Someone tell me no...

[Nudibranch]

Lost our old boy a while back and now have a 6 month old who is by choice a total house cat. Won't go out at all (got attacked by a neighbour's cat when she did once venture out).

Browsing a particular site, I came across a ragdoll kitten, last of the litter. It's a knockdown price and its eyes look in opposite directions.
It's clearly not from registered parents or a reliable breeder. It'll probably have all kinds of health problems. I know not to support backyard breeders. It'll probably be desperate to leave the house and I'll spend all my time trying to keep it in. I can't persuade my mum to buy it.
And yet, someone is going to buy it and my cat would love someone to play with. Aaargh! Someone dissuade me please...

 

[Dexter]

If you want a kitten get one, do not get this one and the potential heart ache that comes with it

 

[splashgirl45]

Better to get a moggie for yours to play with, much cheaper and eyes might face the right way?

 

[smolmaus]

Could you be persuaded into a little black kitten, last of the litter, can't find a home from a shelter??? ?? I can guarantee every cat rescue in the country has at least 4.

Another potential rescue advantage; my two were born on the streets and have absolutely no interest in going outside, they know its scary out there!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I'm another who would say that if you're going to do a pity 'buy' of a funny looking cat/kitten, that there are plenty at shelters you can have who won't be directly rewarding the sh!tty breeders for being idiots. I know how you feel about this, but you have to think long term about it.

 

[Gloi]

Cats are pretty solitary and yours has had a bad experience so are you sure she wants someone to play with?

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Lost our old boy a while back and now have a 6 month old who is by choice a total house cat. Won't go out at all (got attacked by a neighbour's cat when she did once venture out).

Browsing a particular site, I came across a ragdoll kitten, last of the litter. It's a knockdown price and its eyes look in opposite directions.
It's clearly not from registered parents or a reliable breeder. It'll probably have all kinds of health problems. I know not to support backyard breeders. It'll probably be desperate to leave the house and I'll spend all my time trying to keep it in. I can't persuade my mum to buy it.
And yet, someone is going to buy it and my cat would love someone to play with. Aaargh! Someone dissuade me please...

Ragdolls are the absolute best, wouldn't have any other breed (OH has a BSH) but the temperament and love of a ragdoll is like nothing else. Beautiful cats too. But yes they must be indoor as they can't sense danger.
Is it definitely ragdoll? Or have they put the ragdoll tag on it to make it seem more expensive? I feel bad for it as they are such loving cats ?

However we then have the case of "the Alley Cat" who we should have walked away from on going to view - total moggy but had to view in the entryway of a flat (they tried to get me to hold him outside er no what if he got free??) The floor was an absolute state. However got him, got him home, let him have an hour to settle in but had a nit comb on standby, yep was correct to do so as thought I'd have a precautionary check as he'd been flead apparently.... Yep as suspected, riddled with fleas. Called the vet begging them to give me something for it that day so my house wasn't infested!
AC never really thrived, then one eye went cloudy when we'd had him for about 5 months, vet said it could have been caused by FIV which while we'd had him vaccinated as soon as he could be, he could have picked it up while he was at his "breeders"

AC was always very prone to diarrhoea

AC then continued to fail to thrive, tummy felt like a water balloon. Would raid the bin, rip stuffing out of toys, true alley cat, absolute thief like nothing I've experienced before (I know cats steal but this was a whole new level)

Took AC to the vets due to him getting more withdrawn and the water balloon stomach they suspected FIP. AC booked for ultrasound however we'd half decided AC would be PTS if it more or less confirmed FIP as he was losing weight too, no appetite and end stage FIP is not pleasent

AC never made it to the ultrasound as 2 days before it he took a pee in a cardboard box, thought it was a bit weird... Woke up in the night to AC having explosive liquid diarrhoea on the bedroom floor. AC didn't look like he knew what he'd done. Decision made there and then however didn't want to drag him to the emergency vet so popped him in the kitchen overnight. Came down to AC hunched and unresponsive, having had bloody diarrhoea and been sick overnight

AC was PTS that morning, he was that unwell when we went in after the vet had set him up ready to PTS I thought she'd already done it he was that still.

I strongly suspect the FIV (if it was) he'd more than likely picked up before he came to us (he was an indoor cat with us) made him more susceptible to the mutation that causes FIP, or even that hed picked up FIP while he was there - on looking back at a viewing photo I noticed his nails were absolutely caked in dirt (or poo?)

Apparently the cat had had kittens as she hadn't been able to get her to the vet to be spayed due to lockdown (as I asked why there were kittens on viewing)

So why did I see her selling not very healthy looking kittens a few months after we'd lost AC that looked exactly like him.... And not very healthy...

 

[Red-1]

I would get one you want, if you want one, but not one from this type of breeder. They will just replace with another poor cat.

I would either get one from a shelter or a reputable breeder.

 

[Shady]

Please don't let your heart rule on this one Nudi.
The eye issue could indicate a problem with the nervous system , a virus, muscle problem or genetic inheritance. It could be something, or nothing, but you already know that the kitten comes from crappy people and if there is one very noticable fault like that, you can be certain there are more . They shouldn't even be asking money for the kitten. No proper breeder would.
A Ragdoll is a lovely choice to go with your indoor cat , but do as CCL did and look for a good breeder

 

[Highmileagecob]

I was given an 8wo kitten, who had been taken by someone as a companion for the existing cat. Existing cat promptly tried to kill it and he had to be rehomed that night. He had originated from a litter born to a student household who were packing up for the summer and wouldn't take him back. Be careful - your cat may actually like being Queen Bee.

 

[HorseyTee]

Save your money and potential heartache, it's likely this poor baby will have issues making in uninsurable and possibly costly.

As said, there are so many poor cats in rescues, rescues are bursting.
Adopt a rescue baby, opening up a space for another to be helped, and giving one a wonderful home.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Plenty of other people have already weighed in with the standard sensible advice, but if this particular kitten really is weighing on your mind, then tell the seller that you will donate the asking price to a cat rescue in exchange for them giving you the kitten free. If by some slim chance they are decent*, and only asking money to put off any dog fight types, then they will accept your offer, as they will have no reason to fear that you intend to harm the kitten. In which case, good luck with the poor creature. If, as is all too likely, they refuse, then you can walk away with a clear conscience. Either way, and this is the important bit to stick to, OP, the breeder gets absolutely NO money from you.

*Yes, I DO know that this won't be the case, and that a decent person would take lifelong responsibility for whatever unfortunate abomination they had bred, so don't start harping on at me. I'm taking the view that if the kitten isn't sold, then it may well end up dumped on a rescue later down the line anyhow.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Plenty of other people have already weighed in with the standard sensible advice, but if this particular kitten really is weighing on your mind, then tell the seller that you will donate the asking price to a cat rescue in exchange for them giving you the kitten free. If by some slim chance they are decent*, and only asking money to put off any dog fight types, then they will accept your offer, as they will have no reason to fear that you intend to harm the kitten. In which case, good luck with the poor creature. If, as is all too likely, they refuse, then you can walk away with a clear conscience. Either way, and this is the important bit to stick to, OP, the breeder gets absolutely NO money from you.

*Yes, I DO know that this won't be the case, and that a decent person would take lifelong responsibility for whatever unfortunate abomination they had bred, so don't start harping on at me. I'm taking the view that if the kitten isn't sold, then it may well end up dumped on a rescue later down the line anyhow.

That's a good suggestion I'd hate the idea of the poor thing being caught up with the nasties as while no kitten should be ragdolls are so trusting and don't sense danger ?

 

[Esmae]

Why do you think the breeder is unreliable? The kitten apparently has a squint. This is not uncommon but precludes breeding and showing. It doesn't mean the kitten is unhealthy. From your post you appear to be assuming the worst. What else is ringing alarm bells for you?

 

[Shady]

Divergent strabismus can be caused by many things and until the kitten is examined by a vet and then possibly by an ophthlamologist , it's just a guess as to what's causing it