Papers.. I need help

I've recently brought a maine coon from a breeder close to where I live. I went on the recommendation of a friend who had no problems. What I want to know is what papers does she HAVE to give me?

She has stated she won't be giving me a pink slip, because she does not want me to breed from my kitten.

I have been told all I'll be getting is his family tree and I'm sure this is not right.:grr:

I've rang the GCCF and couldnt be helped over the phone, although I emailed complaints department and don't know where else to turn.


Worried, :(

Hi there, I think you are right to be concerned. As I understand it you should always get a pink slip, whether you are going to breed from the cat or not. If you are not going to breed, the cat is still registered with GCCF and is placed on the 'non-active' register. So you need a pink slip for this. If she is not giving you a pink slip, it could mean that the cat can't be registered for some reason, and if so, she should tell you what the reason is and charge you accordingly. Or give you the opportunity to walk away, of course. This definitely needs clearing up with the breeder before you go any further.

What does everyone else think?

My problem is that I have already handed her a subtantial sum of money and recieved my kitten. I'm heartbroken to think that I may have been duped. This is my first pedigree kitten and I should have been less excited and thinking more about it.


The breeder says they sell their kittens as pets only and doesnt register the kittens. I think they do not want me to breed with the kitten.t

Also I was wondering if someone could tell me what it is exactly I need the breeder to give me in order to register the kitten myself, if possible because I have a feeling they should have been doing this before selling for £400 odd pound.

Perhaps one of the breeders here could give you a more detailed answer. But I would find it worrying if a breeder told me they don't register their kittens. If the kitten is not registered, then officially it is no different from a moggy, so what are you paying for? I would have thought that most breeders would be proud to register their kittens, after all, they are the result of a huge amount of work!

If you have the kitten's pedigree, it should show the breeder's registration number and also the registration numbers of the sire and dam (I think, haven't got mine to hand). Maybe you could use these to register the kitten yourself?

Not registering the kitten does not ensure that the new owner does not breed from the kitten. In fact it would be much easier to breed from an unregistered kitten, as there is no official record of it. I don't think she should be selling unregistered kittens at £400.

Hope someone can shed some light on this for you. In the meantime, how is your kitten?

How did the people get on who recommended the breeder in the first place,did they get the paperwork or if not did they assume this was normal ? Was your baby fully vaccinated ? Did you get a receipt for your payment ? Did you even have a contract as suggested by Candes ?
I agree with the others it does seem suspect & hope that one of the breeders can help you more.
Along with Howlinbob though would luv to hear more about your babe,even a picture or two would be nice x

Yeah well this is it. I know people with female kittens and could easily just mate my kitten with theirs, at the right time and then sell them on. I wouldnt do that however, I just want to have my wee man. The only thing I was thinking was later on I would've liked him to sire a litter so I could keep one of the kittens in memory of him.

Of course thats just my love of kitties coming through

He's totally fine! Running about like mad and starting to become very affectionate, following me everywhere. When I get my issues resolved I will be making a profile and becoming more active instead of an anon. I just want to remain anonymous so I don't upset anyone. :)

Thats the thing, we have no contract. It was all verbal. I spoke with them last night and was told that they dont register them at all.

They refuse to give me the pink slip but they said they might trust me if I want to show my kitten. Is this the blue form on GCCF called Manual Transfer.

It's al very confusing for me and the only reason I chose this breeder is because a friend bought before me and recieved 4th generation papers and a blue slip, no problems. I am waiting to hear back from her so she can tell me exactly what the paperwork she recieved is.

Also I should mention that all the paperwork I have on this kitten is his vet record, hes had his two injections and been microchipped. I also have a record of his microchip number on a petlog form.

I did not get a receipt and no contract. I am now kicking myself and really upset with the way things have turned out. It's taken a shine off buying my first pedigree thats for sure :( I will be posting pictures of my lovely boy whenever problems get sorted :)

Hmm, no contract, no receipt for your payment, no pedigree, no pink registration slip. What are they trying to hide? The only paperwork you got was the vaccination record and microchip details. This is the minimum you would get from any decent rescue centre, and even then they would give you a receipt for your donation. As Candes has suggested, are you sure that they won't give you the pink registration slip and pedigree as soon as you have neutered? It is certainly worth clarifying this point. Otherwise, this breeder should be named and shamed.

Great to hear that you little chap is coming along! He's blissfully unaware of all this and is just being a kitten - enjoy!

What are pink/blue slips?

I don't know the answer Osiris, but I'm sure that one of the breeders will be along soon to answer your questions. I just wanted to say welcome to the forum and I look forward to seeing piccies soon x

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Originally Posted by Antonia

What are pink/blue slips?

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Well I don't know what a blue slip is, but the pink slip is the GCCF registration slip the breeder gives you when you buy a kitten, which shows the kitten's GCCF number, pedigree name, and breeder. The new owner has to return this slip (if I remember rightly) with their details and a small fee (£10?) in order to transfer ownership. There is a tick box on this slip which states active or non-active register (ie, for breeding or non-breeding).

If you buy a kitten on the non-active register, but change your mind and then want to breed, you have to first get permission from the breeder and then apply to the GCCF to change over to the active register, and pay another fee (don't know how much).

If the breeder advertised that the kittens were GCCF then you can make a complaint I would check this out to make sure they arnt on the suspensed list Welcome to the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy I would also ask them for a receipt just tell them you need it for the insurance company which you may do. You may also have to change the chip onformation into your name, although that is not legal proof of ownership it jsut help reunite lost pets.

£400 I would expcet the paper work :sad2: but at the end of the day if your kitten is healthy & you are happy thats all that matters :smile: x

If the breeder has advertised the kittens as a pedigree, registered kitten and you can still find this advertisement you can make an official complaint to the trading standards. you will be given a number and advice on the steps to take next.

I have this information if you need it!

Some breeders do not at first give you the pink slip until the kitten has been neutered and proof of neutering has been sent to you. However from what I have read here it appears that the kitten has not been registered at all.??

The Blue slip is used when a kitten/cat has already been transfered in to another name and this then needs transferring again, there is only one option with the pink slip to transfer, the Blue slip then over rights the transfer.


First once again Ring the GCCF. DO NOT LET THEM FOB you off...

If you have problems with the registrar demand to speak to the manager, and or look on the GCCF website for email addresses and Email them as a back up for your questions.

Tell them the name of the mother and the father and the registration number, and your own kittens pedigree name. and Date of Birth,

Inform them that you have bought a pedigree registered kitten, but you have received no paperwork can they please check that the kitten is registered.

Some breeders do only declare the litter it saves them money. but if the litter is declared the GCCF will have information on this.


I hope this helps a little Good luck!!
You should always usually get a contract of sale, a pedigree, a vaccination certificate, " microchip" plus a sample bag of food, kittens pack etc, given the amount of money you have paid, then you should have received all of the above!



If the Breeder is still refusing to be co-operative, there are other option open to you to take this further.

Hey

Firstly, thank you for this!

Basically my dad has went today to see the breeder on the way home and their partner gave my dad a "4th Generation Bloodline" - that it is so to recap, I have recieved the following from the breeder;

• Microchip Petlog details
• Vet Card to say what jabs ect he has had
• Bloodline

That's it. Yeah I'm feeling duped and disappointed but I do have my lovely kitty.:rofl:

I just don't want to drop this because I spent alot of money on him and around the time I bought him I was getting majorly depressed and lost my job so it meant a lot to me getting this wee bundle of love and I feel that the shine has been taken off the apple.

As for the GCCF I emailed Carole Butler and got no reply. I also rang twice and the woman on the phone sounded positively bored of speaking to me and insisted that there was nothing she could do. It made me wonder what she was getting paid for.:grr:

As far as I know my kitten has no pedigree name except what I wanted to call him and he is microchipped to my address.

Has the breeder got it listed on her website as registered with the GCCF?

Did she advertise your kittens as a pedigree registered kitten?

If so this can be followed up with consumers advice under the trade descriptions act


If you received a 4 generation blood line then you have to have a name for the kitten.

Every pedigree Kitten whether registered or not has a pedigree, and so you should insist paying this kind of money on the kitten being registered if it hasn't, You may want to show this kitten as a neuter without this paperwork you can't so basically although you may have a happy healthy kitten, in effect with out papers the cat could only be shown in the household pet section.

Carole Butler is only disciplinary and for her to take action you will have to pay the disciplinary fee which is £150.00 SHE IS NOT based in the GCCF office, she works from home.


If you have spoken to the semi long haired registrar its her job to sort this out for you and by saying there is nothing she can do is wrong, you are right she is not doing her job, you have to demand information from this woman, I know this as I have had the very same problems with her, if your breeder is GCCF registered and has stated that you kitten is.

If the staff at the GCCF still refuse to co-operate with you after trying again you can take this matter to Executive and make an official complaint against the GCCF staff... there are options.

You can also research with Google to see if this breeder has possible done this before?

This is really shocking lack of support from GCCF. I thought it was supposed to be a respected, well-established organisation, but this shows real complacency. If they are not really strict on this sort of thing then it just undermines the whole system of registration. And £150 to take things further? When you've already paid £400 for the unregistered kitten? This is hardly working in the customer's favour.

Here in Belgium you get the pedigree and the registration of the kitten.I can see that the grand parents from the mothers side are from the USA Willowplace.

The GCCF are a real let down, they only act when they need to and its usually to take money from people that have made a mistake but when you want something done you have to pay the £150.00 You get it back when you win, but why would or should you have to pay to make them do , what they should do as a matter of interest?? Beats me!

This is so sad for you... it makes my blood boil that people are taken in by scammers like this. My kittens go at 13 weeks with the works. Unfortunately people go on sites like pets4homes and see the mast-head adverts, they then contact these people... I know that one of the catteries that advertises has been struck off from all the major registries!!! But does the general public know... cos not! If anyone wants a pedigree kitten they must go to the breed sociaty websites and look from there, it isn't 100% nothing is but scammers do get outed and will be expelled from them!

Unfortunately a four/five generation pedigree from an unregistered kitten is worthless; all the crooked breeder has to do is look online and take some names off other breeder's websites, as many put their cat's pedigrees on.

One of my buyers told me when she picked her kitten up that kitty was related to a cat she had brought last year, I was horrified to learn that her cat was the son of Charlie Boi... Chaz had never fathered the litter... he was/is a nueter!!! So her pedigree was a work of fiction... unbelievable!

I don't think you will ever get kitty registered, as the breeder doesn't register her cats, it will be impossible for the GCCF to validate the paperwork. Enjoy and love your kitten, have him neutered and if you want to, then show him in the pedigree pet section, I know loads of people who do this, you can go into the master cat classes.

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Originally Posted by Tivicoons

This is so sad for you... it makes my blood boil that people are taken in by scammers like this. My kittens go at 13 weeks with the works. Unfortunately people go on sites like pets4homes and see the mast-head adverts, they then contact these people... .

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Its a shame and it makes my blood boil too, as why bother to register a prefix if you are not going to do it correctly, penny pinching more for the pocket thats why, and then this allows because people can get cats so easy from all over the place the put two cats together and then well we have the health problems that exist these days in the cats.

I feel really sorry for the lady and kitty and many others in this situation, its a shame there is no hard a fast rule that people can follow. And in this case you can not even say it was a cheap kitty and so as some would say you get what you pay for!! But we all learn a hard lesson in this world, specially with breeders.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by candes

Another question. You mentioned that she said that you would get a pick slip, if she could trust you. This is very unusual. But it does sound like she does give out slips. Did she say why she didn't trust you quite yet? And if not, I would ask.

Frankly, I never heard of a breeder giving out registrations depending on whether you were "trustworthy". Very odd.... Indeed....

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Very good Point, She does give out pink slips but only if she trust you!! if you have paid £400.00 for a kitten you need the papers, and there should be no reason not for giving them!