VIC Purchased Terminally Ill Kitten - Who is Liable?

[3katsmeow]

The kitten I purchased was a purebred Siamese from a reputable breeder. She became ill 9 days after us getting her home at 10 1/2 weeks of age. She was isolated from my other 2 cats for 7 days and never used the same litter or food bowls as my other 2 cats. She has been diagnosed with FIP which is fatal with no cure.

To get FIP she has to of had the coronavirus which we have been told would of come from the mum. It's taken 6 weeks to get the diagnosis and since then, she has been using the same litter tray and food bowls as my other 2 cats. My other 2 cats may now have the coronavirus which is transmitted through faecal matter.

My veterinary fees are up to around $5000 and my kitten was $800.

Who is liable and how do I go about taking legal action on my case?

To explain about FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis), cats get infected with coronavirus first, and a lot of cats can live a normal life with this disease, but for some reason some cats usually under 2 years of age it can turn into FIP. There's no cure ending in death prematurely. So as you can imagine our heartbreak of this news, is devastating to our family.

 

[Lance]

Hi,

That's a terrible situation you have found yourself in. The problems I can see in this for you is that you said you separated the kitten from your other two cats. That's your claim and hard to prove.

This becomes harder to prove now that your other two cats may have been exposed to FIP from the kitten. The breeder could claim that her cat doesn't have FIP.

You could contact Agriculture Victoria or Consumer Affairs, I believe they are the regulator for things pet related in Victoria. They may be able to investigate and find out if the kittens mother also has FIP.

I wish you luck pursuing this and I'm sorry for what your family is going through with your pets.