“The cat vomited for two days, then got cold and died”
Two years ago, the Smirnov family from the Moscow region received a Bengal cat as a gift for their boy. The kitten, only three months old, slept through the ride home from the pet store and then hid under the sofa for nearly a day after arriving. What happened next would begin a harrowing ordeal that tested the family’s resolve and care for a new pet.
“He did not eat or drink since he came home. I assumed it was stress, but my wife and daughter grew so worried they asked me to bring him out from under the sofa. When Tosya was finally lifted, she seemed flushed, and online advice suggested that kittens run a higher fever than adults. Typically a bowl would be placed before him, yet he would crawl all the way to water, sit unmoving, and stare. My wife thought the bowl was too low, so she lifted water to Tosya in her hand. She drank eagerly, then ate a little, and snuggled in my daughter’s lap. Half an hour later Tosya began vomiting a green liquid. We called the store for guidance; they blamed a change in food and promised it would pass. It did not.”
For hours, Tosya vomited and then had bouts of diarrhea. The family refused to abandon him, using an oral syringe to administer an absorbent and provide some relief. But come morning Tosya vomited again — this time with blood.
“Tosya was cold, even though it had been hot the day before. They rushed her to a veterinarian, but she died on the way. We took her to the clinic for cremation. The vet suspected panleukopenia, a severe disease that can spread among cats and endanger other pets. The father suspects that the other kittens from Tosya’s litter may have already carried the infection.”
The next day, the Smirnovs returned to the pet store, seeking a refund of the 40,000 rubles paid for the kitten.
“Were they involved in Tosya’s death and trying to shift blame onto us? We bought from breeders who ensured healthy animals. It hurts to think this was a preventable tragedy.”
Ultimately, the Smirnovs did not pursue a lawsuit. A few months later, they adopted a dog. Kittens still haunted their memories, but Tosya’s legacy lingered in their lives.
“They broke the jaw and allowed an abscess to form”
A year and a half ago, Elizaveta Elizarova bought a mouse from a large pet chain in Moscow. Within days, she noticed swelling on the pet’s cheek and took Tata to a rodent specialist.
“Tata had an abscess that needed cleaning twice. A store employee called breeders who explained that straw bedding for rat pups can injure faces and spread infection. Rats should not be housed on straw in such conditions.”
At one point, Tata refused dry food and subsisted on baby puree. Nearly a dozen veterinarians failed to identify the root cause until one doctor found that Tata’s teeth were misaligned and kept growing. Rodents constantly gnaw to keep teeth in check, and Tata could not grind properly.
“The jaw deformity forced two realistic options: permanent cutting or full extraction. The first wasn’t possible due to the animal’s anatomy, so extraction under anesthesia became necessary. Monthly anesthesia would threaten the mouse’s life.”
Decisions were made to remove Tata’s teeth, but X-rays revealed an older injury: the jaw hadn’t fused as it should have, likely from a previous drop by the breeders. Whether intentional or not, the result was a problematic jaw that never fully developed. The breeders appeared to have ignored the issue, letting healing lag.
For more than a year and a half after purchase, Tata required ongoing maintenance and monitoring, with Elizaveta spending about 80,000 rubles on care.
Inbreeding, injuries, and care mistakes
A sales assistant at a major pet chain, Maria Mitroshina (name changed for privacy), has worked in this field for over five years. Sick animals commonly arrive at stores, and the problem is said to be worse in niche shops that face little oversight.
“A month ago a guinea pig arrived still healthy enough to move, but two days later its hind legs failed. Earlier this year a batch of rats suffocated in the store, despite no obvious obstruction.”
Now Mitroshina is helping an African hedgehog and a parrot that could not be saved after a window escape. She notes that animals fall ill for many reasons: previous injuries, breeder mistakes, transportation damage, or genetic conditions tied to inadequate care. Sometimes older pets arrive, unable to breed, and are left unsold in stores.
“Animals can be sick or old, and sellers sometimes treat them at their own expense, though that is rare; often, staff do not care.”
“Be prepared: tens of thousands may be spent on treatment”
The worst-affected groups are rodents, birds, and other small animals. Some are brought in too early, needing their mother’s milk, which leads to behavioral and mental issues.
“Birds fall ill almost all the time and often die. Parasites, fungal infections, and diseases like megabacteriosis and circovirus are common. Local clinics do tests, but if the disease isn’t dangerous to humans and isn’t a visible epidemic, birds are sometimes released back into the display.”
In the last few years, cats and dogs have fared better in large chain stores, though the improvement is limited to these outlets. A conscientious breeder who directly supplies pets often provides better health monitoring and retrievability if needed. If a cat or dog isn’t purchased within two weeks, breeders may reclaim and resell the animal themselves.
“Authorized breeders rarely work with pet stores. When breeders do, the focus tends to be on volume rather than health. Uncontrolled breeding can spread disease.” Mitroshina says.
She emphasizes that stores should not be seen as ideal sources for pets. For buyers, it means preparing for possible diagnostic bills, testing, and treatment costs. Even in the absence of symptoms, a disease can be present.
“When choosing, seek out reputable breeders found through trusted friends, forums, social networks, or specialized stores. They often specialize in the exact pet you want. Moscow also has reputable nurseries and shelters. In shelters, a pet may be not only purebred but also unvaccinated or sick. Stores generally focus on products for animals rather than the animals themselves.”
What should you do if you bought a sick animal?
Magomed Yangulbi, an attorney and managing partner at Yang Consult, explains that while animals are legally treated as a commodity, they are a special case. Under consumer-protection laws, a straightforward fourteen-day return is not guaranteed if the animal is deemed good quality.
“If it becomes clear that the animal is ill or has defects, a return is possible under standard rules for goods of inadequate quality. The buyer may request a full refund, a replacement, or a similar animal with adjustments in price, plus potential contributions from both sides for treatment costs.”
The buyer can also request remediation, such as medical care at the seller’s expense, or compensation for veterinary bills incurred after purchase. Even if the animal appears healthy, a purchaser can still seek remedies if misrepresentation occurred concerning breed, age, gender, or vaccines.
“After discovering defects, customers can contact the seller and pursue the appropriate remedy under the law.”