If you caught someone that dumped a house pet out on a country road, what punishment would you consider appropriate?

We have the only business is what is otherwise a glorified trailer park. We have neighbors that ‘feed’ cats that are, for all intents and purposes, feral.

A few weeks ago a healthy, well fed orange cat showed up and meowed constantly. I suspected it had been dumped, but as it was mixing in with the neighbor’s cats and hanging out there, I didn’t know for sure. I’ve petted it, and given it a treat once in a while, but can’t really take responsibility because we sometimes go days or a week without being there. The feral cats already hang out at our building and poop under the lean-to shelters because it’s always dry under them.

Fast forward to today. The orange cat’s bones are showing, it no longer ‘talks’, and when I tried to feed it a hot dog, it would nip the end and then cringe – someone is baiting and abusing it. At the same time, the neighbor man says he’s feeding it, and I see them pet it. I vow that the next cat that’s dumped that’s approachable, I’m going to take to the animal shelter.

Sorry for the WOT, but you weren’t required to read it to give an answer. It’s eating away at me, and I needed to vent.