Health Guarantees

I have a contract that gives you 4 business days to have the kitten checked by a veterinarian to make sure that the kitten is in good health. If the kitten should be found to have a problem, you may either return the kitten to me until it is better or you may choose to take my next pet quality kitten. Since I began doing this in 1991, this has never happened yet!

I will replace the kitten if it dies up to one year of age, but I require a necropsy and copies of all vet records from time of purchase. I need to know that things were done that should have been and that things weren't done that shouldn't have been. Also if the kitten has been exposed to other cats since he was purchased I can only replace for hereditary things because I have no control over what a previously owned cat might be carrying while appearing to be a perfectly healthy cat. 

However, much of this also depends on the way the owner handles the situation. If they contact me when the cat gets ill in the first place and is willing to do what I advise, are not accusatory or behaving in an uncivilized manner and are obviously only concerned with the welfare of their cherished pet, they have a much greater chance of getting a kitten replaced regardless of what it dies from, but I do have to protect myself. 

Nothing makes me madder then when someone notifies me that their cat has died when I've heard nothing from them since the first week after the cat was purchased. They might state the kitten has been sick since they got it. They might accuse me of knowing the kitten was going to die, etc. etc. These people don't get replacements. If the kitten has really been sick the entire time you've had it, why am I just now hearing from you? How on earth do you think that I or anyone for that matter could have known that your kitten wasn't going to live a long life when it was perfectly healthy when you adopted it? Am I supposed to be able to see into the future - I sure wish I could!

Fortunately my kittens are usually very healthy. But as with EVERY breeder, it does happen on occasion and I have had very few of them die over the past 12 years after being placed. If I ever suspect a kitten is not healthy, it stays with me until I feel it is. If another breeder tells you they guarantee your kitten/cat will not die, they are sadly mistaken. If another breeder tells you they've never sold a cat that has died, it means one of two things, they are so new they haven't had the opportunity ( I didn't have my first until after 5 years of breeding), or they are lying to you. It is an unfortunate part of this sometimes heartbreaking hobby.