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I purchased a kitten from Dragonheart. When I got him he looked small and not well. Not knowing what a 12 wk old Ragdoll kitten should look like I took him home. On the 2nd vet visit there was a heart murmur detected. I was told to take him to a Veterinary Cardiologist, I did. It turned out that he had HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). While waiting for the vet to take an X-ray I called Dragonheart. To make a long story shorter, I was given my $ back and offered a free kitten when I was ready. Aslan died 2 months after being given diagnosed...he was 7 months old. My problem with Dragonheart is that the mother of my kitten (Marble May) was tested for the gene for HCM and to my knowledge has not been bred again. The male Cowboy has not been tested. According to Dragonheart he bites and claws so she cannot take him to the vet. Dragonheart continues to use him as a stud even though it is not known for sure if his kittens will be at risk for HCM. I don't want another person or kitten to go through what Aslan and I did because this breeder is not willing to make sure her male is not a carrier of HCM.
I’m sorry that you went through this, but I have to also voice my support for this cattery. This is definitely not the norm for her. We have had Dexter, for 6 amazing years, and I’m so grateful for DragonHeart Cattery. Any questions before and after our adoption, she was right there to answer our questions. I’m sure your heart still aches for your kitty and I feel awful for you...I would still adopt from her in a heartbeat - she clearly rectified the situation, the best way she possibly could and showed just how committed she is to her kitties and customers.
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See image attached below. Dragonheart knew in 2015 that she had a problem with HCM, so how could she credit this gal for calling it to her attention in 2016?
Ginski,
I'm sorry that you had to experience this. It is one of the worst things to happen to a new pet parent. I've run a rescue for almost 15 years and I've so many horrible stories about breeders that I wiah many of them would just stop.
I've also known and worked with Dragon heart for over 20 years. This is the cattery I worked with when I discovered how great the Ragdoll breed was! I can't imagine how upset and frustrated you were when you had to face this. However, this sadly was an isolated incident for this cattery, I promise. While I do not wish to cause you further distress, and your upset, I must tell you that your complaint isn't fair or thorough. I can't imagine the pain you were in as you wrote this, but I want to clarify a few things for anyone reading this complaint with Dragonheart in mind.
Dragon heart Ragdolls was until 2013/4 a closed cattery. This means the cat she bred were hers and not acquired from other breeders. Nor did she take in cats just to breed for a fee. She started the cattery with 3 males and numerous females and for over 15 years never had any heart defect genes in her stock. (HCM is a genetic anomaly). It is not something that just forms, nor is it caused by disease, and its not contagious. So, while perhaps she could have tested them, having no other genes introduced into her careful breeding pool, and never having HCM in all the years she produced Ragdoll kittens, there was no risk of HCM or reason to test. It just didnt exist in her cats at that point.
In 2013, she acquired 3 cats from another breeder. Two were female and 1 was male. I dont think it ever occurred to her, as she worked hard to ensure the health of her cats, that this breeder would allow any HCM gene carrier to breed, let alone transfer any of these cats to another cattery. None of the 3 cats shows any outward signs because while the cats were carriers, they were not suffering from the genetic anomaly themselves. Her error was in not insisting they be tested. She realized that rather quickly and she did take complete responsibility for that.
While she did in fact breed several litters before she realized that not only one but all 3 were carries. She openly credits you actually, for alerting her to this and saving her and many other adopters the grief you suffered. She was heartbroken once she realized this happened. I do assure you.
She had all three of the acquired Ragdoll cats spayed and neutered and she adopted them ALL out to pet homes to live the rest of their lives being loved by families. She has also rectified the situation with any Dragon heart adopter that had adopted/purchased one of those kittens, including you, and offered you another tested kitten at no cost. Additionally she now has every cat and kitten HCM tested to ensure its long life and health.
It is understandable at the time you posted this, and having lost your furbaby, that you were angry and blamed Dragon heart, and I am not even trying to tell you that you were wrong. Yes, they could have had the 3 tested and in that you'd be right to blame her. However, you have never once done the follow up on your end and ensured that what you asked her to do, was actually accomplished. It was!
Everything she rectified she did in honor of the kitten named Asland. She wanted to make it as right as she could under the horrific circumstances but you, to my understanding never gave her the time of day again. And while I am terribly sorry for you and for Asland and your family, coming from a rescuers point of view, which I have been for over 15 years now...we WISH for breeders as reputable as Dragon heart and I hope that this not only serves as a clarification to the responsible actions I have witnessed Dragon heart Ragdolls taking, but as a reassurance to you and anyone else interested in adopting or purchasing a Ragdoll from her.
This was a new and upsetting experience for Dragonheart as well. It was a shock to this otherwise stellar Cattery and initially she didn't know how to respond. She did however do the right thing and should not still be left on this complaint file to suffer this mistake forever, without an update. Please to those of you reading this, consider this that update from a rescuer who gives credit to very few breeders, but this one deserves it and for her mistake to, while not be forgotten, it deserves to be forgiven.