and bring him home where he belongs.

Readers, if you know the whereabouts of this cat, please contact me.

DEAR JOAN: Neighbors suggested we send this to you to put in your column and alert people. There has been a bobcat spotted in the area of Crystal Ranch in Concord.

John Jennings

Concord

DEAR JOHN: Thanks for the notice. I think at this point, people need to realize that there are coyotes, foxes and bobcats roaming their neighborhoods.

If they weren’t there before, the drought has certainly drawn them in to neighborhoods where they stand a better chance at finding food and water.

Although we’re having a wonderful wet spell, the drought continues, and the rain won’t immediately undo the damage that has been done.

Meanwhile, if you live in the Crystal Ranch area, keep an eye on your smaller pets.

Bobcats are shy and tend to avoid humans, but they are known to prey upon smaller pets, chickens and other birds.

If you encounter a bobcat, most likely it will turn away from you, but if not, making a lot of noise should send it running.

Clear brush away from your home and bring pet food inside. Don’t try to make friends with the cat. A bobcat that loses its fear of humans is at greater risk of being killed.

Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/AskJoanMorris.