Pet buyers beware, what follows is my experience with Calcatta Cattery.
Several weeks ago I found Chris Dahleen from Calcatta Cattery off the internet. I am a stay at home mother and have two children. We have two cats, one is a DSH and the other is a Bengal mix. My husband and I decided to adopt a third cat and decided on adopting a purebred Bengal. I emailed several breeders until I found one that I liked who was Chris Dahleen. I asked her a lot of questions and she was always thorough in her responses. I asked about the kitten she had available however she seemed like she was in a rush to sell him. One of the questions I asked was about his litter habits because I've read that early generation Bengals can be difficult in that area. She said, "He has perfect litterbox habits and always has. I honestly find that the early generation bengal boys are very fastidious with their litter box habits and I have never had any problems with them." So I believed her despite reading otherwise on different websites.
She lives in Bakersfield and I live in Diamond Bar, she said that she would be willing to meet me in Baldwin Park because she was meeting another adopter there who was driving from San Diego. She wanted the deposit via PayPal for $150 or offered that I could pay in full that way and just pay the $500 which I did. I met Chris Dahleen, picked up our new kitten Ricky who she sent home with some Royal Canine, etc. I read on Spot O' Luck Cattery that as far as Bengals go, the best way
to make sure they have good litter habits is to keep the kitten in a room for up to 4 months to make sure they will be fine which is what I decided to follow. We took Ricky home and kept him in our bedroom. Not long after being home he was squatting outside the litter box and I kept putting him back in it, I figured it's just because it's a new place and he just needs to learn where the litter box is. I even emailed Chris Dahleen about it but said I was happy with him otherwise because he is a sweetheart. Several days after having him home and while playing with him I noticed a bump on the side of his stomach and I thought it was a birthmark or mole. It wasn't until awhile later while showing my husband the bump did I realize that the bump was flaky and looked like ringworm. I decided to take him to the vet to ask about him going outside the litter box and about the spot. My husband called and left Chris Dahleen a message to ask about Ricky not using the litter box but was never returned the call.
I took Ricky to the vet where both the vet tech and the vet thought the spot looked like ringworm and that it sounded like a bladder infection if he's suddenly going to the bathroom and spotting outside the litter box if the breeder said he doesn't do that. It took me several minutes to find the ringworm spot, it's about the size of a dime and his fur is still partially covering it. The tests were over $300. The vet said to just use the antibiotic for the bladder infection and see if it helps with him urinating outside the litter box then said it was fine to use over the counter treatment for the ringworm first before going ahead with all the testing.
I emailed Chris Dahleen with everything that I was told and I expressed how angry and upset I was over having been sold a kitten that was supposedly free of parasites, infections, etc as well as litter box trained. She then called both my husband and myself saying that her son must have deleted the message my husband left and that perhaps Ricky got the ringworm from his times going in the outdoor enclosure. She also stated that if we wanted however, she will refund the kitten and pay for the medications.
My husband called her again and said that yes we would like to get our refund and work out when to do the switch off. I also emailed her just in case she said she didn't get the message.
Last night she returned the call and said what about LAX. My husband called back and left her a message saying that we can't make it down to LAX tomorrow night. Then this morning at 8:30 she left my husband a very rude message stating that the only way she will get the kitten is that we meet her at LAX tonight between 7 and 8 or we need to travel to her residence in Bakersfield. My husband works, I have a 3 year old, a 4 month old, and am pregnant. I am not going to travel with my children down to LAX alone and on top of that it's Easter eve. I called Chris Dahleen back and for the first time she picked up her phone, I was polite and said that LAX isn't going to work we can't make it and as soon as I said that it was just about the last thing I got in.
What ensued is what I can only describe as absolutely bewildering. Chris Dahleen was yelling and I couldn't get any sort of word in. My son could hear her clear across the living room. I was in shock, I've never been spoken to in that way in my entire life, let alone by a breeder. She said that I never took the kitten to the vet, even though I have the receipts because her vet didn't see anything even though vets themselves don't investigate a kitten's coat for ringworm, I know this for a fact. She also said that he must have gotten the ringworm from us which is absurd and now her story has changed. She even included that - He probably got the ringworm from our livestock. We live in the city, we don't have a farm and I am stunned. I told her I am trying to communicate and be professional and talk about the problem and she continued on. She then hung up on me so my husband tried calling. She then proceeded to tell my husband that it's our fault the kitten wont use a litter box and it's because of our kitten care. Our cats are spoiled rotten, fed EVO, and babied so I take offense to a person who says it's our problem that Ricky wont use the litter box and has ringworm. I worked at a vet hospital and should be the last person to be accused of poor animal care. She then proceeded to say that we must have scared him out of using the litter box. I've never heard of such a thing, as if we sat there with a squirt bottle and encouraged him not to use the litter box? My husband couldn't get much in until she hung up on him too. I emailed her and told her that we have tried everything, that I feel scammed because a breeder took our money, lied to us, and that I have every right to be upset that I now have to worry about my children getting ringworm.
We are in shock, we were lied to and sold this kitten and yet we are to blame. I am now out $500 and with a kitten who doesn't use the litter box and has ringworm. I can honestly say this has been a nightmare and I never want to adopt another purebred cat again because of this breeder. She said that in the contract we had 5 days to take the kitten to the vet and get a refund which is true. However we never thought to have the kitten checked out for ringworm. I feel like she's also in breech of the contract because she's making it just about impossible to return the kitten.
My husband finally ended up saying that we will send her proof of neuter (in her contract she says he must be neutered within 6 months or we have to pay $1000) and that's it. We've already lost our money and we don't want to lose $1000 more because I can picture this woman taking us to court. As far as us traveling to Bakersfield, I honestly feel that she will not refund the money and I would only feel comfortable with a police escort to her door, she was that belligerent on the phone. I don't think it's right for us to have to go that far out of our way for something that wasn't our doing and for something that she as a breeder should have taken responsibility for.
I tried calling Chris Dahleen yet again and told her I do not want to argue and I am trying to have a conversation with you. I told her again LAX is not going to work we can meet in a area closer to my home. She was not only nasty again, but actually tried to become personal with me saying that I live next door to LAX and I'm pathetic for not knowing a city she named. She asked me what do I do and why don't I just go. Well, for one this woman scares me and two I'm not driving alone with a baby and toddler through Compton at night on Easter eve. Her reply was, "Oh good for you!" Absolutely astonishing. My husband then had to call her because I couldn't get anywhere with her. He gave her a ultimatum, her pick up the kitten and refund us our money because we were lied to or we will drop the kitten off at the Baldwin Park location which was her aunt's house. We are so sick of having to stress and hassle with this breeder who lied under contract and lied personally through emails then have the audacity to be attacking us.
My husband got Chris Dahleen to agree to meet in a city closer to our home where they met and my husband gave her the kitten. She gave him a check and we'll see if it doesn't bounce today. She also referred to the kitten as "it", "put it here" and never touched or looked at the kitten.
This ordeal was definitely the talk at our Easter get together, our families and friends can not believe the actions and words from this breeder.
If you are looking to adopt a pet kitten from Calcatta Cattery one that won't be used for breeding and kept in a enclosure outside, then please have your kitten vet checked the day you bring him home for ringworm. If you cross this breeder the wrong way she is impossible and extremely unprofessional. My husband has never seen a person act the way she did and he's training to become an officer. If you adopted a kitten from this breeder and had a good experience then great, I only wish my experience had been good! We were treated poorly and I feel bad that the kitten was the innocent one caught up in it. Chris Dahleen even scoffed when we sent him with our food, I'm guessing she feels that she is the best cat owner in the world? I really can't say what goes through her head. I know this is long but I hope it can help educate potential adopters about this cattery and what may happen when adopting a kitten from Chris Dahleen.
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