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

I know so many people who’ve got puppies and cats this past year and not one was a rescue. It’s disgraceful. All these designer pets to order fuelling the mass breeding busuiness when there are 1000s lovely animals desperate for a home.

People never learn or take the advice offered on numerous pages and on social media. Some breeders are there for the money then you won't see them again - or some buy the puppy/kitten to sell on again for a profit.

Buyer beware is the caveat

@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. You've helped perpetuate the chain of misery, OP, and the only ones who truly suffer are the animals.

I hope your cat gets well soon

A good breeder will have insurance which covers you for the first 4 weeks of the puppy or kittens life. When you buy a young animal check it already has valid insurance and if it doesn't you have a choice - risk paying out a large sum with no guarantee of a live animal at the end of it, or walk away.

Jesus Christ there are some naive people on here!

OP did not 'save' this kitten. She failed to properly research and act responsibly when buying a breed of kitten that has many known health issues and has supported irresponsible people to continue backyard breeding.

Whilst diarrhoea and snuffles/runny eyes are extremely common when kittens move to new homes (and change diets- fairly fundamental to understand this and kitten feeding in general tbh and I'd certainly not be listening to either 'breeder' on this) I'd strongly suggest you now get this poor baby scanned for all the health issues that are common in Sphynx cats.

I know this is harsh OP but come on, what were you thinking? And for the rest of you defending this- you are the people propping up the appalling cruelty of backyard breeding and puppy/kitten farms.

I thought everyone knew how to avoid this these days but clearly not.

It's pointless berating the OP for how she acquired the kitten as this is done now - I've no doubt the OP has learned from the experience and won't take this route again.

I hope your kitten pulls through, OP .

OK so I hold my hands up I was wrong I shouldn't have bought the kitten. No she wasn't 1300 the vet fees and kitten so far cost 1300. It isn't about the money really. The kitten we had originly reserved from a “reputable breeder“ and waited 5 weeks for was kept by the breeder and we couldn't have her. (I got a refund) I don't want to let my children down. The fact is the kitten I have is from a reputable breeder gccf registered who I am now in contact with daily and came to my house yesterday to see for herself the state this kitten is in. She offered to take her and nurse her and try and help but I would rather her stay with me. I dont want to unsettle her any more. She told me she never lets her kittens leave this young but this particular kitten was doing so well and she let the lady have her as she knew the lady she had had puppies of her in the past and she is also a breeder of dogs and felt that she would take adequate care of her having knowledge of rearing pups. The lady who bought her has obviously not taken care of her. I just don't think she should be able to own animals if she can't even get them help when they are sick?! What's to say she won't do it again?

Op did the kitten have no insurance from the breeder that was still valid?

I hope the kitten recovers & stops suffering soon, thank god you got her so she doesn’t die a horrible death at the hands of the person that bought her.

I suspect the seller doesn't care because as far as she's concerned, she's sold the kitten, her responsibility ends there.

I'd try speaking to the breeder again — ask about insurance. Really the poor kitten should have been returned to the breeder rather than sold on.

You’ve bought from a random online. I’m guessing they ditched it as it was sick.
Rescue or go to a proper breeder. Lesson learnt.

The fact is the kitten I have is from a reputable breeder

Not really.

She 'never' lets her kittens leave this young but she did this time, just because it was 'doing so well'? and 'she knew the lady'?
I think they're both fucking chancers. I'd report the breeder to the GCCF.

I hope the kitten is OK but I think there's a lesson for you.

I also have pet insurance by the way and I have had many sphynx cats over the years. I have a 4 year old one now. Have him scanned yeah. I know the breed well and usually buy from a breeder directly. She is a pedigree kitten fleed wormed up to date and from a registered breeder. She had her first vaccine when she left breeder

If the original breader allowed a kitten to leave its mother before 8 weeks then she is solely responsible for this mess. The fact that the woman she sold it too has raised puppies is neither here nor there... this woman could have been David fucking Attenborough and Florence Nightingale’s love child and it still wouldn’t retract from the fact that kittens need to stay with their mums until 8 weeks as a minimum.

If she is a registered breeder is report her. Vile woman.

You’ve been conned.

If you haven’t already, please get the cat to a vet ASAP, instead of messaging us on here.

I'm so sorry for you (and the kitten) but you were bonkers to buy a thin, dry coated animal that was clearly not thriving, from a random on the internet. Has probably worked out v well for the kitten though.

I'd be a bit wary of the breeder too. They sound like they're trying to help now, but no really responsible breeder sells an animal too young because they thought the buyer could cope with it!

Well it sounded dodgy as fuck from the get go didn't it. Only she knows if the kitten was ill before she got it or became ill while she had it or once you got it. At the end of the day, you bought a kitten from a dodgy person and you're now responsible for that kitten.

If the vets bills are covered by insurance what exactly do you want she’s hardly going to give you your money back

"She told me she never lets her kittens leave this young but..."
your bullshit detector should be going off op.

The cat is your responsibility now, forget the dodgy people it originated from, they've washed their hands and got their money. Hope the kitten survives.

This is what you get for buying a pet and ignoring massive red flags that the seller is dodgy as hell.

It doesn't add up to me. The kitten was born very small but the breeder let her go early because she was doing so well? She's now supposedly 11 weeks but the seller never normally lets them go so young?

How old is the kitten and how old was she when she was first sold? It all seems very strange to me.

@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.

Agree with this.

Adopt. don't shop!

The sooner 'breeding' is banned, the bloody better.

@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 agree with this too.

I bought a pedigree dog from a supposedly reputable breeder and had issues. She was member of a breed club. I reported it and it had an effect on her show career.

I think it sounds as though OP is possibly the best person to have the kitten. If you need any independent help go to Sally's Cat Rescue in Cornwall for advice as they hand reared very ill kittens last year. I think you should report the breeder and seller to the breed club and trading standards.

Hopefully the kitten will thrive with your help.

You’re deluded if you think the breeder is any better than the seller tbh. She sold a kitten much too young to someone who is clearly dodgy. If it wasn’t working out, the kitten should have gone back to the breaded not been sold on to gullible fools on the internet