Kitten in a cage in a pet shop

Skillie

was in a big pet shop in cork today well known etc and there was a kitten in a cage for sale. it was alone with some wood shreds, a little ball, some large dry food nuggetts and some water. I was disgusted with this and while i'd imagine its perfectly legal i just was amazed that this kinda thing is still going on. anyone know if theres anything can be done. i would have bought it but that would have just fed the cycle. Didn't see the point in registering my disgust with the staff woulda been wasted breath and just made me mader

star-pants

http://www.ispca.ie/
I'd ring and ask them if there's anything you can do as such.

edit- sorry one eye'd starpants ain't reading right
It's sad to see animals not being taken care of - but was this kitten in a bad way? or were they just trying to give it a new home?

Scawgeen

Skillie wrote: »

was in a big pet shop in cork today well known etc and there was a kitten in a cage for sale. it was alone with some wood shreds, a little ball, some large dry food nuggetts and some water. I was disgusted with this and while i'd imagine its perfectly legal i just was amazed that this kinda thing is still going on. anyone know if theres anything can be done. i would have bought it but that would have just fed the cycle. Didn't see the point in registering my disgust with the staff woulda been wasted breath and just made me mader

I fail to see what the problem is, it's fed, watered and had clean bedding, even a toy to play with, safe from the hazards of the elements and traffic. It wasn't roaming around the shop. What made you mad ?

lisajane

Are you sure it was for sale? Was it the fact they were asking money?

There was often kittens in a pet shop a few miles from me. Whenever they found kittens, they would take them in, mind them, give them a big cage, fed them, watered them and found them homes. They done alot more for them than the people that dumped them.

roxiesmammy

As far as i know pet shops aint allowed to sell kittens. Can apparently ask for a donation to some charity like ispca.

Our man in Havana

No law against selling kittens!

However most pet shops including my local shop get given kittens - the kittens have to be in a cage - or they would scraper out of the door & get killed! 3 of the kittens are semi feral so my local store is taming them & is looking for good homes for them - they ask for no money which I think is a tad stupid as they have spent a lot of time & money on the kittens. All shops can do is find loving homes & advise the new owners.

tallus

Bond-007 wrote: »

No law against selling kittens!

3 of the kittens are semi feral so my local store is taming them & is looking for good homes for them.

Sorry for going slightly off topic, but my mother asked me to take a kitten which is semi ferral and I'm just wondering about the "taming" aspect of this.
The kitten is around 7-8 weeks old and has been outdoor all of her life so far, and If I do take her, A) she has to be socialised with the two cats I currently have, which I don't see as a huge problem.
I'll be keeping her in the house for at least 4 weeks before she is allowed to venture outside, and I don't want her to be panic with the new surroundings.
I'm just afraid that she will be really stressed being kept in the house when she's semi ferral.

Sorry for hijacking the thread OP.

Our man in Havana

cage is the best way to start - approach the cage slowly when feeding the cat & start to stroke it - over time (a few days try to pick the cat up) when it will come to you when you feed it & play with it - let it out of the cage & introduce it to your own cats - it will take a lot of time & you may well get very scratched or even bitten - but give the cat a chance.

tallus

Bond-007 wrote: »

cage is the best way to start - approach the cage slowly when feeding the cat & start to stroke it - over time (a few days try to pick the cat up) when it will come to you when you feed it & play with it - let it out of the cage & introduce it to your own cats - it will take a lot of time & you may well get very scratched or even bitten - but give the cat a chance.

Thanks for the reply Bond
My mother has picked her up and she doesn't hiss scratch or bite thus far. I wouldn't mind the scratches that much. She's such a lovely little kitten too.
*edit*
She's the little kitten by the shed door.

Skillie

they were deff selling the kitten, contacted local group who rescue cats and kittens and the lady who does tremendous work with them has a long and involved running battle with this shop about the kittens they sell, how young they have them etc etc. theres no law against it but as far as i'm concerned and most decent animal lovers alone in a cage in a petshop is not exactly ideal for a young kitten. there wasn't even a litter tray. if the kitten had been there due to charitible reasons there are great rescues in the area that would take that kitten and this rescue has long been battling with them due to conditions. sure some people see no issue with this that doesn't surprise me but i do and will never buy a single item from this shop again.

Our man in Havana

There is no law against this - but yes I would not like to see any shop who sells cats & kittens.

At the very least the cage should be large enough for a bed, litter tray, food & some toys.