This is my local pet shop and nearly three years ago they started stocking kittens which I was insanely excited about. They cut me a good deal on her, £80 from £120.
However when we finally got her home she was infested with fleas and was severely malnourished. She weighed about a quarter of what she should have been. When I took her to the vet they also told me she was way too young to have been separated from her mother - they sell the kittens at 8 weeks even though they should NEVER leave home before they reach three months. I feel this might be a tactic to draw people in - 'the smaller, the more appealing' is their reasoning behind it I guess. It's highly traumatic for the kittens though.
I just felt like they saw an opportunity to sell them cheap in an area that would not have previously been willing to pay the hundreds of pounds you'd expect to pay a breeder. I've seen dozens of cats wondering around the local council estates. I am actually aware of a woman who lives a couple minutes away who owns several and is very cruel to them - I mean this woman let her cat give birth outside in the middle of winter only for the neighbours to find dead kittens on their balconies. I don't know for sure this is where she got them all, but I'd be willing to stake a lot on it.
We absolutely adore our now 2 and a half year old cat but I can't help but feel guilty for being a part of the problem that they've caused in the area; the cat population is already a problem and I feel as a pet shop, they should take more precautions and care with them, ie: not selling any under 3 months, reminding people to neuter and spay, and recording who buys them and how many they have. I just think they should put in more effort - when I went to collect my kitten a week after discussing the sale with them, they were not interested in my description of which one I actually wanted but rather just hurriedly grabbed one from downstairs. Regardless, we all adore her now.
I know this may seem like a rant, but since then, my family and I have grown to absolutely love cats and I always feel sad realising what conditions our Bella was put under, as well as the other kittens they have in there. I just don't think it's right to sell them at all, let alone under those conditions and at such a young age and would never make that mistake again. Our Bella had a litter and we found them loving homes with family and friends.
As for the other animals in there, yeah they look awesome in their cages and although I am unaware of how they may be treated, you have to remember that if they treat the kittens so poorly, it's unlikely they'd give two fucks for a gerbil or a small bird.
Sorry for that essay, but I hope it was at least a bit insightful and if you're thinking of getting a kitten, visit your local animal rescue or adopt from a friend. We tend to avoid this place and get our supplies from the animal hospital in Camden Town, or supermarkets (a lot cheaper there too). read more