We traveled here from Wheaton looking for pet mice as the big chain stores were not selling them at the time. The reviews are not wrong about the small enclosures in-store but the animals are healthy and it's a small business-- what do people expect? Presumably you're there to buy an animal and will be giving them a better enclosure. It's a pet store, not a zoo. Compared to a big chain store it wasn't really that different, except that Kenn has more employees than you'd find in a chain store 5x its size (which says a lot about his priorities). He showed me the only two fancy mice that were available and when I asked if they should be bought together, he was honest. He said "I'm not going to tell you that they're bonded or anything, but mice do like to have company." He was clearly trying to ensure we didn't feel pressured to buy something we didn't want while also being honest about reality. He answered all of my questions about the mice and got me set up with the supplies I'd need without my even asking. He pointed out deals to us and offered us different solutions, immediately noticing that we had a budget. But the store had everything you'd need for a rodent there: toys, treats, enclosures, bedding, and the best recommended food. Two weeks later and the little mice we bought from him are healthy and happy-- and also beautiful. The grey one is really friendly and loves to be held, which is so sweet. The siamese one is a little standoffish but can still be held if you coax her out with a toilet paper tube. I did end up getting a larger 20-gallon tank for them that I found on sale rather than the plastic hamster cage I bought from the store (which-- again-- was kindly suggested by Kenn when it was clear we were worried about expense). Anyway, I really enjoy having these little creatures around. I'm thinking of going back to buy a rat! read more

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Sadly. I lost my female society finch unexpectedly. And her partner was calling and calling. I am so happy to find a similar society finch to keep him company. Also, my Betta passed due to cancer last year (I had imported him from Thailand but he had genetic disease). I finally decided to get another while I was getting the Finch at The Animal Store. Kevin and staff are so nice. I am impressed with how clean and well stocked the store is. What an amazing selection of critters of all types. The birds are beautiful. Probably the nicest pet shop especially for Birds that I have been to in greater Chicago. I will definitely be back if only to admire the wonderful animals. I was also to get good quality Dubia roaches for my Bearded Dragon. Great selection. I highly recommend ! It's a great one stop shop for me as I have many different pets and I can get supplies for all. A kids dream store. read more

The Animal Store - Society Finch - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

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Great quality fish More expensive than chain pet stores but well worth it A sick fish can wipe out your tank You get what you pay for! Ken is very helpful and knowledgeable read more

Absolutely love this place! It was great getting to know Kenn while he walked me thru all questions about owning axolotls. Nitrogen cycle, Chicago Water Quality, what's true online and what's complete malarky. I'd much rather spend money with an animal expert who clearly has built his life around his business versus someone at a big box store who gets a short training and clocks out without any skin in the game. On top of his expertise, he's willing to cut a bargain for ya! So much of a bargain you might walk out with 4 axolotls instead of 1. The more I brought the more discounts he offered. He'll also tell you cost effective alternatives. I was going to buy some $10 a pop shrimp to help clean. He educated me on some .40 cent ones that will do the same! The animals all looked healthy and happy. It smells like a pet store, but not an unkept pet store. Great experience. I'll be back to haggle again. read more

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Needed supplies for hermit crabs. Employee was helpful. Bought accessories and my hermit crabs love them. read more

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The parrots are in such small cages that os about the for a small parrot NOT a McCaw! And to asl this bird to stay an perch where it's head hits thr top! Not even good size cage for travel only, perch should be lowered of forced to stay on heat thing! I would buy him kn a heart beat but the owner will only replace him with another parrot? Cuz it's all about the money to this store? Not the birds well being! Shameful read more

This place smells so strong of pet urine, it was hard to stay in there for even a couple minutes. We fell in love with a beautiful sweet bird, but were appalled when we asked to visit with her and see her better how she was handled by the person working. He threw a towel over her head and ripped her out of the cage as her wings were flailing open wider than her cage door, stuffed her in our chest, she's panicked, flapping, flying, using her sharp beak to try to tell us how scared she was... it was genuinely awful. Anyone who actually knows how to handle parrots would be disgusted seeing what we saw how she was treated and handled. Dirty water bowls, unhappy and scared birds... can't blame them with employees mishandling them. Overall neglect with no care or knowledge of these sweet intelligent birds, they're doing the birds and customers a disservice by handling them this way. We left with bloody cuts all over our fingers and genuine sadness in our hearts. read more

We got 4 budgies from The Animal Store. They are all very healthy, bigger than the ones we had purchased elsewhere and they are still babies. The owner answered any and all questions we had. The store is on the small side but we are happy with our new feathered friends. An added plus was the easy parking and easy to find. Located off a major street. read more

Amazing selection of animals and fish to choose from and extremely helpful , nice workers.

Overly priced items , animals are decently cared for but I always see a couple dead fish , moldy poo in the reptile cages , I bought live rodents from here a couple times and they always have a horrible stench on them and the frozen rodents are even worse. They don't put the frozen rodents in freezer bags and most of the time the rodents in the freezer bags have been killed by impact not by euthanization. It's important to euthanize the rodents and not to kill them by impact for a couple reasons. The biggest being morally right, the other reasons would be sharp broken bones from impact and the blood lose from impact. I talked to the owner on why not use euthanizing and freezer bags and his response was - those things cost money and if I did that than the prices of the rats would increase. I recently bought a small frozen rat from here about 2 weeks ago and when I started to defrost it( with cold water ) the rodents guts started to literally leak out the body. I always choose the store as my last option when I need a rodent. They resell wood they use and don't even disinfect them , I found bird poop on them. They have a sulcata tortoise by the window for show in an enclosure that's too small for him/her. Customer service isn't the best. They definitely treat you better once they see your a reoccurring customer but they should treat all equal from the start. If you're planning on buying a pet .. I hope you reconsider buying them from a different store as you have a high chance of buying a animal that may have underlying health issues read more

I LOVE The Animal Store! We have been coming here for years to purchase our pet rats--they are practically the only store around that sells them! They also have more exotic animals like hedgehogs and even degus. Great selection of small pet accessories, too. The only thing I dislike is that they keep the pet rats in plastic Ikea drawers just all heaped together, and that's really no way for them to live. I suggest they try to invest in some better cages for them. They will put a few of the "prettier" rats in aquariums up front, but I just feel so bad for the rest of them! read more

It's been a bit since I've been in here. This place is super cool to visit (all ages) to see all kinds of animals. Today they had Arctic foxes, bunnies, ground squirrels, fish, etc. we bought some dog treats to support the business; super friendly owner. Thanks! Love the renovation! read more

The Animal Store - Arctic Fox - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

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I came into the store with high hopes because they ranked high in Google Search results for 'baby bird nursery', specifically parakeets. What a mistake. Their 'nursery' consisted of a tiny bird cage literally on the floor of a narrow hallway that gets lots of foot traffic tight enough to only fit one person at a time. The 'nursery' aka a cage on the floor had 2 young birds out of 7 that were truly young. Total disappointment and borderline animal abuse; no parakeet owner that knows what they're doing would keep them on the floor in a busy hallway environment. Avoid this business! A generic pet store like Petco takes better care of their animals and that's saying a lot compared to this dump. read more

I got to see the ferrets and they were so cute and they were all so happy to be together

I called the store earlier today and asked the owner Ken about an animal in the front window. He hung up on me. I have been in the store a few time previous to calling today and have noticed lethargic and depressed animals in small cages with little space for movement. Very depressing place to visit. read more

This is a pretty cool pet store if you're looking for unique pets and fish. They had a great bird selection. This pet store even had baby possums for sale. The things I saw were fish tons of reptiles, mice ,rats squirrels, hedgehogs, rabbits, birds bearded dragons baby possums and so much more. read more

We love it here! The owner helped us pick out all the best fish for my 4 year old and even let him see a tarantula.

The two stars is based on the phone conversation I just had with the owner. I was going to pay a visit here after Christmas to let my daughter pick a pet, but the interaction was too rude and odd so I'll decline. For example. I called and said that I had a question about the small animals. He then says "yea so what about them?" The unprofessional tone continued for the rest of the short call. I can only imagine an in-person experience with this guy. read more

Tucked away in a small plaza right next to a Starbucks, The Animal Store offers an assortment of cute animals for sale. The space is a little bit cramped for all that they have, but it's clean and the store is maintained from what I can tell. The staff is very nice and not pushy, which is a relief. The Animal Store is a nice change of pace from bigger pet stores that typically have the same pets. If you're looking for different birds than the status quo, they've got you covered. It was so nice to see a caique parrot, and see that they were fed a diet that was varied. i.e., liquid, fresh veg, etc. There's also a 24 year old tortoise that has been in the store that would love for you to say hi. I saw some lionhead bunnies that I was so attracted to, but had to resist. This store is a magnet for cute, and my will power was being tested the whole time there. You'll find other animals like reptiles, snakes, fish, turtles, and guinea pigs, but it looks like The Animal Store has different animals based on the season. This is a nice place to get started, if you're looking for a new addition to the family. read more

The Animal Store - Lionhead bunnies eating - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

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This place deserves 0 stars, for neglecting the health of the ferrets that they have inside the store. They have received 3 ferrets and they were ALL enclosed in a small green cage. They have a giant ferret-like cage that they sit on, but a chinchilla is inside instead of these 3 ferrets. There is also another full size ferret cage right beside the one they are in. This is a terrible practice, even if it is "temporary". They should not be confined in such a small cage, even if it was just one ferret in there. Other than that, they overcharge for their ferrets, costing around $475 approximately, for a ferret that lives in that HAMSTER cage for months on end. read more

The Animal Store - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

Excellent service and selection of baby parakeets! Kenn is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. It's wonderful the store has been around for decades! Skip the chain pet stores for the best quality pets! read more

I've come here for over 10 years off and on when I need last minute things for Sugar Gliders and online would take to long. I've questioned the staff numerous times when I happened to come in and noticed that they had gliders for sale. I usually inquire about them and check to see how they look. Today I had to stop in to get some mealworms and noticed they had gliders for sale. It always makes me sick to my stomach because I know if I look I'll see them on a shelf. No cover! No enrichment toys! No wheels! For the love of god NOT EVEN A POUCH!!!! I tried to keep my composure when I asked the girl why the gliders didn't even have a pouch in their cage? She replied to me " They sleep under a towel on the bottom of the cage and they don't mind !" I was horrified. I then explained to her that she could sleep in a bathroom if someone left her there but it's just not the right thing to do!!!! How can someone who works in a pet store that carries exotic nutrition glider supplies think that that is acceptable? They even sell sugar glider pouches and wheels and enrichment toys. However they don't believe that a Glider they're selling should deserve any? They should be ashamed of themselves and I'm also disappointed in myself for even giving them my business. Buyer beware they may carry sugar glider supplies however they do not know the proper care or needs of a sugar glider! They're nocturnal and should be covered. They sleep in high trees in the wild. NOT ON THE FLOOR OF A CAGE UNDER A TOWEL!! I wish I could I've taken them with me. The 2 girls were peeking out and it was killing me. I couldn't see the boy because the shelf if high. I hope someone buys them soon so they can have the life they deserve. This is torture to them. Shame on you Kenn! As an owner You know this is wrong. read more

The Animal Store - Gliders on a shelf above register no pouch, or wheel or cover. - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

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Worst place to visit. I used to volunteer at this dusty dirty ass place for 8 months until I quit. When I first volunteer at this place, the owner was very rude to me and one of his former employee was also very rude to me too, not to mention to she was only two years younger than me and was bossing me around like she owns the place. The animals always look depress, especially the birds, chinchillas, and and hedgehogs. I've encountered three dead bunnies in their cage. The kittens are always crapped in a small cage and their laying on their poop, which is unsanitary. I don't recommend this place, especially with a shitty ass owner! read more

There is a huge tortoise, alone and appears to be trying to get out of its small environment, he or she looks very sad, it makes me sad to him/her all alone in such sad conditions. read more

These guys at the animal store are so genuine so down to earth and they truly try to help you get what you need. The owner is the best , Claudia and every one there is just awesome. Will be visiting there many more times. Finally a business where I can get all my pets needs all at once read more

So, within the last year or so I have purchased 3 birds from The Animal Store! Recently I have noticed that one of the Indian ringnecks I have gotten there has been losing feathers on her head and been scratching a lot and seems depressed (although she's never really been a happy bird). I took her to the vet and it turns out she has Beak and Feather Disease, which she had from the time she was born and this fatal disease is very contagious and I have 8 other birds! You really couldn't screen your birds for this crap? Not only was she a very expensive bird but now I find out that she has a fatal disease, that she will eventually die from!!!!! WHAT THE HELL? It only occurs from birds brought from other countries or when the mom feeds the baby birds! I'm really upset about this and will be calling the store because all the other birds could be infected as well!!!!! Along with my other birds! Horrible store, housing too many animals in a very small space and the owner only cares about making money, not the health and happiness of the birds he is selling!!!! Beyond angry!!!!!!!!!!! There are no words!!!!! read more

The saddest store that ever lived. Attic fox for sale in bare bones cage crying, chinchilla that looks like it wants to die, small carriers just stacked on top of each other. Find a store that actually cares like Curious Creatures for your reptile needs or Wilmette Pet Center. Even places like pet smart and pet supplies plus is better than this sad store. read more

The people that work here seem like they always have a stick up their butt. Not to mention the dude who owns it is a total dick. I overhear him lying to people just so he can make a sale, ALWAYS takes advantage of people lack of information. When I was a kid he used to do the same thing to me too. His sulcata tortoise and opossum don't have enough space either. EVERYTHING is overpriced as well, a decoration that's $20 at pet supplies plus will be $35 here. I don't recommend going here. Try Chief Reptiles, they are awesome there and they also have springtails which the animal store does not have. Honesty is the best policy and this place doesn't have it :/ read more

I've Ben hear many Times all know what they are doing and very nice people and cool animals

Hey guys! So I just adopted a crested gecko from these guys and I'm so happy with them. They actually really take care of their animals and they are all in great health. You can really feel that this is their passion. I 100% will be adopting many more lizard friends from them in the future. This is a great business to support. Come down and check them out!!! read more

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DO NOT BUY PETS FROM THIS STORE! i had one most horrendous experiences at this place. last week i call the animal shop and asked if they sold domesticated rats, (this store does not have domesticated rats, they are all feeder rats) the person i talked to on the phone told me yes. so i headed into the shop and the first thing i noticed was the lack of ventilation. it smelled like a dirty pig pen. the building was old so i let it slide. it took me a minute to find an employee to help me find the rats in the store. normally when you go into a store the pets/rats would be on the sales floor, well not here. the employee takes me to the back of the store not on the sales floor and was like this is where we keep our rats. i look over and the rats were keep in a plastic shelving unit that was not made to keep animals in it. the pull out drawer that the rats were in was around the size of a collage text book. maybe 2inches high, and maybe 10inches deep. when the small plastic drawer was opened there was at least 20 small young rats that were completely horrified of people. they would run away and huddle in the corner in fear. domesticated rats normally are not scared of humans. agents my better judgment and feeling so bad for how these rats were living i ended up buying 3 rats. the typical price for feeder rats are around 3 or 4 buck, i was charged domesticated rat price, $15 for each rat. i also bought a rat cage for $160. quickly after getting home i notice that these rats were not just scared of humans but horrified. you can tell these guys have never been handed before or played with. the website states- All animals at The Animal Store are: young hand-fed socialized to become good family pets these rats have never been "socialized" nor should they have been sold as pets. young rats need human interaction to be sold as pets. less then a week of having these rat i wake up and one of the rats was completely mutilated, like torn to apart, guts out and somewhat skinned. it was horrifying. domesticated rats do not do this. i have had over 15 rats over the past ten years, not one has ever done this. none of my past rats have ever been volant like that. so this is when i call the store. i ask to speak to the owner. once i got onto the phone with him and told him the story of what had happened he quickly cut me off to let me know that they do not have domesticated rats (i was told otherwise twice when i was in the store and on the phone). i was flat out lied to. then he went on to tell me that there is no such thing as a domesticated rat. this is completely wrong, he was 100% wrong. for a man that has been running a pet store for 30 years he should know there indeed is a big difference between feeder rats and domesticated ones. if someone doesn't know this simple thing then he shouldn't have rats in his pet store, or even own a pet store. the owner ended up hanging up on me 3 different times and told me he was going to block my number. all i wanted was a refund for selling me these animals under false pretenses. own up to your mistake. he ripped me off by charging me $15 bucks for feeder rats. he told me the only thing he would do for me is replace the dead one with another feeder rat. after many phone calls he agreed to refund the rats. so i drove over and broght all 3 rats in. not once did he apologize or try anything to make the situation better. he was rude to my frend and myself. he wouldn't let us speak. he then again told me that there is no such thing as domesticated rats. i then ask the owner if he i could return the rat cage and he then started to scream at me telling me no. after screaming at me he kicked us out of the shop. i have no idea how this store is still open with his customer service. i am in complete and utter shock on how this all played out. read all the bad reviews and trust them, this place is a hell whole. do not give this man your money. this place mistreats there animals and should be shut down. http://www.petrats.org/pets_vs_feeders.aspx read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. I found a crawfish in my work parking lot sitting in a puddle of water from the recent rain. I did not know how to care for it or if there's a wildlife rescue to take care of it. I put the crawfish in a small container with water and I went to this store to seek advice because they've been in business so long and I thought they were animal lovers. I walked in there and the owner was immediately rude saying he has birds to feed and what is it I need. I showed him the crawfish and he immediately told me to get it out of his store and said he cannot help me. Then he started walking away and said do not leave it here. He couldnt even show me tanks and other things to purchase so I could care for the crawfish. But after that terrible attitude I wouldn't have given him a penny anyways. I've never met a jerk business owner like him before. I was trying to be humane for an animal and he was so nasty and abrupt with me. I feel sorry for the employees that have to work for him and I feel sorry for the animals that are under his care. I ended up going to Old Orchard Aquarium shop on Skokie Boulevard and the owner was a friendly helpful man and treated me with respect. I definitely recommend them over this place any day. read more

Came to this store to get rabbits a few weeks ago. The staff was extremely kind and knowledgeable! They were recommending products and told us to get the biggest enclosure possible. The reason I'm giving them 3 stars is because the enclosures they had the pets in that they were selling weren't in the best condition. My rabbits are doing really well though so I have no complaints about that. I hope they can fix up the animal enclosures for their animals soon. :D read more

This place is AWESOME! They let you touch everything, they're friendly, patient and knowledgeable. The have the common critters but then they have the most unique ones too and SO MUCH equipment you seriously don't have to go anywhere else. You can tell that Kenn has a true passion for animals and educating people about them. I feel like it's not just a pet store, it's also kinda like a zoo and an animal rescue. They have an AMAZING volunteer program where they teach kids how to handle, care for and love the animals. We can't wait to visit again. read more

Great store. We bought Piper the fancy rat from the store. Rats are great pets. You should get one. read more

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What a fun way to kill 30 minutes or so! I cannot tell a lie. The owner, Ken, has been rude to me in the past. But then we came in to shop for a bearded dragon and ended up buying one there. Now he knows us and is always super friendly and helpful. I'm guessing that he gets a lot of schmoes in there who bug him to take the animals out, don't buy anything and waste his time... hence the occassional attitude. I'd probably have one too. What a like about this place is that they have animals there that they own and are not for sale. They can be hired for birthday parties or whatever. It makes me feel better buying things from them because in general, I am not a fan of pet shops (hence three starts instead of four... adopt your pets, people!). read more

Nice neighborhood location which has been here for a great many years. Most that have visited would remember the 1500 gallon fish tank that holds a fish by the name of Ernie, whose been around for some time. I remember walking in here maybe a decade or more ago and seeing a bigger fishy in this tank, not sure. Animal store was a quick stop for me back when I had multiple freshwater tanks, I'd have the occasional need for fish food and bird feed. Prices are comparable to the chain stores and the owner has a good knowledge of everything he sells. Pet shops like these are the best place to get the correct information about your pet. I tend not to trust some of the employees at chain pet stores, there's a bit of disinterest when they talk. Shops like this one tend to carry a few items which are hard to find like this uber awesome looking self contained fish tank. It's sleek, comes in light or dark wood, built in filtration and has a glass containment which suspends the aquarium in the air. Or edible tiki housing for guinea pigs, kind of exciting to me; anyways. The Animal store has a lot. Say that you plan on a new pet for yourself or a kid, bring them in here and figure it out. Whether its a bird, lizard, snake, turtle, frog, guinea pig, hamster, fish.. I can keep going, but you'll have to take a look for yourself. I wish their space was bigger, it alarms me sometimes when taking a tight corner and hearing a bird "ack-ack-ack-ing" next to my ear. You feel as though you're walking through a bird cage. read more

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So many friendly animals to interact with! Staff is very welcoming. I'll definitely be coming back :)

Called them looking for dumbo rats as pets. Girl I talked to on the phone said yes they had a lot to choose from. I drove the hour and 20 minutes from Naperville to pick out a couple new rat friends. When I got there I was nicely greeted by Ken. Asked him where the dumbo rats were so I could pick out a few. He looked at me confused and said he had no dumbo rats. I told him I had called and the girl I talked to said they had a bunch. He said "oh I bet you she thought you said JUMBO like for the feeder size." I said yeah probably honest mistake. Decided to take a look at his rats anyway because he said he had a bunch of very cute babies. He took me in back to a very nice feeder rack system. Yes the rats were in bins, but that's how feeders are kept. I was more interested in the sanitary conditions, which were great. Bedding in all the bins was nice and clean, every bin had an abundance of food and fresh water. No sneezing or wheezy from the rats that I heard. No nasal or eye discharge, they looked great. He breeds them himself instead of ordering from a warehouse that could potentially introduce diseases to his colony. Ken was very patient with me while I picked out my new pets. He sexed about a dozen rats for me to make sure I picked out two females, and then triple checked them for me just to be sure. While I was deciding a group of young kids came tearing through the store so he excused himself to go check on things while I picked my rats out. When he came back to check on me he was a little flustered, but understandable. I bet parents dump their kids off here to use as a playground while they go sit in Starbucks all the time, I'd be aggravated too. Turns out he's got some dumbo genes in his rats because several of them were dumbo ears, or at the very least really really low set standards. I picked out two 6 week old females who are super friendly and cute as could be! They are settling in nicely and I am watching them closely for sneezing and nasal and eye discharge, so far nothing!! The only thing that concerned me was the store was rather warm when I walked in. I know that's because of all the reptile lights and fish tanks running. But the rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets in the glass enclosures looked a little uncomfortable. I was glad not to see any chinchillas when I was in because I have owned chins for 15 years and they CANNOT handle that kind of heat whatsoever. If I saw chins I probably would have said something, but rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets are a little more tolerant of warmer temperatures so I wasn't worried. When Ken was ringing me up we chatted nicely and he said he would love if I came back to shop with him on a regular basis, I said probably not on a regular basis because I live so far away, but next time I want more rat friends I'll definitely be back! He asked me kind of shocked why I drove so far for a pet store, and I told him because I called and the lady I talked to said you had dumbos!! He apologized for the misinformation, opened the register, pulled out a 5 dollar bill and handed it to me. Thank you so much for your great customer service Ken, I'll definitely be back for more rat friends in the future!! Luna and Eden say hi!! read more

The Animal Store - Luna (grey & white) and Eden (chocolate) 6 week old girls settling in nicely!! - Pet Stores Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

Got a kitten from here a week ago. It was having some really bad diarrhea, but we thought maybe it was a change in food. After a visit to the vet, it was found to have the parasite, Giardia. Conveniently, the receipt says they guarantee the health of the pet for everything other than... parasites. It's like they knew about it. Anyway, we've since spent hundreds of dollars to treat the kitten, and they still aren't getting better. The vet said it's usually caused by contaminated water and/or feces. Considering the kitten was in a crate with about 7 other kittens, they all would have gotten it, which means that there are several other people out there dealing with the same thing as us right now. I won't ever go back here. read more