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AIBU?

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Original poster

Kitten sellers taking the piss!!?

226 replies

Jamandbreadd · 04/05/2020 10:41

I am thinking about getting a cat after the lockdown eases, my cat is really in need of the company I think. Had a quick scan of gumtree London (where I got my cat 2 years ago, from a family home where their moggy had kittens). To be honest I was Hmm at the prices of cars. I haven’t been in the market for a cat for 2 years but I remember I paid £50 for a litter trained moggy kitten. Now every similar kitten on gumtree appears to be upwards of £200 each, and £400+ is equally as common! Am I missing something? They are either from private homes or I guess breeders, and it seems incredible to charge that much per kitten. A litter of 4 will net some of these people over £1000!
I’m a good pet owner- have good insurance for my cat, she has a de flea and de worm subscription from the vet, enough food and lots of attention. We don’t have a garden so were turned down by our local cat rescue when we contacted them.
I just don’t believe that people should profiteer from kittens like this. It’s mad.. and has definitely got worse since I got my cat 2 years ago.
£200-£400 for a moggy kitten?!? AIBU?!

OP posts:
SugarOrSweetenerWithTheTea · 04/05/2020 11:34

Why shouldn’t you buy cats from gumtree? Years ago, we had a litter and sold them all on gumtree. Didn’t realise it was a no!

k1233 · 04/05/2020 11:34

I had to talk myself out of this cutie - my current place is on a main road, so not suited to kitties. He was the last left of the litter and so tempting, but I'd never forgive myself if he got hit by a car.

Kitten sellers taking the piss!!?
EarlGreyT · 04/05/2020 11:34

YABU to think about buying a cat from gumtree. The sellers couldn’t sell them for the stupid prices you have given if people weren’t willing to pay for them. No one should be selling or buying pets on gumtree. Get a rescue cat. Shelters are strict with good reason.

ChilliCheese123 · 04/05/2020 11:35

Are you in the US? It’s more common from my experience that Cats are indoor pets there. Or only go out in a very enclosed yard space. You don’t really see in suburbs people just letting their cats roam. Don’t know if it’s a cultural thing but I know in parts of California it’s because of predators etc. also Japan and Korea its super common to have multiple cats in small apartments. Often taken for walks on a lead.

BovaryX · 04/05/2020 11:35

I know. I said in my first post not to buy one online and to go to a shelter instead

Er, the OP says the shelter has said no. Many cats do not like company and are not yearning for a kitten. Buying one from Gumtree? Why would anyone encourage that?

Nearlyalmost50 · 04/05/2020 11:35

I think indoors cats are great (I have one).

I think cats can live happily together on occasions.

But not indoors and lots of cats together! If you don't have a cat flap or a garden, your two cats would have no escape if they don't like each other. We brought a second cat in to our family when I was young and the older cat was awful to it. The fact it had it's own areas, could run away into the garden and generally have a life away from the more dominant cat was incredibly important (and taught me that actually, cats don't always need company at all).

I would not get a new kitten in this situation. Soon you will be posting about one of the cats soiling or weeing on your bed and wondering why. Cats trapped in a flat who do not know each other is too much of a gamble.

ducksback · 04/05/2020 11:36

Why the fuck would anyone buy an animal from Gumtree FFS?

Please do NOT do this and think again about where to get your cat from. It is 'kitten season' in the shelters at the moment - do the decent thing and rescue a cat and don't fund the bastards on shit sites like Gumtree.

RedRed9 · 04/05/2020 11:36

When we lived in a similar set up to you the rescue put us down to adopt a cat that had to be an indoor cat. (Eg if it had FIV.)

Could you ask the rescue centre about that?

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 04/05/2020 11:37

Btw, OP, I’m talking as someone who once owned seven cats, but they were all from the same litter, so knew nothing else. That meant at least eight litter trays and about 12 beds, not to mention little spaces where they chose to sleep. Some got on better than others, but other than two who loved to snuggle, they all preferred their own spaces and I have a decent sized house and garden, but they would still get into the odd argument. Two unrelated cats, stuck in a flat spells disaster, shit and piss in places where there shouldn’t be and two poor distressed cats. I know you mean to give a cat a loving home, but that isn’t what will happen.

ducksback · 04/05/2020 11:38

The only shelter near us I know of is quite strict that you need (often enclosed) garden and a cat flap. We don’t- our flat is an ok size and we have a big balcony but that’s it and when I chatted to them they didn’t think it was viable

Sorry I missed this. My advice would be do not get another cat at all in that case.

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 04/05/2020 11:38

RedRed9, that’s a great idea for those in flats, but unfortunately that means introducing an infectious cat to her healthy cat, so wouldn’t work in this case.

Peonyinbloom · 04/05/2020 11:39

Years ago DH (we werent married then) got a cat from a shelter. It was an 'indoor only' cat, very nervous etc. The cat settled in very quickly, was very affectionate and happy.
DH moved to a much larger (massive!) apartment with a big balcony overlooking lovely field/grass etc. Cat started going on balcony.
When we married we moved in to a house and had a garden and cat ventured out and enjoyed it. So some cats are happy indoors, some outdoors
I do agree that they generally don't like other cats around though.
What makes you think your cat wants company OP?

Olliephaunt4eyes · 04/05/2020 11:40

Cats are solitary creatures and prefer to be the only cat in a home

There have been studies on this and it's not true. Domestic cats aren't descended from solitary cats like tigers. Instead they seem to be slightly closer, in terms of their social preferences, to cats like lions. Feral cats, for example, often form 'colonies' where a group of them live together.

Cats are often very social creatures. Of course a cat that has been alone for years and is used to its territory, and may have been poorly socialised as a kitten won't seem to like people or other cats, but this isn't universal at all. I also don't think it's cruel to keep cats indoors - a lot of pedigree cats, in particular, stay indoor cats and are just fine for it.

Having said that, I would be suspicious of anyone selling kittens for £50 on Gumtree. I also think that it's worth contacting more than one rescue if you've been turned down by the one nearest - surely that isn't the only one within an hour's drive?

BovaryX · 04/05/2020 11:40

£50 doesn’t cover costs of increased feed or first jabs and worming/fleas (or certainly didn’t when my parents cat had its last litter) so I felt somewhat guilty paying that little. Breakeven once you include all up costs of a litter is probably closer to £100

@Asdf12345

There are cats in shelters and homeless cats. Responsible owners have their pets neutered.

viques · 04/05/2020 11:41

You live in London. Please contact the Celia Hammond trust. They have cats and kittens coming out of their ears, their cats and kittens will have been vet checked, spayed and innoculated. Yes you will pay for your kitten, but the payment will go to support their work, not into some scammers back pocket . If people stopped buying from gumtree breeders they would soon stop their exploitation.

RedRed9 · 04/05/2020 11:42

@T0tallyFuckedUpFamily@T0 I’m an idiot and didn’t think about that! But to be fair there were other reasons a cat had to be indoor. I can only remember loss of sight, FIV and personal history now as it was such a long time ago.

zscaler · 04/05/2020 11:42

If you buy a cat from gumtree it’s almost certainly the offspring of some poor queen who has endless litters forced out of her for profit, all the while contributing to the massive surplus of cats filling up shelters in this country. At best it will be some idiot who doesn’t have the sense to get their pet neutered. No reputable person would ever sell kittens on gumtree.

Look around at various shelters. Even if you have to travel a bit further, it has to be worth it to avoid contributing to unethical breeding of kittens.

SonjaMorgan · 04/05/2020 11:44

Some shelters are far too strict. Have you asked around any friends and family locally.

Mammatino · 04/05/2020 11:44

We got a kitten from a friend who had taken in a pregnant feral cat at the end of last year. We can’t get him neutered until lock down ends and he is becoming a handful, he can’t be let outside and it’s really pissing him off,so he’s destroying carpets and curtains instead. He’s ace though and we wouldn’t be without him. Just wait until things are a bit more normal because you might struggle with routine inoculations, even getting pet food and litter could be hard. My ten year old Maine coone isn’t impressed with his little brother. He quite liked him at first, gave him a good washing and slept with him, but as the kittens testosterone is in full flood he is getting very boisterous and has been whacked a few times by the big cat. Paying over the odds might not be your only problem with a kitten if things continue.

Ginfordinner · 04/05/2020 11:45

The only shelter near us I know of is quite strict that you need (often enclosed) garden and a cat flap. We don’t- our flat is an ok size and we have a big balcony but that’s it and when I chatted to them they didn’t think it was viable.

This ^^ and the fact that you already have a mature cat are very good reasons not to get a kitten. The local animal rescue place are right to be strict. They want the animals they place to have optimum living conditions. They would be irresponsible if they didn't do this.

Cats are very territorial, and I doubt very much if your existing cat would make a younger usurper welcome.

vanillandhoney · 04/05/2020 11:45

I would ask in a shelter for a cat that's always been indoors. Lots of cats end up in shelters because their owners have passed away - if a cat has always lived indoors they'll likely be quite content to continue that way of life.

BovaryX · 04/05/2020 11:47

the offspring of some poor queen who has endless litters forced out of her for profit, all the while contributing to the massive surplus of cats filling up shelters in this country. At best it will be some idiot who doesn’t have the sense to get their pet neutered. No reputable person would ever sell kittens on gumtree

Well said @zscaler. What caring, responsible pet owner is peddling kittens on Gumtree?

viques · 04/05/2020 11:47

PS celia Hammond will rehome to people in flats if they think it is in the best interest of the cat . Might be a cat with a health problem , though obviously not feline AIDS as this would impact your present cat,

PumpkinP · 04/05/2020 11:47

My sister thought her cat needed company and bought a kitten off Shpock Hmm for it, needless to say the other cat hates it and refuses to come in the house now. Now she wants to re home the kitten but no one will take it.

kikisparks · 04/05/2020 11:48

I suspect there will be other rescues within an hour from you- check here www.catchat.org/index.php

Please do not buy a cat from gumtree.

Also your existing cat may not like having a new cat especially in an enclosed space with no garden- cats are generally solitary- www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cats-and-your-family/other-cats