answer:Well animals are usually kept at shelters until more come in or after a certain amount of time. At the SPCA here I was told that most animals stay for around a week before they’re euthanized. If I were in your position I’d have already taken in the cat but that’s not always the best thing to do. You could take it in temporarily and look after it and try to find a home for it. There are also societies that keep animals in a type of foster care where they rotate the animals among volunteers’ houses at regular intervals. It keeps the animals out of the shelters and alive longer in loving homes. Perhaps if you phone the humane society they can give you some info on these organizations. Finally, if you ever see your old neighbour again, feel free to kick him in the nuts for me.