Here is a post which proved popular on Guardian comment is free. about why kidnapping a cat is a crime
We had a wonderful ginger tom called ( mistakenly) Bubbles who was kidnapped by someone in a white van for their child before they then left for home in the EU and abandoned the cat, according to the woman who ' rescued' it and then years later abandoned him at a vets as she could not afford the treatment for his by then many illnesses. Despite the fact that he was chipped we heard nothing until the vet phoned us 6 years after his disappearance to check whether we were prepared to pay for his treatment.
The loss of our loving beautiful cat left us bereft, especially our 2 daughters who held memorial services for him on the anniversary of his kidnapping for 3 years. We spent over 6 weeks looking for him, putting up notices and going out calling his name over and over.
When he did return he was very weak and sick but thanks to the vet's treatment managed to last happily for around 8 months before succumbing to a stroke which left him unable to walk and had to be put to sleep.
I think that the cruelty and selfishness of those responsible was criminal and should have been punished