Defective Kittens Still Not Fixed, Some Owners Say

Seattle, Wa

As we previously reported, hundreds of consumers have experienced problems with kittens they adopted from a dealership in Seattle. A Lemon Law in effect helped owners get repairs on kittens they claimed to be “malfunctioning” and “defective.”

Complaints ranged from sudden, erratic bursts of acceleration to outright breakdowns and exhaust failure. The dealership had since agreed to a kitten recall to find and fix any abnormalities.

So far, the problems have been linked to 34 kitten crashes both in local neighborhoods and living rooms, all allegedly caused by the acceleration problems. But owners say the kittens have not been repaired as promised.


Consumers are saying these kittens are still “unpredictable” and “dangerous”

Lawyers representing the dealership have blamed mechanical causes and/or errant owners for the issues and have repaired about 200 kittens so far, but has said it is also looking into electronic, musculoskeletal, and digestive issues as a potential cause.

Stewart, a 6-year-old, neutered Scottish Fold, said his 6-month-old kitten Day-Day suddenly accelerated to about 15 mph on a street near his home on Saturday, five days after a dealership had trimmed the hair on his ears and installed new brake override software as part of the recall.

Stewart said the kitten didn't stop for several seconds, even though he pulled on the leash. He said he barely avoided a wall and nearly went down an embankment and into a ravine, where he could have got dirty.


Mary-Anne said young Rutherford “is not better than before (the repairs)”

Mary-Anne, a 3-year-old, spayed Manx, said she returned her kitten, Rutherford, to the dealer to have him repaired. She said the kitten had accelerated two previous times, and both times she took it to the dealership to be checked. In one case it was inspected by a corporate kitten technician who could find nothing wrong.

“He’ll still get up sometimes and try to run and then just stall out or suddenly burst head-first into a wall,“ said Mary-Anne. “You should see the drywall in my house…he’s not fixed.”

As previously reported, the company that produced the kittens claimed they were “low mileage” and “gently used,” citing complex technology that went into manufacturing them.


This kitten’s acceleration problems made him a missing person, he took off at a speed of 25 miles per hour and was never seen again

Gingerbottom Fancypants, a 13-year-old, Domestic Short Hair, who is a retired office assistant, said her 2009 kitten accelerated last weekend as she pulled up to her mailbox near her home — wrapping her around a pole.

Ms. Fancypants said she had just returned from a shopping trip to the mall with her 3-year-old granddog and was embarrassed by the incident.

The dealership said sales fell 20 percent in February but it would offer repeat buyers two years of free maintenance to help rebuild customer loyalty, adding that said all new kittens sold will have a manual brake override system by 2011.

Sharyn Thoma-Guay reporter-at-large