Young cat heart issues

[the-norseman]

Hi All,

looking for some advice for my sister on what she can do, if anything. I'll try to make the story short.

My sister has 2 Norwegian Forest Cats from the same breeder, neither of them share the same parents. 1 is a male who is around 2 now, the other is a female who is around 1.

The 2 year old male started being ill a few weeks ago, breathing funny and seemed really off so my sisters usual vet put it down to Asthma, a few days later he got even worse and was taken to an emergency overnight vets where they gave him some medication and told her to come back the next day, so she did and she was sent to a specialist urgently within a few hours. They kept him for about 9 hours and concluded he had fluid on the lungs which needed to be cleared and they also suspected heart failure. The tests have shown since that one of the chambers has enlarged to compensate for one thats not working correctly.

Hes on medication now, spends most of the day looking pretty normal but then every now and again crashes, hes been back twice for fluid on the lungs as well. Specialist reckons 6 months tops.

My sister and her partner are devastated, as a family we have always had non pedigree cats which live to 14+, one of them living to 21.

My sister emailed the breeder, in the contract of buying it says to notify them of any issues, so she let the breeder know whats going on and instantly he got very defensive. My sisters not once gone on the attack etc just letting him know whats going on.

Fast forward to today, shes received an email off him stating that the male cat did have a heart murmur which was picked up on his tests before he was sold. She has checked all of his paperwork and its not mentioned anywhere on it. They were also not verbally told either.

Can anything be done? I mean the outcome she wants is the cat to be fine, but obviously that isn't the outcome thats going to happen.

[Simpo Two]

the-norseman said:

Fast forward to today, shes received an email off him stating that the male cat did have a heart murmur which was picked up on his tests before he was sold. She has checked all of his paperwork and its not mentioned anywhere on it. They were also not verbally told either.

Can anything be done? I mean the outcome she wants is the cat to be fine, but obviously that isn't the outcome thats going to happen.

If we are talking about money, maybe. You have written proof the cat had a heart murmur, and can prove it wasn't in the original paperwork/contract. You also have proof from the vet of the condition (assuming the two things are related). Therefore it seems the cat was falsely represented, had you known about the condition you wouldn't have bought it (or maybe paid much less), and because of that you are out of pocket. So, if it's worth fighting for, it's Small Claims, the decision being whether to go for the amount paid, or the vet's bills you should not reasonably have had to pay as a result of the condition, or both. I'm not sure if Small Claims covers consequential loss, but if you claim it, and the judge throws it out, there is still the purchase price. The judge can also award a partial amount.

But you can leave that to one side for now and concentrate on the cat, because you have six years to claim, and you need to have a straight mind for that. I hope you win, and I hope the cat survives.

ETA The above only works in the UK, not Sweden.

[the-norseman]

Yeh I've said focus on the cat for now! apparently the only reason the breeder has admitted it today is because the insurance have asked the original vets for a report.

Since the litter apparently both the mum and dad have been castrated as well. all very fishy.

[Simpo Two]

the-norseman said:

Yeh I've said focus on the cat for now! apparently the only reason the breeder has admitted it today is because the insurance have asked the original vets for a report.

Try to get a copy of it, it might be useful evidence in future.

[the-norseman]

I went up to their house at the weekend, the cat had been hit and miss but had been given new medication and was like a new cat, running around playing etc.

Sisters just called now to say they are on the way to the vets for the final journey as hes been coughing up a lot of blood today (hasn't done this up until now).

The insurance max has also been reached the other day.

[garythesign]

What a heartbreaking story

Reading this sort of thing reminds me that we find the best and worst in us as a race

[the-norseman]

Just to finish this thread off, after a few months the breeder got in touch and agreed to either a full refund or a new cat, they have been to pick up a lovely blue Norweigan forest cat today. Obviously they would of rather had the original one still around, but are over joyed with the new one anyway.