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

[lottielou7]

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.

I would always get a kitten from a good cat charity, my cat was a kitten in a foster home, so living in a house, not a cage and was well socialised. Also flea treated, wormed and first injections when she came to us, fit and well. I think it was just a £40 donation for all this, but I gave £80 because it is a great cause. I'd never buy a cat from a breeder, so many adorable healthy kittens needing loving homes.

My last cat was also from a cat charity and made it to the age of 20 with very few vet fees - there is a lot to be said for moggies.

We had a moggie who lived to be 21 - I loved her to bits and was devastated when she died. She was very intelligent.

My reason for loving ragdolls is that they are so cuddly and they follow us everywhere. When I get out of the shower both of them are waiting for me outside the door.

One of ours had mild cat flu as a kitten, we knew the breeder do she went back in with mum for a few weeks.

She lived till 17 & managed to bite the vet while being pts for kidney failure.

I'm open to a rescue next time but will no doubt get the 7 cats who can't be separated & all have complex medical needs.

Which will still be less effort than the Bengal we have.

My cat came from battersea and cost £75. This included vaccinations, micro chipping, four weeks free insurance, and would have included neutering as well but she'd already been spayed. Looking on Pets4homes I saw adverts for moggy kittens for between 150/£250 depending on their colour which included no vaccinations or anything. the money given to a rescue is money well paid as far as I'm concerned. If someone were to buy kittens from random internet sites it gives no incentive to people to have their cats spayed when they can potentially make £1000 per litter on moggies.

WRT going to a breeder - reality is that there is always going to be a sense of doing it to make money, but if you have your heart set on a specific breed it's often very difficult to find a rescue. There seem to be few breeds which come into the main rescues etc.

I wouldn't be happy about the conditions, and might be inclined to tell the breeder, but once you have the kitten and have fallen in love with her I would, at this point, put it down to experience again and not use that breeder again if you intend to add to your family. .

Well of course, he's ours now - I wouldn't dream of sending him back and he's lovely. Petplan have said that because the virus was found while he was covered by the initial policy activated by the breeder then they won't apply any exclusions to my ongoing policy. He seems to be fine in himself. He sneezes occasionally but has no other symptoms. And I've combed out most of the fleas.

Well done on the comb work anyway.

He's a gorgeous little lad.

I think he's looking a bit better today. He's a clever little kitten - he remembers things after being shown once. I hope he'll be ok. I guess it worries me slightly that males are more prone to health problems than females.

He's a lovely wee soul.

I wouldn't worry unduly. You really can't tell how they'll be.

(My current lad - the one who has residual flu - has got 21 years on yours. )

We had a ginger Tom like that. I regretted taking him off the bed because he never got back on it.