When looking for a new family friend, it can be very intimidating. It is very easy to be caught up in a scam. If you are, please don’t be ashamed. It has happened to numerous people across the world. I have made it my mission to help anyone searching for a kitten avoid being scammed. Regardless of if you choose my cattery to get your kitten or not, I am happy to help you decide if the cattery you choose is a legit cattery or a scam. Please reach out via my contact page if you are unsure.
Red Flags of Scammers
- Priced significantly lower than your average cattery
- When you show interest, or if you send money, additional fees pop up
- Requesting payment by Zelle, Friends & family Paypal, or other cash apps that prevent disputes or ways to get money back.
- Unwilling to provide FaceTime or Video call with kitten/cat
- Communicates only via email or text
- Broken english on website or during communication
- Ad posted on craigs list
- Seller wants to ship the cat, will have excuse why you can’t pick the cat up in person
- Pushy seller, wanting money quickly
- Site listed on petscams.com
- Bad gut feeling, always trust your gut feeling and seek help. Many breeders know other breeders. Ask for reference from other breeders or others who have received a kitten.
With that said, I’ve read “reliable breeders won’t ask for money without giving you a kitten.” This is NOT true. Many breeders (including myself) will not HOLD a kitten without a deposit. That’s to prevent us from holding a kitten, turning down other potential owners, then having a someone change their mind last minute leaving the breeder with an unsold kitten. If a kitten is old enough to go home and not held by anyone, I won’t ask for money upfront and will exchange kitten for money in person. But if you see a kitten that you want to reserve, it will require a deposit be made. Before you send someone a deposit, ask to facetime or video call to see your kitten to verify legitimacy. A reputable breeder will understand and comply.
Also please understand, for safety reasons, many breeders have stopped letting people into their homes. I am included in that group. A French bulldog dog breeder was shotby someone showing interest in a dog they were selling Feb 2023. Another breeder I know via facebook recently was robbed by someone wanting to steal her kittens. I want to keep my family safe so my cattery is closed to the public.
Also please understand, for safety reasons, many breeders have stopped letting people into their homes. I am included in that group. A French bulldog dog breeder was shotby someone showing interest in a dog they were selling Feb 2023. Another breeder I know via facebook recently was robbed by someone wanting to steal her kittens. I want to keep my family safe so my cattery is closed to the public.