I can't get my kitten....

[sugarpops]

I have recently adopted a second kitten from a rescue. This is the second kitten I have adopted through them. I have also helped to rescue a cat through the same rescue. Everything seems above board and the lady is nice enough. Never assumed anything dodgy.

When I adopted my first kitten, I told her how I would think about getting another one. It just depended on financial things and if I could afford it.

A few weeks later (3 weeks ago now) she messaged me to say she has a little kitten who needed a home and has a very similar personality to my first kitten I adopted. She said they would be a perfect match and would I be interested. She sent me some photos and I agreed.

I then paid the adoption fee and a fee for neutering. She says if I pay for her neutering then she can get it done through her rescue (she is also a veterinary nurse) and it is cheaper.

She told me the kitten would be ready at the end of the week - 2 weeks ago. We were supposed to collect him 2 weeks ago today.

When I text her to arrange a time, she told me she was drunk at a party and would arrange text me the next day. She didn’t.

A couple more days passed by and I messaged her again. She didn’t reply for 2 days and told me her grandad had passed away. I replied with I was sorry to hear that, hope she was ok. She didn’t reply and I left it for a few days.

I text her again and to say I hope she was ok, and was there any update on when we could collect him. She told me she would drop him off this last week at some point. She hasn’t.

I have then text her again and I am being completely ignored.

I understand she may be having a tough time. But aibu to expect that I should still be able to collect the kitten? It would only take 5 minutes (she knows me well enough) and it would also be one less animal for her to look after.

I am getting concerned. Before she told me about her grandad, I was also trying to ask about the kitten I have got who is due her vaccinations and spay (which stupidly I have paid her for) and I’m getting absolutely no where with that either.

All in all she has about £250 of my money for 2 kittens, vaccinations and neutering and I am getting no where with any of it.

I thought I would text her again on Monday and ask one last time. If I get no response, I’ll have to take it further.

Who would I even speak to regarding this?

Or - am I just being completely unreasonable here? I have 3 dc at home who are asking when our new kitten is coming and I’m at a loss of what to tell them! My gut is he isn’t coming at all .

Didn’t realise it was as much as £185 for Fluffy’s vet work. That’s rotten, but I totally get giving up pursuing a refund out of exhaustion .

Will be interesting to see what she does on Thursday. Surely if she really was going to go ahead, she’d have to contact you in advance to confirm that you’ll be in? Whatever happens, I think you’re very wise not give her your kitten! Be prepared for aggro/sob stories if she turns up!

You need to ring every study place she could be attending... She is a danger to animals.

Absolutely - I doubt very much she would just turn up. I haven't said anything about cancelling the appointment - just that I wanted all my money back which is over £300.

I'm not going to do anything else about it today. I really can't imagine her knocking on my door on Thursday morning.

I do keep going back to her Facebook page. She has had so many good reviews. But since the day she contacted me about the kitten I haven't got, she's posted nothing at all expect one post of one of her bengals that's pregnant. I think she's just recently come into financial hardship and gone back to her old ways.

I have been following your updates so I was very pleased to see you have had the full refund for the non kitten. How much of a partial have you had for fluffy? Most rescues would charge £60 to £80 so if that's the amount outstanding I wouldn't bother chasing her.

@LittleGreenDragons it's £180 for fluffy which includes her vaccinations and spay which she has yet to have.

I have to say, I don't think she's making any money off this. I contacted the vets she works at to ask how much it is to neuter a female kitten and that was around £140. Vaccinations are £54 for both.

So if I let the £180 go then all I'll have to pay is around £50 extra for her vaccinations. Her spay is going to be free.

But equally it's a lot of money to lose. I'm not struggling financially, I can afford to let it go but it's just the principal. She's been a very expensive kitten!

I don't know why I've named her fluffy on her - she's the silkiest cat ever - zero fluff! 😂

I don't know why I've named her fluffy on her - she's the silkiest cat ever - zero fluff!
Awwww, she was trying to stay incognito but now you've blown her cover 😎

If you take away the normal average rehoming fee (which a judge would) you might be able to claim £80 back. However she's cleverly muddied it a bit with a partial, and booking the operation and vaccinations. Personally I would let the finance side go as it's no longer a clear cut win and chalk it up to an expensive experience. Hopefully the other rescue can get her shut down.

It sounds like she is skint, the fact she has given you a partial refund through fear. Surely if she had the money she'd give it all. I'm getting so confused with the updates sorry, are you wanting a full refund for fluffy too? Or is the 180 the amount for the spray and injections? 140 for a female spay is absurd, I dont understand how she sold that to you as a discount. I've had a lot of kittens spayed and it's usually somewhere in the region of £60-80. Sorry mind blown. I cant see her popping round on Thursday, but if she does and you dont want to hand fluffy over, I'd still pursue it as who in their right mind would think it reasonable to hand over a pet to her?

As a student she will still be expected to adhere to the professional standards and codes of conduct of the professional body. She is risking her ability to register once qualified by being so shady.

Well done for at least getting a partial refund...But you need ALL your money back.
State you need it all back.
NO one pays for a spay op up front.

You have plenty of time to cancel the spaying...I had to cancel my young dog's spay as she vomited the afternoon beforehand...I wasn't charged for less than 12 hrs cancellation- but I did book her in for when she was better.

Definitely report her.
She is acting very unethically.

She sounds like a cat breeder.
A back yard breeder.

Very alarming that the cat rescue who are 'reputable' have heard of this woman.

Sorry I know it's confusing!

I asked for all my money back. I told her the amount. She has also refunded the money from the kitten she wouldn't let me get. However I do want it all back and I don't trust her with my kitten at all.

The spay is £80. The rest is the amount she charges to adopt a kitten including vaccinations and microchip.

I've just left it today, I haven't messaged her at all. I needed a break from it all.

I still can't get over how dodgy she is. Definitely a lesson learned!

Please, please report her to her college and the registration body. It sounds like she's brokering back yard breeder kittens. She should not be anywhere near any animal.

I don't know why the RSPCA aren't interested either. Probably because they can't make any money out of the situation.

I just thought I'd update everyone on this.

Fluffy has now had her first vaccine and spay. The scammer messaged me to say she was not going to be in work that day and I could take her into the vets myself and the cost would all be under the rescue.

I rang the vets to clarify this and they agreed and were very nice on the phone. The scammer wasn't in work that day and had taken the day off.

All went fine with the vets. I explained a brief summary of everything and they were sympathetic towards me. I said I would put it all in writing to the head of the practices.

They booked in her second vaccine and put it on her rescue account so I've got that appointment booked along with proof that it is to be charged to her rescue account.

Fluffy is fine and recovering well.

What an absolute nightmare that was! Surprised at the vets though - they were much better than I expected!

Great outcome 😀 but an exhausting way to get there 😵‍💫

I’m just guessing but I suspect she was using the cat protection voucher for spaying which means you only need to pay £10 but charging buyers the full amount and pocketing the difference.

Amazing well done. Glad she semi did the right thing, and also took the day off so it wasnt embarrassing and awkward with regards to seeing her again.

@sugarpops Superb result!
What a palaver though- Very glad AKA Fluffy is recovering well from her spay op. and glad you aren’t out of pocket -
Hopefully you will get a lovely rescue kitten from new rescue place.
Give Fluffy a smooth from me !
🐾🐈‍⬛🐈

@sugarpops and Fluffy
Clearly the scammer knew you meant business and weren’t a soft touch-
But how many others has she scammed?

I hope you report her still- It won’t do any harm for her to be checked up on - Could be an animal hoarder situation.

Now fluffy is sorted, I can let that part go in terms of finance but I will have to take it further now I found out that evidence.

I have to take fluffy back to the vets for 2 check ups so it will be interesting to see if the scammer is there.

The whole thing has been an absolute nightmare but I'm so glad I didn't let it go.

Thank you to everyone for their help and advice

Love me and 'fluffy' 🐾

@sugarpops I was trying to see if the Kitten scammer came up online.

I found this cat scam instead which is very worrying.

It seems Vet practices are aware of it. It's especially cruel.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/warning-scammers-targeting-people-missing-23047945

Then there's this one..also illegal. Over £200,000 made on the back of ill kittens.
I didn't realise that it is illegal to sell a kitten you haven't bred yourself. {I know it's the case with puppies}
This despicable place was posing as a ''Rescue'' .

The scammer lied and said she was a vet!

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/cat-scam-police-officer-jailed-b2338599.html

Can we see a photo of Fluffy please!