Horrific breeding conditions exposed by potential buyer of kitten in BC

Several cats and kittens were recently surrendered to the BC SPCA after it was discovered that they were living in horrific conditions at a property in Nanaimo.

The BC SPCA was alerted to the situation by a person who went to the property to purchase a kitten, but was alarmed by what they discovered.

“Not only did this breeder deny the buyer entry into their home to see the breeding area, but the kitten they brought out smelled strongly of urine and had fleas crawling into their mouth and eyes,” explained Eileen Drever from the BC SPCA.

The buyer took the kitten to a veterinary clinic for a checkup and learned that the young animal had many health concerns.

That included a bloated abdomen, live fleas and excessive flea dirt present, dark debris in the ears, dark discharge in one eye, hair loss around both eyes, scabs on the top of his ears and crusting on his tail.

“The kitten was in such poor health that the veterinarian opted to delay vaccinations until the kitten recovered,” added Drever “The owner was sent home with four medications to treat the ailments.”

Once the buyer reported the breeding conditions to the BC SPCA, an investigation was initiated and an animal protection officer visited the home.

They were met with a strong ammonia odour, full litter boxes and scattered cat feces on the floor, with no visible kitten food for the remaining eight-week-old cats.

The owner surrendered the remaining cats to the BC SPCA officer.

Drever says that all of the kittens were hungry and malnourished, and had similar issues to what the original buyer reported to the helpline days earlier.

The four adult cats were in bad shape as well.

“They were covered in live fleas with severe flea allergy dermatitis and skin infections,” Drever noted. “One of the adult females had two mammary cysts that will need to be removed when she is spayed.”

Not only were the cats in rough shape physically, they arrived at the BC SPCA animal centre “scared and untrusting,” and have needed a lot of attention from staff in an effort to desensitize them.

Drever says three of the four kittens will now let staff pet them and are starting to purr, while two of the four adult cats are also starting to come around.

“It is worth repeating, if a breeder will not let you into their home to see how the animals are living then you should not purchase an animal from them,” she added.

“Based on the condition of the original kitten, it was clear that the animals in this home were not receiving the care they desperately needed.”

Anyone who believes an animal is in distress can report it to the BC SPCA’s animal helpline by calling 1-855-622-7722.

The cats and kittens seized from this Nanaimo property all tested positive for ringworm and are currently in quarantine, which means they won’t be available for adoption for two months.