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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

We brought our new kitten home on Tuesday - I'm so annoyed with the breeder

61 replies

lottielou7 · 22/04/2016 18:13

He's a ragdoll, from a supposed reputable breeder and he has a pedigree certificate. He came with vaccination certificate which indicated he'd had a vet check and was treated for fleas about 10 days ago. When I visited the breeder the first time, the house was clean and there was no smell of cat wee or anything.

He's a lovely little kitten - really playful and bold. But I started to notice a few issues with him, for example I looked at his fur and could see flea poo. He's also sneezing and he walks around constantly meowing, which my other ragdoll does not - she's quite quiet.

I've just got back from the vet who says he has a mild version of cat flu and is covered in flea poo with a few fleas in there. We can't treat him again at the moment because he was too recently treated with quite strong stuff. So I've had to buy a flea comb and get out as much as I can. The vet said that the stuff he was treated with is good and that the breeders house must be riddled with fleas for it not to have worked.

My other cat has been vaccinated but I noticed her sneezing this morning. I think it is very annoying that I tried to do everything by the book and use a registered breeder, and I paid a lot of money for this cat. Surely the least she could do is make sure her animals are actually well. The vet says that once a cat has had flu it can keep resurfacing later in life.

OP posts:
KittensandKnitting · 22/04/2016 22:13

my lumps are all British Shorthairs so can't answer on the breed question above, but I like you wanted my "type" of cat, I would say some breeders are in just for the money others are ok in it for the money but also the love of the animals and love of the breed. My breeder was also a judge and always vetted people (I had to go EOW for three months) anyway..

I just wanted to say he is lovely!! Such a cute little face :) hope you get him all sorted soon 😽

FuzzyOwl · 22/04/2016 22:19

Yes lottie and she was born in either 1999 or 2000 (depending on which bit of paperwork was correct - assuming either of them were) so she would have been a very new type back then. I think it is the fact that the cat I got had different paperwork with different dates of birth, a serious injury that the breeder lied about and coupling this with the vet's doubts gives me my suspicions. But, she is gorgeous, friendly and a massively loved member of the family who I wouldn't be without and as I got her as an ex-breeding cat, I paid an eighth of what I paid for my other two Ragdolls. It is more the fact that this same breeder was also a judge for the SW Ragdoll committee (not exact name, as don't want to be to specific) and clearly was not genuine that got me.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 22/04/2016 22:27

Yes, how awful - your poor cat must have been in agony with an injury like that Sad it is worrying and it can be quite difficult to assess whether or not someone is ok as you say.

OP posts:
Madbengalmum · 23/04/2016 14:04

Awww, your baby is gorgeous lottielou!

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 15:24

Thank you. He's lovely and he and my other cat are the best of friends already :)

I'm just wondering whether I should worry about him having his second injection? Obviously the breeder left them too late because he had his first ones at 11 weeks and he can't have the second for another 4 weeks after that.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 23/04/2016 15:26

I doubt you'll stop worrying but have them both done anyway.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 16:16

Thanks cozie. I will worry :(

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/04/2016 16:34

Is there such a thing as mild cat flu?

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 16:41

Well he said it isn't full blown cat flu because he doesn't have a temperature or runny eyes / nose. The only symptom is sneezing.

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/04/2016 16:44

I'm reading online that some cats have mild symptoms starting a few days after their first jabs.

No excuse for the fleas, though some people really don't get bitten so they can get pretty bad infestation & not feel any need to do anything about it.

GraysAnalogy · 23/04/2016 16:46

Right okay can we lay off the OP please.

Poor little things, is there anything OP can do like report the breeder or something? Am I right in saying having fleas can be very dangerous for kittens and puppies?

Gorgeous kitten OP.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 16:56

I've been combing him with a flea comb whenever I can. Luckily because his hair is white I can see what's there.

I don't know why people are so anti pedigree because people sell moggies for up to £80 these days. You can't get a cat free to a good home very often any more.

OP posts:
Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 17:00

I hope it is a reaction to the vaccine. Certainly, none of the cats in the breeders house had any signs of illness like sneezing or runny eyes and I was there for about an hour when I collected him.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 23/04/2016 17:03

I seem to recall that the shots cater for the main varieties of cat flu but that they can't completely cover everything that might happen.

If it's any consolation, OP, my own boy has some residual flu but really only started showing some symptoms when he reached 17/18. (Mainly some opportunistic infections which started to strengthen as his immune system weakened.)

There's no excuse for not seeing the fleas or at least mentioning them to you, though. I'd be letting her know about those anyway. (I'd actually tell her everything but that's just me.)

By the way - I forget if you said. Have you treated your other cat and the house for fleas? (Recently enough for you just to need to hoover, anyway.)

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 17:17

Thanks cozie. Yes, my other cat has a flea treatment from the vet every month - they give me 6 monthly supplies. It just so happens that she was due to be treated yesterday so I did that as usual. I hoover the house every day so hopefully that should help.

OP posts:
FuzzyOwl · 23/04/2016 17:36

I have just had a thought which is probably wrong, because your kitten has been to the vet and been diagnosed with cat flu, but as he is only sneezing could it be an allergy instead? One of my cats has a mild allergy (to dust, the vet thinks) and although it causes her to have gunky lumps in her eyes and not sneezing, humans react in different ways so I would imagine cats can as well.

OP, don't forget to empty your vacuum cleaner straight away after use or else I have been told the fleas can get back out again.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 18:11

Ok, thanks FuzzyOwl. I hope it is an allergy. He didn't have a temperature so that's good at least I guess.

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/04/2016 18:16

You can't get a cat free to a good home very often any more.

I wouldn't buy a moggie, either. But tbf, the charities also want £50 per cat. It seems perverse when so many cats could have good homes... better to be loved & well cared for day to day in a skint home where owners can't afford to pay emergency medical bills than to be stuck in a cage for months, imho.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 18:25

I guess that with the charities you at least know that they have tried to do things by the book to the best of their ability. And the £50 is to cover their costs. Although I remember my parents getting a kitten from the cats protection league who had cat flu and they had to take her back because we had a very old cat who would have been at risk.

I would not advocate getting a pet if you can't afford vets bills though - surely that's paramount and is what insurance is there for?

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/04/2016 18:35

I can't accept it's better for the cats to live in a cage for 8+ months than live in a home where they are loved but they can't get more than basic medical care. I know I'm in a minority & most people think the cages are better.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 18:43

Sure - being stuck in a cage is pretty awful too.

OP posts:
FuzzyOwl · 23/04/2016 18:45

Is there not a charity (PDSA?) that helps pets who belong to people on a low income? I think some charities will foster their cats out whilst finding them a home, so they live in a household instead of a cage. I have never looked into it because I wouldn't be able to give up the cat and already have seven but I would have expected the charity to cover medical expenses whilst they are being fostered.

Original poster
lottielou7 · 23/04/2016 18:58

Yes you can get treatment covered by the PDSA if you get council tax benefit I think.

OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 24/04/2016 00:40

I agree Lottie.

DH had a kitten foisted upon him as a birthday "gift". Surely the gifter should have arranged pet insurance etc.? The wee kitten was free.

From a scraggy dull furred boy, he's evolved into a sleek, chunky beast.

And whenever taking on a cat, I've always given much thought as to whether I have enough love/money to go round.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 24/04/2016 15:59

I would not advocate getting a pet if you can't afford vets bills though - surely that's paramount and is what insurance is there for?

I agree. It's all very well being able to afford basic medical care (whatever that is) but what happens when something happens that requires more?

On the subject of 'buying' moggies, DH paid £65 for Harry. I never thought of that as a fee but a donation to the charity that had cared for him for 4 months and had him neutered.

I hate 'free to good home ads' and the sooner they are banned on the likes of Gumtree the better.

I hope your little kitty is better soon OP.