"Breeder's Kit"?? Really????

[PuppyFluffer]

A new client of mine just got a little ragdoll kitty from a breeder in SoCal. During our conversation, she mentioned that the woman she got it from was a new breeder who had ordered a "breeders kit" from a CATALOG (dont know which one) and 2 weeks later received 2 male and 3 female ragdolls, one of which was already pregnant. My client's new kitty, a sweetie named Pinkerton, had cataracts in both eyes, so she "only had to pay $1000 vs. the $2500 that the woman wanted for the other kittens". Pink is getting neutered today and two weeks from now will have cataract surgery.

I don't know what to think about this but it can't be good. Opinions?

[4Sibes]

Not rationalizing any of the yuckiness of that...but maybe it was an abbr. for "Breeder Kittens" and something got lost in the translation??????
Dunno...but the whole thing sounds really sad.

[Fast Ellie]

No reputable breeder would sell "breeders" to any one whether it's cats or dogs. Then for the second person to sell a kitten that isn't healthy for $1500 less then what she considers a retail price is a rip-off. The public who falls for these gimmicks could actually buy the "Brooklyn Bridge" if given the chance.

Burns me up to hear stories like this. Doesn't sound much different then a "puppy mill" but in this case kittens.

[Maltese_mama]

Puppymillers (aka commercial breeders) have their own publications and associations. I think the website that advertises "designer dog" franchises was mentioned on this forum.

I adopted a perfectly healthy Ragdoll from a humane society for an $80 adoption fee plus maybe $50 in travel costs. (He was in NM.) I can't imagine paying $1000 period, much less for a cat that's going to need corrective surgery and probably has other issues. (Is that really the standard cost for a purebred cat? I would love a Persian or Exotic, but I'm not paying that much. I hope to adopt one at some point anyway.)

[SwissNChow]

Kitten buyers can fall for the same traps as puppy buyers can. It is indeed sad that she decided to "support" a breeder that seriously needs some more education. Anyone that would buy 5 cats at once, and certainly any breeder that would sell 5 cats at once to a brand new breeder, has no ethics in the breeding of animals, be they dogs or cats.

Sadly your client fell into the "gotta have one now" and was thinking with her heart rather than her head and didn't do her homework. We can only hope that cataracts are the least of the kitten's problems and that the surgery truly does correct it and that it is not an ongoing issue for the owner and kitten. Ragdolls are hardly rare and $2500 for a pet kitten is definitely an extreme price. $800-$1500 is much closer to normal range.

[4Sibes]

Ragdolls are hardly rare and $2500 for a pet kitten is definitely an extreme price. $800-$1500 is much closer to normal range.

Yeah...but it sounds like these are "special". They carry the cataract gene, and who knows what else?

[odette]

I keep reading this, hoping I'm reading wrong, sad that someone would sell "breeder" kits? but then for someone else to actualy pat$1000, for a known inferior pet is beyond my understanding.

[windywaycavaliers]

WELL, I have ordered a breeder's kit myself,,but it had medical supplies and a whelping log and a scale in it--no live animals. That is ****.

[stewiedog]

I have a purebred Exotic Shorthair from a reputable breeder I paid 600.00 for her (spayed) but with papers, her parents had all testing done (YES purebred cats are like dogs). She is a little strange, I got her at 16wks and she has been raisewd with dogs, and kids since I got her, they have turned me a little strange too.

I think your client got a kitty from someone who (maybe) withour knowing got caught up with a "kitten mill" they are out there just don't get as much exposure as Puppymills. Most regular people out for a kitty go to the paper, or rescue.

[Particentral]

WELL, I have ordered a breeder's kit myself,,but it had medical supplies and a whelping log and a scale in it--no live animals. That is ****.

That was EXACTLY what I was thinking when I saw the title of the post!

WHY would someone pay for an animal that is ILL and needs major surgery? Cataract surgery is over $2500 in our area......someone explaion this to me please? All my friends who raise dogs, and myself included GIVE AWAY pets that are ill or have some major defect and we NEVER breed those parents again......its happened once in my 20 plus years of breeding, but I stick by it!

[PuppyFluffer]

WHY would someone pay for an animal that is ILL and needs major surgery? Cataract surgery is over $2500 in our area......someone explaion this to me please?

Yeah. Well, apparently when my client first contacted the breeder she was told of several healthy kittens and one little male that was going to be PTS because of his eye issues. After the first call, the breeder e-mailed a pic of the doomed kitten (anyone else besides me think that's just....low?). The client, being the compassionate soul she is, offered the $1000 to the breeder to save the kittens life. Only time will tell if future health problems spring up. I hope not. He's really a sweet cat.

[Gypsy Styles]

Yikes

Sounds like someone got some kittymill cats as "Starters". Not smart for either of them, actually.

More education, more thinking with head then heart! There are people in this world that prey on the kind hearted people looking to save a life, etc.

I too thought this thread was about whelping kits or the like, not live animals.

[Hello Kitty FTW]

(anyone else besides me think that's just....low?).

That's incredibly low, and incredibly selfish of the 'breeder' to sell the cat to someone else in that type of condition.

[Hello Kitty FTW]

As far as costs for show kittens....

My husband purchased a Singapura for $250. It was a show cat, ribbons and all, but her litters were too dark in color. She's 11 now and has no health issues.

We adopted a chinchilla persian show cat from a breeder because the Vet accidentally neutered the poor guy and the breeder didn't want him any longer. We got him for free

I know catgroomer has show cats, and would know the price for cats that are show quality.

However if a person takes the time to look and search, you can easily find a show quality cat for way less than what this gal bought her cat for, with the only fault being a slightly older cat.

[SwissNChow]

Well I think it is great that the kitten has such a great home who obviously thinks nothing of dropping money onto the cat. However that client was indeed a sucker. Here is a picture of a kitten I am going to have to PTS, but, oh, you can buy him for $1000. Really, if they were going to have to put it to sleep, it could have been given to them for free and save the breeder the euthanasia fee. That breeder never intended to PTS that kitten, but all along planned to find a sucker. I don't feel sorry for people that walk into that type of a sucker's deal. It's their own fault.