New kitten is very sick. Seller will take no responsibility

[Sp3849]

So Friday evening I purchased a little sphynx kitten. When I got there it was clear the kitten was underweight but apart from being boney and dry skinned she was playing and inquisitive. I was told she was in good health was given her vaccine record. She was born very small and was 11 weeks old needed her second vaccine this week. I Asked to see mum and she explained that she had bought this kitten days before and had to sell her due to her other cat not liking it. She showed me pics of the kitten with mum and gave me the vax records with breeders details on. As soon as we got home she had bloody diarrhea I contacted her straight away and she seemed genuinely shocked and concerned. Said it was most likely the stress of journey. By Saturday evening the dhe diarrhea had continued all day and she wasn't eating. The lady wasn't responding to me. I Contacted a vet who said it was most likely the stress of the move and too keep her hydrated. I still didn't feel happy so tracked down her breeder on Facebook and she was shocked she had been resold and was very helpful explained she had been weaned onto a raw diet and was used to that and the biscuits the lady had been feeding her were probably the cause. I went straight out and bought her the recommended food and some fluid replenishment drinks and she ate fine after that, the diarrhea eased and became less runny and bloody. By Sunday night she devoloped bad eyes and was sneezing. This got worse throughout Monday she stopped eating agaim and I rang the vet. The vet explained she was severely dehydrated and that she had an infection. I had to go again yesterday and I also have to take her back again today. It is costing a fortune. Which i don't mind but the woman I bought her off is denying she was ill saying she had diarrhea but was fine! That she didn't have her long enough to make her sick and that this is my fault and she won't take her back (I wouldn't of taken her back to her anyway) she won't refund me and she won't contribute too vet fees. I am more upset about what she has done to this poor kitten. The photos the breeder sent me of the day she left hers it's just heartbreaking too see how much weight she lost. It is touch and go at the moment and I am just angry. I feel she should take some responsibility for what she has done. Am I being unreasonable to expect her to contribute? Where do I stand with this? There is a good likely hood this cat may not live and I have spent 1300 on it so far and not to mention my children and how upsetting it all is

How old was the kitten when the original breeder sold her and how long did she have her? Is it an actual breeder or a private seller? Had she been wormed and de-flead?

There are a lot of similar stories of buying privately on Moneysavingexpert and the answers are that there isn't much you can do, in terms of trading standards. I guess you could try Small Claims Court, but it would be a gamble.

Unless you have some sort of contract that makes either the seller or the breeder responsible for illness it’s just hard luck on your part I would think . Many years ago my mum bought a Ragdoll kitten from a very reputable , show winning breeder and the day after it came home it was very ill , required 2 major surgeries for necrotic bowels in the following 6 days and the breeder couldn’t have been less interested and we weren’t even asking for anything just keeping her informed thinking she would care - she didn’t . Hope your kitten improves but I doubt you will get any money from this woman .

Whilst animals aren’t effectively “goods” in consumer law, you bought the kitten from a private seller and so have far fewer consumer rights than if you bought it from a shop or registered trading breeder. If your seller described the kitten as healthy, you could pursue it as a small claim; but the seller can’t be expected to be an expert in animal health and unless it was showing signs of illness when you bought it, it’s going to be difficult to prove. Ultimately, you bought a young kitten you describe as looking skinny and dry skinned from somebody who didn’t breed it, and need to shoulder the buyer beware aspect of that.

Sorry, animals *are effectively goods, the first kind should read.

I’ll get flamed for this but YABU to have purchased a kitten like a luxury product (1300!?) from someone who is financially motivated to breed as many of them as possible. You’ve supported an atrocious business model that trades in living beings. Not sure why you’re surprised I have to admit.

The moment you adopted that kitten they became your responsibility. Next time go to a shelter. You don’t get a partial refund on a living being because the quality isn’t to your liking.

If you can afford 1300 on a kitten then I’m sure you have money put aside for vet fees.

And frankly, the original breeder sounds like an irresponsible idiot, selling a kitten, born underweight, of that particular breed, before all its vaccinations were complete, and offering no kind of aftercare.

If you can afford over a thousand pounds for a kitten, you can afford the vet bills. Let this be a lesson to you this why you don't buy animals from people who aren't regiestered breeders let alone from a random person online.
I do hope the kitten survives though. Well done on putting money in someone's pocket who is clearly a moron.

@RoseLimeade

I’ll get flamed for this but YABU to have purchased a kitten like a luxury product (1300!?) from someone who is financially motivated to breed as many of them as possible. You’ve supported an atrocious business model that trades in living beings. Not sure why you’re surprised I have to admit.

The moment you adopted that kitten they became your responsibility. Next time go to a shelter. You don’t get a partial refund on a living being because the quality isn’t to your liking.

If you can afford 1300 on a kitten then I’m sure you have money put aside for vet fees.

Yes, you deserve to get 'flamed' for your post

It's factually incorrect on several levels as well as unkind.

Don't buy kittens from randoms
Sad for the poor kitty but YABU to expect backyard breeders to care about the animals they exploit

@bookworm34

If you can afford over a thousand pounds for a kitten, you can afford the vet bills. Let this be a lesson to you this why you don't buy animals from people who aren't regiestered breeders let alone from a random person online. I do hope the kitten survives though. Well done on putting money in someone's pocket who is clearly a moron.

This. My cats have all been rescues and are insured up to the hilt. If you want another, go to a reputable breeder or rescue centre. Buying from a random on the internet is moronic and asking for trouble.

YABU as you didn’t do you research first and funded this cruelty.

Lesson learned, good luck with the kitten though hopefully she’s in safe hands now.

Unfortunately with it being a kitten sold on from the buyer you don’t really have a leg to stand on. The original breeder likely had a contract with the first buyer and that would of covered some illness bits etc plus 2 weeks insurance cover if they where decent.

Sounds like this kitten was fine until the first buyer neglected it and now it’s quite sick which is going to cost quite a lot of hopefully fix but your first red flag should of been the fact she was selling it rather than returning to the breeder.

@RoseLimeade

I’ll get flamed for this but YABU to have purchased a kitten like a luxury product (1300!?) from someone who is financially motivated to breed as many of them as possible. You’ve supported an atrocious business model that trades in living beings. Not sure why you’re surprised I have to admit.

The moment you adopted that kitten they became your responsibility. Next time go to a shelter. You don’t get a partial refund on a living being because the quality isn’t to your liking.

If you can afford 1300 on a kitten then I’m sure you have money put aside for vet fees.

I completely agree.

Our local shelters have kitten for adoption too

@RoseLimeade

I’ll get flamed for this but YABU to have purchased a kitten like a luxury product (1300!?) from someone who is financially motivated to breed as many of them as possible. You’ve supported an atrocious business model that trades in living beings. Not sure why you’re surprised I have to admit.

The moment you adopted that kitten they became your responsibility. Next time go to a shelter. You don’t get a partial refund on a living being because the quality isn’t to your liking.

If you can afford 1300 on a kitten then I’m sure you have money put aside for vet fees.

I completely agree with you and couldn't care less about a flaming!

People like the OP are irresponsible, fund backyard breeding and give little to no shits about the lives of actual animals.

I read it that the op had spent 1300 on vet fees and the initial purchase cost, not that she spent 1300 just on purchasing the kitten.

Op I think you need to clarify.

Hope the kitten is better soon.

Asked to see mum and she explained that she had bought this kitten days before and had to sell her due to her other cat not liking it.

I mean, seriously?

Agree wholeheartedly with @RoseLimeade

There’s always some nonsense about people saying they essentially rescued them as they were having a bad life.
No you didn’t you funded a diabolically cruel industry.
I’d hazard a guess you found this cat for sale on pets4homes or some site equally well documented for a bad welfare record.

This is a bit harsh. The OP said altogether she's spent £1300 which likely involved the extra foid, and the vet fees. She didn't buy the Kitten for that much.

@MazekeenSmith

Don't buy kittens from randoms Sad for the poor kitty but YABU to expect backyard breeders to care about the animals they exploit

Yep... it’s literally a conflict of interests.

You fund a person who breeds and sells living beings for profit... then expect them to give some of that profit up because one is poorly!?

Breeders don’t do it for the love of it, or they’d be selling the animals at ‘cost’, it’s financially motivated. YABU to expect anything else and hopefully you’ve learned a lesson. The only way these breeders will stop doing it is if they stop making sales.

@CatherineOfAragonsPomegranate

This is a bit harsh. The OP said altogether she's spent £1300 which likely involved the extra foid, and the vet fees. She didn't buy the Kitten for that much.

Ah maybe. But either way the kitten will have cost hundreds. So my point stands. Expensive lesson to learn though!

RoseLimeade

"I’ll get flamed for this but YABU to have purchased a kitten like a luxury product (1300!?) from someone who is financially motivated to breed as many of them as possible. You’ve supported an atrocious business model that trades in living beings. Not sure why you’re surprised I have to admit.

The moment you adopted that kitten they became your responsibility. Next time go to a shelter. You don’t get a partial refund on a living being because the quality isn’t to your liking.

If you can afford 1300 on a kitten then I’m sure you have money put aside for vet fees."

Amen to this 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

YABVU OP.

Poor wee kitten 😟.

@RoseLimeade it doesn't say she spent £1300 to buy the kitten, she has spent £1300 total, the kitten has been to the vets several times so I expect the bulk of the £1300 to be the vet fees.

The 1300 is for vets bills for those who didn't read the OP post correctly
I am so sorry OP. l think the small claims court is the only way forward. I do hope the kitten is much better & well done you for looking after her and saving her from that awful person.

The original breeder sold her before her vaccinations were complete, which immediately rings alarm bells as no reputable breeder would do that. In addition, reputable breeders sell their kittens with four weeks of pet insurance, which you can claim on (and then renew).

You would have been very lucky to get a healthy kitten from the type of set up you've described. You really need to do your research into the seller before you buy, and ensure you are happy when you visit/collect the kitten.

I am very sorry your kitten is unwell and I hope she makes a good recovery. Please get pet insurance for her asap.