'Do you know how much these cats sell for?' Shady cat breeder requests family return their adopted Maine Coon "for a few days" after previously threatening to throw him out because he wasn't "genetically diverse" enough

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Feb 25, 2025 10:00 AM EST

Adopt, don't shop. That's the motto that we believe in. There are too many cats in shelters that deserve to be adopted for people to go out and spend thousands of dollars on a cat. And the less people buy cats, the less incentive there is going to be for shady people to do shady things with cats. This rescued Maine Coon was saved from the breeder who had it. Saved, yes. Because otherwise, the threat was kicking the cat out of the place it was in. 

The people who rescued this cat did the right thing, even if it cost them money, because this sweet baby has been through enough. This was the beginning of his new life. A warm forever home, loving owners, feline siblings. A fresh start, away from the madness. But, as bad people tend to do, they come back. Apparently, the female they thought was pregnant ended up not getting pregnant, and so, of course, they needed the beautiful Maine Coon who has already been adopted and scheduled for neutering, to come back and "get the job done". 

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong] for not giving my cat back to the breeder?"

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  • 02
    Backstory: we've always wanted a Maine Coon. Got one a few years ago that turned out to be a wish.com Maine Coon.
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  • 03
    One of our acquaintances runs a Maine Coon cattery and due to lack of genetic diversity needed to rehome their two male cats. We were offered one of the males at an extremely reduced rate, to ensure that he went somewhere where he would a) be treated like a prince and b) be neutered, and not just bred again.
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  • 04
    Important context: we have a very skittish, came from a hoarding colony, seized by the council cat. She's a rescue and our little angel who can do no wrong. She's also not fond of other cats but tolerates cat #2 who's affectionately known as the bitchcraft.
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  • First of all, let us start by clearing things up and saying that although we don't generally support buying cats from breeders when you can adopt one instead, this- this is a different situation. We thank you for saving this cat from the breeder. We thank you for giving it a chance and a life where it will be happy. 

  • 05
    We thanked them for thinking of us as suitable and asked if he could come on a few days' trial to see how the cats' chemistry would be (1. Feb). Turns out he's a total himbo and a very submissive cat, so while she isn't fond of him, she's also very quickly realised that he's not going to try and beat her.
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  • 06
    We accepted, and thought that was that. Confirmed that we would like to keep him 8/9 of February and paid a symbolic amount for microchip transfer on the 10th. Yesterday, 19/2, we got a message that they would like him back "for a few days", because one of their girls weren't pregnant like they thought she was.
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  • 07
    We're super hesitant, as they've only just started jelling + he's scheduled to be neutered this coming Monday. They then pushed on that they could pick him up in the morning and drop him off at night and that he'd "get the job done”.
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  • 08
    We again said that we're not comfortable with him leaving the house and they asked if they could instead bring the female to our house to breed. Our girls are scheduled to be out of the house for a few hours this weekend, so we agreed, but now they're talking about taking him with them.
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  • 09
    We're super uncomfortable with the whole situation since it was stipulated by them to get him neutered ASAP and now they want him back. We're also worried they'd keep him beyond the "scheduled time" if he doesn't breed her and then he'd miss his neuter.
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  • 10
    They're being super pushy and now doing some weird "do you know how much these cats sell for?" Spiel. Our argument is that he's only just stopped calling for his old household and that our girls would lose their mind if he came back smelling weird again. He's also just a little baby cat (2) and isn't titled. AITA??
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  • 12
    AriGryphon Wait - they want you to take him and neuter him so he WON'T breed, because his genetics aren't good, but also need him back to stud? NTA the cat's welfare is first and this place sounds sus. Did you sign anything, though? Do make sure he's legally yours and they can't argue you're just petsitters refusing to return their property.
    via AriGryphon
  • 13
    edenflicka OP No, there's nothing wrong with his genetics. They've just had 5/6 litters out of him now. They don't want him to breed further with other cats. Not that he was going to.
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  • 14
    Oma2Fae Just tell them the vet had a cancelation and since they wanted him neutered ASAP, he's at the vet's right now. Makes as much sense as wanted to go back on rehoming due to overly narrow gene pool. ETA definitely NTA!
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  • 15
    edenflicka OP Regretting not telling them that he's already been neutered ngl.
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  • 16
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  • Secondly, keep the cat away from this person. We don't know what exactly is going on in their breeding business, but even for a business like that, this sounds shady as heck. Do not let this precious baby near their greedy paws ever again. 

  • 17
    yetzhragog ΝΤΑ Is there a legally binding agreement to allow the breeder access to the cat until the neutering? No? Then they can touch grass.
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  • 18
    edenflicka OP Nope and thankfully the microchip has already been transferred.
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  • 19
    AtomicVulpes NTA, your acquaintance is basically running a kitten mill from the sounds of it.
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  • 20
    edenflicka OP That's what we think too - they've just had a huge litter from their other "queen”
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  • 21
    Excellent_Put2890 You probably won't get him back tbh
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  • 22
    edenflicka OP That's kinda the vibe we're getting too. They're super pushy.
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  • 23
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  • 24
    emibozu NTA but OP getting a cat from a breeder is awful in the first place when there's an endless number of cats rotting away in shelters. Do better and you can start by NOT letting them take your cat.
    via emibozu
  • 25
    edenflicka OP We didn't intend to get a cat from a breeder. We didn't intend to have a third cat full stop because of how skittish our oldest cat is. The three cats we now have have all been taken out of not good conditions. First cat from a rescue centre after she was seized by the council.
    via edenflicka
  • 26
    Second cat (wish.com) from a "breeder" who wanted to dump her because she wasn't growing enough and had eye issues. Travelled to London to ensure she wasn't just thrown outside. New cat from this breeder (current situation) because otherwise they'd have thrown him outside.
    via edenflicka

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