The BC SPCA has taken custody of eight Ragdoll kittens and adult cats surrendered to an animal protection officer from a property in Nanaimo on April 10, 2025.
“This case of neglect was brought to our attention by an individual who purchased a kitten from a local breeder,” says Eileen Drever, the BC SPCA’s senior officer protection and stakeholder relations. “Not only did this breeder deny the buyer entry into their home to see the breeding area, but the kitten they brought out smelled strongly of urine and had fleas crawling into their mouth and eyes.”
Drever notes that when the buyer took the kitten to a veterinary clinic for a checkup, the veterinarian identified numerous health concerns. The kitten had a bloated abdomen, with live fleas and excessive flea dirt present, dark debris in the ears, dark discharge in one eye, hair loss around both eyes, and scabs on the tip of his ears, plus crusting on his tail.
“The kitten was in such poor health that the veterinarian opted to delay vaccinations until the kitten recovered,” says Drever “The owner was sent home with four medications to treat the ailments,” says Drever.
The buyer reached out to the BC SPCA Animal Helpline and an investigation was initiated. When the animal protection officer visited the home they noticed a strong ammonia odour, full litter boxes and scattered cat feces on the floor. There was no visible kitten food for the remaining eight-week-old kittens. The owner surrendered the remaining cats to the officer.
Once in the BC SPCA’s care the cats were examined by a veterinarian. “All the kittens had similar issues to what was reported to the BC SPCA’s Animal Helpline. They were also hungry and malnourished,” says Drever. Not surprisingly, the four adult cats were also in bad shape. “They were covered in live fleas with severe flea allergy dermatitis and skin infections,” says Drever. “One of the adult females had two mammary cysts that will need to be removed when she is spayed.”
“This group of cats arrived at the animal centre scared and untrusting,” says Drever. She adds BC SPCA staff have been spending lots of time with the cats to help desensitize them and make them more comfortable. “Now three of the four kittens will let staff pet them and they are starting to purr,” says Drever. She adds that two of the four adults are also starting to come around thanks to the time staff are spending with them and cat treats.
Drever reminds people that this case has all the hallmarks of an irresponsible breeder. “It is worth repeating, if a breeder will not let you into their home to see how the animals are living then you should not purchase an animal from them,” she says. “Based on the condition of the original kitten, it was clear that the animals in this home were not receiving the care they desperately needed.” Drever adds if you believe an animal is in distress to report it to the BC SPCA’s animal helpline 1-855-622-7722.
The cats and kittens have recently tested positive for ringworm and are currently in quarantine. Due to this diagnosis the cats will not be available for adoption for two months. Once they recover, they will be featured on our website adopt.spca.bc.ca.