Shocked at the price of kittens!

rita-rabbit

gettingready wrote: »

I have bought/paid for ALL my cats as no rescue wanted to consider me.
And the dog.

As long as rescues look at people through "check boxes" - there will always be problems with rescues being full but people unable to adopt from there will still go and get their much wanted pets wherever they can.

Frankly I am sick and tired of reading on almost every thread on here posts to the tune" Go to your local rescue, they are bursting..." - yes, I know they are. I also know I have tried and was either never called back (completely ignored) or told I was unsuitable for 7365235695 reasons.

Meanwhile - my now 6 cats and a dog are doing just fine....

End of rant.

Yep Celia Hammond were the same with me except I was allowed to come & choose an adult cat as they couldn't shift them & needed space for kittens & then when I chose 2 was told one must live alone & would prefer a garden (I live in a 1st floor flat) & second one despite no-one every wanting it before was now `unavailable' & they proceeded to show me the ones `I could have instead' so I left with none! I bought my two on Loot online (I say bought, one I refused to pay for as he obviously was a teencat - underfed 9monther the vet confirmed later - at best & had driven for miles, suffice to say he was a nervous article & riddled with worms & fleas but v loving fellow) 2nd was 6 weeks old & a proper madam much more confident as well as litter trained & boisterous.

Firefox: vaccs in London exceed £100 as far as I'm aware - my two missed their boosters so am possibly leaving it for 3 years & restarting (no-one lecture me pls they are indoor mostly).

gettingready

Rita - of the famous CH.. yeah - they never even came for a home check to me, just took my details and never got in touch. Meanwhile they have cats/kittes EVERYWHERE (including in staff toilet in the CT branch) but she has a real issue with parting with any of them from what I hear from people who try to adopt from there as well as from people who used to work and/or volunteer in there. Somoene should really check what conditions those cats live in at CH - I understand her good intentions but she seems to have lost it a bit to be honest.....hoarding those cats rather than trying to rehome them, so many people I know got simply turned away... Adoptions go great and fast when she is not around though...

Oldernotwiser

Torry_Quine wrote: »

That surprises me as My cats from the CPL have always been house cats and that has never been a problem.

It must vary, we've always paid for cats from CPL and they've only allowed us to rehome very old cats because of a busy road.

Fire_Fox

rita-rabbit wrote: »

Firefox: vaccs in London exceed £100 as far as I'm aware - my two missed their boosters so am possibly leaving it for 3 years & restarting (no-one lecture me pls they are indoor mostly).

:eek: Is there a Vets4Pets near you doing the £100 lifetime vaccinations or similar deal? I have to keep Lulu's vaccinations up to date to get her insured, nonsense policy as she is 100% indoor but I guess some owners tell porky pies.

Torry_Quine

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It must vary, we've always paid for cats from CPL and they've only allowed us to rehome very old cats because of a busy road.

It must because I have never had problem with having indoor kittens.

KxMx

I volunteer with a local branch of Cats Protection. This is copied from our website for your info:

All cats over the age of four months are tested for FiV and FeLV. If over four months, they are neutered. All cats/kittens are microchipped. Visits are made to prospective owners to ensure that the right cat is matched up to the right home. In the case of kittens, an agreement to neuter at the age of four months, must be signed and we require proof that this has been done.

In all instances, a home visit will be required prior to a cat being rehomed.

On average our Branch spends over £150 per cat:

Blood test for FiV & FeLV £20.00
Vaccinations £40.00
Neutering £40.00 - £50.00
Microchipping £20.00
As well as worming, de-fleaing, medical treatment, food , cat litter etc... A Kitten costs almost the same sometimes more!

Our adoption fee is currently set at £50.00 per cat.

Also there is a voucher included for 3 months free Pet Plan insurance

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I don't agree that charging a lot of money makes someone look after a cat more - or any animal.

If I were to be charged £200 per pet, that money could have gone on feeding them, vaccinating them, chipping them, buying catnip novelties, scratching posts, litter, veterinary care or on caring for a whole bunch of other animals as well for the year. I would treat my lot like royalty whether I got them for free or a thousand pounds per paw.


Putting money as the determining factor behind suitability as an owner not only eliminates a vast number of people who would be wonderful pet owners, but IMO, reduces the animal down to a commodity to be traded, to be profited from - hence the stupid prices and encouragement for backstreet breeders and puppy farms - and the mentality that they've paid £500 for a cute puppy, now it isn't cute, just buy a replacement and put the original on Gumtree. Oh, or that as they paid £500 for the puppy, they had better breed a litter or two out of her to make their money back.


If I had the money, I would be more than happy to take on a puppy and I would be a damn good owner who would love and care for that dog until its last day (or rabbit, bird, degu or gerbil - I think 3 cats are probably enough, although I am studiously avoiding all kittens at the moment in case I weaken). I would take one on tomorrow if it needed a good home and were free, as I could easily afford to get the vaccinations, food, treats, etc, as I would just cut down on my spending somewhere else. But if I have to produce cold, hard cash to be able to get the animal to need to go and buy the food, treats, arrange vaccinations, etc, I can't do both.



it's not about money. It's about respect for living creatures. Which money does not buy.

Torry_Quine

KxMx wrote: »

I volunteer with a local branch of Cats Protection. This is copied from our website for your info:



Also there is a voucher included for 3 months free Pet Plan insurance

Either things have changed since I got my last kitten or local branches do not always adhere to that. Not only have I never had to pay but I've never had my kitten micro-chipped although I have always agreed to have them neutered. Was only house checked the first time.

gettingready

What about people advertising wanting pets for free as "can not afford to pay"?

Sorry, if they can not afford to pay for a pet - how are they going to be able to afford to keep it?

rising_from_the_ashes

gettingready wrote: »

What about people advertising wanting pets for free as "can not afford to pay"?

Sorry, if they can not afford to pay for a pet - how are they going to be able to afford to keep it?

Totally agree - but just as bad are the ones who have a "several year old" dog who want to find a "loving home" but want £500 for it!

Whilst I agree a "fee" of some sort can show that the potential owner has the means to care for the animal these people could at least say "donation to xxx" (eg a rescue) which would show both willing and that they're simply not wanting to line their own pockets.

It breaks my heart when I see the board in my vets with several older dogs needing homes through no fault of their own and the current owners being more concerned with trying to recoup what they paid for the dog than it's future wellbeing.

I'd much rather the new owner had the £500 to spend on the dog once it was in their care.