Why you should be cautious about purchasing cats and kittens from individual sellers on the internet.
The Bridgend Adoption Centre of Cats Protection was called in to save two unwell kittens who had been sold online for £360.
Daffan and Dill, two small white kittens, were listed as being eight weeks old by a private seller, but when their new owners got them home, they instantly realized something was wrong.
They took the kittens to the vet since they were still trying to nurse and had severe diarrhea. The vet determined that the kittens were just five weeks old and should not be separated from their mother. They were also infected with worms, and one of the kittens had developed minor jaundice.
Fearing that the kittens might perish, the owners sought assistance from the Bridgend Adoption Centre.
“We were startled at how sick they were,” said Sue Dobbs, the center’s manager. “The little girl Daff was especially unpleasant since she was cold and sluggish.
In addition to diarrhea, the kittens had an illness, and we soon learned they were also deaf.
The kittens were returned to full health after four weeks and a lot of effort and money.”
Although Daffan and Dill have found their happy home, their experience exposes the dangers of purchasing cats and kittens from private sellers on the internet.
Cats Protection is pushing the government to explore regulating cat breeding so that potential buyers can go to a licensed cat breeder to receive the same welfare protection as dogs.
The Welsh Government has published a consultation on how best to handle concerns around cat breeding and selling, as well as a request for an amendment to the law on selling cats to match current times, given that the majority of kittens and cats are now marketed for sale online.
Cats Protection is pushing for a ban on the commercial sale of kittens under the age of eight weeks, which would have stopped Daffan and Dill from being sold so little.
Madison Rogers, Advocacy & Government Relations Officer, said, “Our offices across Wales still routinely tell us sad accounts of kittens raised and sold who are very sick.” “To avoid similar tragedies, it is critical that cat breeding be regulated and the law on selling cats in Wales be amended.”
“By adopting rather than buying from a breeder, you are caring for a kitten that already needs help rather than adding to the world’s population,” Madison explained. “It’s also good for you since you’ll have peace of mind knowing your cat or kitten is in good health.”
