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I purchased a Maine Coon kitten from Kelly Sparkman of Mountain Fork Maine Coons in Oklahoma. He was shipped to us on March 23, 2013. He came down with FIP and ended up dying on December 23, 2013. We had him exactly 9 months. When I contacted her I was informed that FIP was not covered once he left their home. I requested that she would reconsider since she knew he was my 6 year old daughter's and we were all devastated by this. She did not acknowledge my request but instead stated she was "saddened and concerned" and would be in contact with his litter mates owners. I'm not sure what the point of that would be considering she won't replace them anyway. Overall I was just really disappointed that she could not find it in her heart to offer a replacement kitten, knowing everything we had gone through and knowing he was only with us for 9 short months. I have since been in contact with other breeders who have all found it surprising that Kelly did not offer to replace him. I would not recommend purchasing from this breeder. Clearly she is all about the money and nothing more.
Kelly Sparkman, out of curiosity, i happened to be looking through to see what ever became of my original complaint. I just am now seeing your ridiculous response. I told you at the time I have documentation that our Marlin died of FIP DAYS before he was one. You refused to replace him unless he had died of cancer, which he did not. My daughter was SIX YEARS OLD at the time and our family was heartbroken. You have PLENTY of cats you were breeding and regardless of whether FIP was covered in the contract or not, it was disgraceful that you did not offer to replace him with another kitten. You are a heartless woman, in my opinion, and I would never advise anyone doing business with you. It's such a shame because this could have been handled so much better. Marlin was such an amazing kitten and to this day my daughter and I speak about him often. You could have done the right thing and you clearly are more interested in money and nothing more. You disgust me.
And for the record, I have all the documentation showing that Marlin died BEFORE his first birthday and that he died of FIP. So anytime you want to see it and live up to your responsibility you let me know. He was treated at Animal Hospital of the Rockaways, and I have ALL the documentation to prove my claim. You had no interest at the time in seeing anything unless he died of CANCER, which as I have said, he did not. Disgraceful. A liar on top of everything else, you should be ashamed of yourself.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make. You made it clear in your email below that you would only replace him if he died of cancer. I do not have a report saying he died of cancer. They gave me the option of surgery because they said it was a slim chance that MAYBE it was something OTHER than FIP. I opted to take the chance because there was possibly a small glimmer of hope that we could have treatment options if in fact he had cancer. He didn't. Perhaps you can clarify. Are you NOW saying you would have replaced him despite it being the doctor's diagnosis? That is clearly not what you said below. I'm so happy you voluntarily replaced other people's kittens and not ours. I was never rude or hateful in my initial contact with you, as you, and anybody else can see by my response at that time to your email below, which btw you NEVER responded to until I went on this complaints board.
Christine Harvey
Hi Christine,
I am very sorry to hear he is sick. I have not had any kittens die from FIP. It is my understanding that FIP is a virus and is not covered under his 48 hr testing health guarantee after he left our home.
If Marlin dies from cancer before his 1 yr purchase date I will replace him with another male kitten. Provided a necropsy is performed.
Again, I am very sorry he has become ill.
Please keep me posted.
Sent from Samsung Mobile
Kelly Sparkman
Mountain Fork Maine Coons
Hi Kelly,
I am writing to update you on what happened with Marlin. He had surgery on Thursday, December 19th because the doctors thought there was a small chance he could survive. After surgery he came home on Saturday. He stopped eating and drinking by Sunday morning. The results showed Monday morning he did in fact have FIP. He died on December 23.
I have spent many hours researching this horrible disease. Despite the fact that you have said FIP is not covered, I am certain he had to have been exposed to the coronavirus while in your care. He has never been in contact with another cat since he left you. I am aware that most cats have been exposed to coronavirus and in only a very small percentage does it mutate into this horrific FIP.
Unfortunately our beloved sweet boy was one of the unlucky few. To say this has been devastating would be a gross understatement. He died exactly 9 months after we got him. It's unfortunate that you don't feel that is worthy of replacement.
I am letting you know his results so that you are aware and possibly consider certain pairings might have greater potential to produce kittens that are more susceptible to FIP. I wouldn't want another family and God forbid another young child to have to go through this.
Sincerely,
Christine Harvey
First of all, YOU NEVER GOT ON THE PHONE WITH ME. That is a lie. You are completely fabricating what happened. Scroll back through THIS feed and you can see you just make things up as you see fit. You claim he died well AFTER he was one, which was false. AGAIN, you clearly stated in your email that FIP is NOT covered. So I am asking, why would I have bothered providing a report that did not say he died of cancer? Are you now saying you would have replaced him if it wasn't cancer, even though in your email above you state, "It is my understanding that FIP is a virus... and is not covered after he left our home. If Marlin dies from cancer before his 1yr purchase date I will replace him with another male kitten provided a necropsy is performed."
So for the last time, I can not provide a necropsy report stating he had cancer. He did not. And at that time, you did not ask for a report showing he had FIP because you said it wasn't covered. I have medical documents and bills showing the timeline of events. They are attached. He had surgery in the hopes that maybe they would find cancer, and there would be other treatment options. They did not find cancer, and the vet recommended euthanizing him because he was not eating or drinking, and suffering. He was euthanized December 23rd.
To be clear, I am not playing the victim or using my child as leverage. These were the facts of what took place. I have all of our email exchanges throughout the entire process. I was always pleasant and nothing less. The only time we spoke on the phone was when I informed you which kitten I was choosing. You never answered any calls from me after that.
I am not looking for a replacement kitten form you. This is not about that. It's simply about the fact that you keep lying about what took place. It's about being held accountable for the fact that you could have handled things differently at the time, and instead you only became responsive after I put up this initial complaint.
Finally, I moved on 3 years ago when I found a new breeder, and I now have two ragdolls who thankfully are going on 3 and in good health. I am not interested in another kitten. The only reason I choose to keep responding is because you are blatantly lying about what took place, and I find it offensive. I wish you would have handled things in a more compassionate way at the time this took place. I will never dispute that you raise stunning kittens, and I'm sure they all have wonderful personalities just like Marlin did. I know that what happened to Marlin was terrible luck, and that FIP is not common. I also know that it is not covered in your contract. As stated in my INITIAL complaint, I only asked at the time that you could have reconsidered your contract, because he was only with us 9 months. AND because my daughter was 6 at the time and completely devastated. That's not "leverage, " that's just hoping that you have a heart. It is a shame that you did not handle this differently when you had the chance.
There is nothing more to say. People can judge for themselves whether you are believable or not.
This is laughable, really, What lie exactly have I told? So ridiculous. I have said over and over: My cat died of FIP. It's not covered. I asked you to reconsider your contract. You wouldn't. Your email above clearly stated you would have only replaced him if he died before 1 year OF CANCER. You cannot dispute that, as it is clearly written in the email I received FROM YOU. That's my proof that you had no intention of ever considering replacing him if it was FIP.
Once again, I know you were not REQUIRED to replace him. IF at that time you had said, "send me the reports and even if it wasn't cancer, I'll consider replacing him, " then that would have been a whole other story. BUT YOU DIDN'T. You have continued to lie, stating that we spoke many times on the phone about this, and we never did. Not even once. My last correspondence with you was my "update" email which I had posted above. You responded that you were "saddened by his loss", and would "be in touch with his littermates' owners, " and that was the last I heard from you. You never said anything more. You clearly had no intention of considering replacing him. If so, you would have said that in your email, but again, YOU DIDN"T. That is why I wrote my initial complaint. Only AFTER my complaint did you change your tune.
You can say whatever you want about me, it really does not matter. I have not lied about anything. I'm not the one looking for more business. I'm not looking for money from you, or a kitten. My ONLY reason for posting on this board was so that others could be aware of what my family went through when dealing with you. Hopefully you have found the compassion you were lacking back then and now go about things differently. Good day to you!
And for the record...here's the report saying that he had FIP.
The report was posted! Yes, you are overlooking it. Maybe you need glasses...here it is AGAIN! You are outrageous with your lies. WE NEVER SPOKE ON THE PHONE. You are a sad, sad woman to go to these extremes. Now any rational person can see his diagnosis, and again you avoid the fact that your email states you only would have replaced him if he had cancer. You were never going above and beyond. It's unfortunate for you that I kept every single email we exchanged. I choose to keep things in writing. We never spoke and you are just really twisted. People can read the report for themselves. Apparently you cannot. I have posted medical records and the report, and you still choose to argue. Nevertheless, you're a liar. I hope people have the common sense not to deal with you after reading this entire exchange.
I do not dispute that I emailed you a million times from the time of my deposit up until my final email shown above. All emails were pleasant and friendly exchanges about picking out our kitten and how happy we were after receiving him. After my "update" email where I told you what finally became of him, there was no other reason to contact you, because you had said anything other than cancer was not covered. Even in that email shown, I was not irate, demanding, or irrational. I believe 2 or 3 out of all of the emails we exchanged were in regard to his sickness. The rest were all updates and details leading up to his arrival.
If you would have responded in the way you are claiming you did, why wouldn't I have gone through the trouble of providing you with all my documents then? Do you think I would make this up? Does it make sense that if you would have offered me money back, or a replacement kitten, despite it not being cancer that I wouldn't have bothered to send you anything then? No, it doesn't make any sense at all. Of course I would have. Once you said you wouldn't, I made my complaint.
Again, only after I posted the complaint did you try to resolve things. And you never tried to contact me via email or phone, even after my complaint.
I will not argue that the report says "likely" FIP. My vet, whom I trust, read the report and interpreted it, and in their opinion felt that FIP was the cause of his problems, since no foreign bodies/obstructions etc were found during surgery.
I'm sure there were more definitive tests I could have conducted to get 100% definitive answers, but there was no point because you had been clear replacement was not an option within your contract rules. And maybe further testing would not have been that much money. At the time I had already spent a great deal on his surgery and medical bills. So I did not go any further when my vet said it was FIP. Why bother when you said that wasn't covered?
As I have stated before, I am not looking for money. I am not looking for a replacement kitten. At the time I would have gladly accepted either, but you did not ever request anything other than a necropsy report stating cancer. I would imagine you would have certainly emailed me something documenting these alleged irate phone calls that you claim took place. All of our contact from start to finish was via email, but you conveniently claim you tried to do the right thing by phone. This is the part, that quite frankly, pisses me off. We never spoke by phone except for when I was choosing my kitten. And I'm sure if we had, you would have wanted to cover yourself in writing if in fact you were really offering that. But you weren't. The only reason I've continued to respond is because you have called me a liar, which I most definitely am not. So I guess we can agree to disagree.
Thank you for your offer. I acknowledge that you have tried to make good on the situation. I'm not interested in pursuing that. It was never about the money.
Ms Harvey,
What is on Pages 1 and 3 of the vet report that you do not want to share? Almost 3 years later you are still wanting to have a "sad story" to gain attention from. It was and still is very simple; provide proof of what was wrong with your kitten, when he was euthanized 1 week prior to his 1 year birthday. You have complained to anyone that would listen and were told, provide proof of your claim! You have just now proven he was euthanized, but fail to share the complete report...strikes me as odd. You have been caught up in your lie. I asked for a necropsy report to determine what he became ill from, as he was covered under a 1 year guarantee "Since some hereditary/congenital defects/problems do not surface until a kitten is older, Breeder will guarantee for the first year of against ANY life threatening, severe or fatal genetic health problems that would shorten or end the life of said kitten". "Said kitten would be replaced for ANY fatal physical defects documented and RECEIVED WITHIN 1 YEAR." That covers way more than just cancer! You did not email me a million times, as that is way too vague. You emailed me 65 times and more than likely would have called me the same amount of times if I had not stopped accepting your calls. Three years ago, I had no reason to continue to request a necropsy report, when you did not provide one or any documentation for that matter after being asked to, per the contract. Now, I am going to insult you, so stay focused; since recognition is what you are seeking, provide the documentation (the part that has been left out), then take your money that I refund back to you and donate it to a good cause, such as the ASPCA or Petsmart kitten adoption fees. If you drag it out, you can make small yearly donations and probably receive a tax deduction at the same time. They may even make a sign that has your name on it, with a caption that reads something like "Adoption fees pre-paid by Crissy Harvey, a single mom who had a terrible experience with a greedy breeder who lied a lot and Crissy wants nothing more than to give back". Make sure you leave out the part where you were the one crying wolf and obsessively contacted the breeder 65 documented times by email alone. 'Bye Felicia
Ms Harvey,
I am now in receipt of Marlin's euthanasia and partial vet records. You attached only page 2 of a 3 page vet report with a partial addendum at the bottom of page 2, which continues to page 3 (not attached). In looking at page 2, the top of the report says the test results are in the "Normal" range. In the third addendum is states FIP viral antigen is the "likely" cause of inflammatory lesion. It does not state it "is" the exact cause. Again, the addendum following this continues onto page 3, (not attached). Per The Merck Veterinarian website, FIP overview: Rivalta's test is a simple, inexpensive method that does not require special laboratory equipment and can be performed easily in private practice. It is very useful in cats to differentiate between effusions caused by FIP and effusions caused by other diseases. Rivalta's test has a high PPV (86%) and a very high NPV (96%) for FIP. Positive results can sometimes be seen in cats with bacterial peritonitis or lymphoma. Those effusions, however, are usually easy to differentiate through macroscopic examination, cytology, and bacterial culture. I too, kept all of your emails, 65 to be exact. I have tried to resolve this issue with you from the beginning and find it very unique that in 11 years of breeding kittens, your kitten is the ONE AND ONLY to succumb to "FIP". What are the odds? I do now have proof that Marlin was euthanized before his 1 year birthday, although it is under unclear circumstances. I would like to see page 1 and page 3 of the vet report. I will then refund the purchase price, shipping and vet expense since it is clear he had something wrong with him, whatever that may have been, in order to be euthanized. And, I always do the right thing. Please attach the vet receipt with the dollar amount.
Ms Harvey,
The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expecting a different result. You have a short memory on how you behaved with me during your phone calls. After several attempts to get the point across to you were met with irrationality, it became apparent you were an unreasonable person. Therefore, I shut you down by rejecting your subsequent calls, which angered you. That helped me to determine if I should go above and beyond, so you have yourself to thank. Your problem was, you wanted another kitten, "No Questions Asked". Then, you make a claim that I "wouldn't replace a sick kitten". In closing; I do not see any diagnosis nor do I see a necropsy report showing the root problem for his ill health. What your receipt shows me is he became ill, but from what disease or condition? Did he get into some poison? Was he harmed or hurt by outside factors? Was he bit by a poisonous spider or bit by an insect? Am I overlooking a FIP diagnosis?
Ms Harvey,
It is apparent, you have been caught in your lie, several times. I have asked, as usual and customary, for PROOF of your claim and what your vet's opinion was, for the problem behind him becoming ill at (almost) 1 year of age and being in your care for 9 months. Repeatedly, as well as being documented on this forum, I have asked for the necropsy report, REGARDLESS of what he died from, so I could make an informed decision. You had 48 hours from the time he left our home, to have baseline testing done, like every other buyer does. You want to focus in on "he was almost a year old", when I looked at my records and saw he was indeed "almost one year old", not "just past" one year old as I misspoke, please forgive me. You should congratulate yourself that our 1 year health warranty has now been modified against false claims or undocumented opinions; proof applies, end of story. And, what a shame; somebody has way too much time on their hands to decide to pick another fight, on Thanksgiving Day, almost 3 years later. Exercise and taking meds may prove beneficial to you, and displace that energy into more productive areas. Please send the necropsy report and your vet bill for Marlin. I too do not wish to place a kitten with you again, and would rather refund ALL your money back, including shipping fees and the vet bill. Once again, the ball is in your court. Good Day!
*almost 3 years (instead of almost 2)
Ms Harvey, As you are aware, our last conversation was by phone and not recorded. You called numerous times saying the same thing over and over, using your young heartbroken child as leverage. I agreed to consider replacing Marlin, even though FIP is not covered under the health warranty. I simply asked that you forward the necropsy report. To date, now almost 2 years later, you have failed to do so after repeated attempts to resolve your claim. You somehow feel the need to slander my name to try and get what you want regardless of the rules. I am hereby notifying you, as my final request, to provide the necropsy report to this forum or I will take the next step. You need to stop playing the victim and move on.
Ms Harvey, in December, 2013 you notified me stating your Maine Coon cat, Marlin had recently undergone surgery, stopped eating, drinking and had passed away. You stated your vet thought he may have either cancer or FIP. After speaking to you on the phone, I then asked for a necropsy report in order to replace your cat that died from cancer, since surgery is not a route taken in kittens that suffer from FIP, to my knowledge. I never heard back from you, until this complaint was brought to my attention by the owner of the FBRL. She notified me, that she had dismissed your claim, since 9 months had passed since the time you acquired your cat from me, to the time you stated he became ill and passed away following surgery. Since I have no control over what a kitten is exposed to once it leaves our possession, a 48 hour testing period (excluding weekend and holidays) is usual and customary to obtain baseline labs. In the research I have done, kittens typically pass away between 4-6 months of age, when they acquire FIP. A simple test called Rivalta test can be used to differentiate FIP from fluids resulting from some other disease with very good accuracy. As of today's date, 8/31/16, I would still like to see the necropsy report.
In 11 years of breeding, I have had 4 reports of kittens/adults passing away. Excluding yours, all were replaced. One kitten got in a side by side freezer/refrigerator and froze to death, a 13 month old cat ate clay litter, resulting in a blockage. Another kitten vomited during neutering surgery because food was forgotten to be withheld. The last kitten developed a bone condition possibly resulting from an antibiotic being given that is not intended for growing kittens. I replaced them all, without a single necropsy being provided, even though it is outlined in our purchase contract. I voluntarily replaced them, not because I had to, but because it was the right thing to do. When the owners notified me of their loss, they were hurting, yet respectful. They were not rude, demanding, spiteful or hateful.
The father of Marlin is still producing wonderful kittens for us. The mother of Marlin was retired at 5 years of age, weighing 23 pounds at the time of her spay/retirement. A replacement kitten sired by the same father is still available.
Regards,
Kelly Sparkman RN
The above review was brought to my attention I was saddened by it. I realize people may not understand the details of breeding; cattery policies, litter sizes, etc., Hopefully, I can help to clarify some of those details. Our cattery is also our home, and we do not allow the public into our home for numerous reasons, of which a past security experience is at the top of the list. We are vet inspected, have the distinction of a CFA "Cattery of Excellence", which is the highest distinction you can receive, a 4 out of 4 possible points in each and every category. It is a higher distinction than a CFA "Approved Cattery". Also, each litter of kittens are vet checked in our home as well, as we do not expose our newly vaccinated kittens to a vet hospital. When a female cat is placed with a stud at the end of her heat cycle, the result is often times a smaller number of kittens than the norm. Our European females are just as large as the males, breed twice a year, typically 5-6 months apart. Females instinctively want to protect their babies and sadly they sometimes huddle over them, lay on them and the end result can be suffocation of one or more of the kittens. This is a fact, not a red flag! These are the last communications I was able to locate in my yahoo mail account. I ALWAYS reply to any inquiries, usually the same day, if not within the hour. Please note the dates:
From: rubenalexander
To: Kelly Sparkman
Sent: Friday, September 6, 2013 1:58 PM
Subject: Elvis
Hi Kelly...this high chair was Elvis favorite spot as a kitten...I put it in storage for a while and just recently brought it back in...he is wondering "Who shrunk the chair!"...He has really come around...he loves to have his head rubbed...hope all your kitties are happy and healthy!...Marcy Sent from my U.S. Cellular® Smartphone
From: ruben alexander
Subject: Future litters
To: "Kelly Sparkman"
Date: Thursday, January 31, 2013, 5:16 PM
Hi Kelly! Just wondering when you might be taking deposits on a Sydney/Moris litter...i would love to have 1 more Maine Coon...actually i would love to have half a dozen...but i must maintain control!...Elvis is doing great! Will need to have a birthday party soon...i dont think that i officially notified you of Elvis neutering, and i will if you like send the receipt from the vet..he was neutered Aug 23rd...and did very well...all my best to the kitty crew...Marcy
And finally, for the questions regarding Ms Christine Harvey's claim that I wouldn't replace a sick kitten. The kitten was in fact, over a year old when Ms Harvey claims he became sick and passed away, without any documentation. Even being outside the limitations of the one year health warranty, I was willing to replace her cat, with a kitten, if she could provide PROOF of her claim.
Cheers!
Kelly Sparkman RN
I purchased a kitten from mountain fork almost 4 yrs ago...looking back, there were red flags that I should have thought more about...not being allowed to visit the cattery...letting the kitten go at 10 weeks...and my own personal experience was that I was on a waiting list for a certain litter but a red and white kitten became available and I fell in love at first site...long story short...the mama became pregnant almost immediately with my litter after giving birth to a litter of 5 a few months earlier...my kitten had only 1 litter mate and it died...huge red flag! A week before I was to pick him up, kelli emailed me that he did not have the usual maine coon personality..that he was stand offish, didn't like to be held etc...she did give me the offer of choosing another kitten, but you know how your heart takes over after you have already fallen in love. So we picked him up...he bit my grand baby the first night...he didn't purr...all of which we blamed on not having litter mates throttle his lack of social skills...very slowly he came around and he was very beautiful and my other cats helped him learn social skills...I have always been worried that he might have health issues due to the circumstances of his mother and littermate...he was 22 lbs this past July and in a month lost 6 lbs...I have spent roughly 600$ on tests at 2 different vets and no one can find anything except some thickening in the intestines by ultrasound. He looks so thin...he eats like a horse...but has not gained any weight back...I have contacted kelli twice just to ask if she has any info on these kinds of things...she told me that it sounded like he needed worming...no worms...and I didn't hear from her the last time, which has been about a month ago...I haven't had very good luck with breeders...I bought 2 Ragdolls from a breeder about the same time and turns out they have a gum disease that will eventually make them loose their teeth...the breeder did tell me that other kittens in that litter had the same problem...so if I were you, I would visit shelters til I came across that maine coon looking cat.. (whether full blood or not...not probably would be healthier ), and take him home with you! Best of luck!
Looking for more info as well. Researching who to buy from. With such a high dollar investment, it is imperative to scrutinize the contract. I have always had success buying pure bred animals. A reputable breaded will always go above and beyond, even what is stated in the contract. Once the kitten was sick, the breeder should have been contacted, returned and replaced, especially since it was under a year. For those prices, I would expect a three to five year, return policy. A reputable breeder will always take back one of their animals no questions asked, just replacement time frame can vary.
Did you have documentation from a vet stating the kitten was diagnosed with FIP? If so, how old was the kitten when diagnosed? Was the kitten the only cat in your household? Did the FIP show up after a stressor? I have been watching this breeder for some time now, considering buying a kitten from her. I was a tad leery when I read you could not see cattery conditions or see parents of the kitten you purchase. Can you tell me more about your experience when purchasing your kitten? I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you.
I am refuting the allegation made by Ms. Christine Harvey regarding her claim that a kitten she purchased from my cattery came down sick with FIP and died, after being in her care for 9 months. Ms. Harvey was either unable or unwilling to provide the required documentation from a licensed veterinarian, proving the cause of death as outlined in the signed Health Warranty and Purchase Contract.
Regards,
Kelly Sparkman RN
I have a friend who has done rescue for years who purchased a Persian and three Ragdolls over a short period of time.The kittens all came from clean, well run catteries..In a few months times she lost 3 or the 4 kittens to FIP.FIP is caused by a mutation of the corona virus.Corona is found in 85-90% of all catteries, rescues and multi cat households.Normally this is a harmless virus but under stress can mutate and become FIP.In her case this occurred after the cats were spayed.Until this happened to her I was always under the impression that it was only found in filthy, overcrowded catteries but that is not the case.This is a well written article which you might want to read.http://www.siamesekittens.info/fip.html While it is very unfortunate that this happens to many people, it is caused by stress and nothing any breeder has any control over
Sorry for your loss. I hope you find a ethical breeder or adopt another that will fill your hearts will love. I know how horrible it is to loose a beloved pet.