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Original poster

£100 to adopt a moggy - too expensive?

33 replies

RaisinRainbow · 20/12/2018 13:52

Hello everyone,
I'm looking to adopt a new kitty and have come across one locally. The cat is still living with its owners and I've been dealing directly with them.
The cat sounds lovely, and the owner has offered to drive her to me (approx an hour each way)
I'm hesitating over the fee she has requested - £100. On one hand I understand (as the cat mama of 2) the expenses involved in neutering, vet care etc particularly in the first year (Cat has just turned one) However, the 'market rate' to rehome a moggy would seem to be under or around £50 as a direct rehome, and more for a cat charity.
The owner says the kitty will come with bowls, litter, food, bed etc Which is fine, although I don't need such and would transition her to a raw diet.
My question is: is it reasonable to raise the issue of the fee? And if so how to phrase politiely?
I don't wish to offend, and they are being kind enough to drive kitty to me.
I just can't make peace with the idea of spending £100 to adopt her.
Would love to know your thoughts, thank you.

OP posts:
BiscuitDrama · 20/12/2018 13:54

Have you met the cat?

Original poster
RaisinRainbow · 20/12/2018 13:55

No, not yet. They are rural and I don't drive and it would be a mission to get to them.

OP posts:
BiscuitDrama · 20/12/2018 13:57

I don’t think you should adopt a cat you haven’t met.

DailyFailAreTwats · 20/12/2018 13:57

So it isn't a charity - that incurs legitimate costs and can also charge a fee to ensure adopters are serious. This is just a person wanting to regime their cat? £100 is a bit cheeky! They're selling their cat. It isn't a 'fee', it's a price tag and £100 is too much for a moggy. V odd.

DailyFailAreTwats · 20/12/2018 13:58

" Rehome" not "regime" FFS!

Original poster
RaisinRainbow · 20/12/2018 14:00

biscuit You're right - of course.

daily Thank you - I feel vindicated in my reluctance to pay! I know the owner is a business woman, so perhaps she always sees the opportunity to mark-up when selling!

OP posts:
Original poster
RaisinRainbow · 20/12/2018 14:01

Iphone autocorrect? Drives me bonkers too! Grin

OP posts:
iseecabbages · 20/12/2018 14:03

What I sent she asking £100 for. Most charities would state costs for e.g. neutering and to ensure cat going to good home.

Ask her would she accept £50.

cowfacemonkey · 20/12/2018 14:05

It's not really an adoption fee though is it? It's a private pet owner trying to recoup her costs for a pet she doesn't want. I would happily pay a rescue a £100 rehoming fee but would tell this woman to jog on!

Original poster
RaisinRainbow · 20/12/2018 14:10

cabbages Thanks, £50 feels like a reasonable and comfortable amount to me too,.

cowface Indeed! I've paid £135 to an international charity before and was happy to do so.

OP posts:
Bamaluz · 20/12/2018 14:12

You're not adopting her, you are buying her. The owner is selling her, not rehoming her.

You just need to agree on a price.

Personally I would go to a proper cat charity to find a cat and donate to a good cause.

BiscuitDrama · 20/12/2018 14:15

I’d be really wary. I wouldn’t believe what they say about the cat, either. Might be unfriendly or not toilet trained.

gamerchick · 20/12/2018 14:16

I wouldn't touch this with a barge poll OP. Tell her you didn't know she was selling rather than rehoming and think you would prefer to go to a rescue. At least you know what you're getting from a rescue in terms of health etc. You have no idea about this animal.

Babykoala1 · 20/12/2018 14:17

I adopted my cat from a couple when he was just under a year, they were moving into a rental that didn't allow cats and they didn't ask for any money, I think they needed him gone pretty fast though. He's the most beautiful, friendly moggy but in a way because I was providing him a loving home I sort of felt like I was doing them a favour as well as them to me.
£100 sounds pretty cheeky to me, although adding up all of the costs of getting a kitten and travel etc. It probably would amount to more, but thats not really the point as adopting a cat is of mutual benefit IMO

iseecabbages · 20/12/2018 14:18

I think asking for a nominal amount to ensure the cat is going to good home is reasonable, trying to recover your costs £100 is not on.
Not sure what planet she’s on anyway, you could probably find hundreds of cats feee to good home on gumtree anyway (sadly).
I would pay £50 but she should be donating the money to charity imo, not as I suspect putting it towards the purchase of whatever pet she fancies next.

Babdoc · 20/12/2018 14:22

Don’t even consider buying a cat you’ve not met. It could be aggressive and semi feral, it could have an expensive chronic illness, it could be stolen- you have no guarantee that the “owner” is bona fide.
I’d always go to somewhere like Cats Protection, where you know the cat has been spayed, immunised, wormed, flea treated, microchipped and its behaviour checked.

PurdysChocolate · 20/12/2018 14:23

She paid for the cat's first year but she also enjoyed the cat during that time. It's not your job to reimburse her because she's decided she doesn't want it anymore. I think £100 is cheeky.

And don't pay for the bowls/bed/etc if you don't want them.

No advice on how you broach it!

SaltPans · 20/12/2018 14:28

We paid £90 each for two kittens to a cat rescue charity. We thought it was to deter people, who casually take on pets without thinking it through!

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 14:32

We paid £100 each for our 2 kittens. None of the rescues had kittens at the time so we bought privately

Berniethefastestmilkwoman · 20/12/2018 14:35

You be doing them a favour. They don't want their car anymore. They need to find it a home. They should not be charging you at all.
Do I think a cat is worth £100? Absolutely!
Do I think you should pay someone who has made a commitment to a cat and doesn't want that commitment anymore? No!
But then every cat deserves a good home so difficult to know what to do. Maybe you should offer to give her a good home but make it clear that the looking after their cat is what you will be giving them, not cash to give away a family member.

BlueJay1 · 20/12/2018 14:42

We unfortunately had to give our cat to a cat shelter to be adopted ( many reasons, v sad about it) they asked a £70 donation. This felt right and we happily paid, along with some bags of good cat food.
When we later adopted another cat, they asked £70 as well. That was a little cheeky, I thought. But we did pay. IMO it should be enough that we were going to take on the cat, and look after it. I suppose they want to ensure adopters are seriously committed

Toddlerteaplease · 20/12/2018 14:46

I paid £200 each for my Persian rescues. I got a bargain!! The rescue had spent a lot of money on them. So I was more than happy with that. I also didn't see them
Until I'll I got home as they were already in their boxes. All I'd seen was a photograph. Worked out fine.

wombatsears · 20/12/2018 14:57

Of course they are willing to drive you - they are selling an unwanted pet to you! This isn’t a cat rescue.

On the other hand if you don’t buy the poor cat it could fall into the wrong hands as people buy them to use as bait for dog fighting.

egginacup · 20/12/2018 15:03

No way! If I were you I would go to a shelter. Loads of cats looking for homes there and you can meet them and find out about their background/personality so you get the cat that is right for you. I paid £60 for my cat and £70 for my kitten from cats protection league, but I didn’t mind as they were neutered, vaccinated, microchipped etc, plus it was for a good cause.

BirthdayKake · 20/12/2018 15:34

Honestly I wouldn't! Who sells a perfectly good pet at that age? The cat potentially had a lot of problems.

We only had to make a donation to rescue our cat in September. I paid £10 and he is really quite amazing (and I don't particularly like cats!)

Be careful x

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