'AITA for not giving my cat back to the breeder?' 'Do you know how much these cats sell for?'
"AITA for not giving my cat back to the breeder?"
Backstory: we’ve always wanted a Maine Coon. Got one a few years ago that turned out to be a wish.com Maine Coon. 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.
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 b%tchcraft.
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 realized that he’s not going to try and beat her.
We accepted, and thought that was that. We confirmed that we would like to keep him and paid a symbolic amount for microchip transfer on the 10th. Yesterday, 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.
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."
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.
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.
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?
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
Oma2Fae said:
Just tell them the vet had a cancellation 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!
AtomicVulpes said:
NTA, your acquaintance is basically running a kitten mill from the sounds of it.
yetzhragog said:
NTA. Is there a legally binding agreement to allow the breeder access to the cat until the neutering? No? Then they can touch grass.
fxckhalie said:
NTA I wouldn’t personally give him back. They sound like unethical breeders. How many litters has he fathered? Sounds like they just wanna make money AFTER you’ve already paid for him. I also wouldn’t trust them to return him.
wndrgrl555 said:
They wanted to get rid of him for genetic diversity reasons, but now want him back when you've already integrated him? that's a firm no. NTA.
Dittoheadforever said:
You're NTA. Just tell them you discussed it with the cat and he is refusing to give his consent.