Ear tipped without permission

We took our kitten to be neutered today, and when I picked him up, they had clipped his ear! They did this without my permission, or even telling us they were gonna do it. Can I do anything about this?

Is it a low-cost clinic? Some low-cost places have a rule that all the cats get eartipped. They should have told you first, of course, to make sure you wanted to go through with it.

Wow... That is something they do to the feral cats, but they shouldn't have done it to yours! I had mine fixed at the SPCA and they never clipped their ears (I would have flipped!) Is there anyway they could have mistaken your cat for a feral? I don't see why else they would clip your cat's ear without asking. 

I don't know what you could do except call them up and yell at them and maybe demand a refund. I don't think anything can be done for the ear though . 

Oh they knew he wasn't feral! I emailed their executive director, and now I'm waiting to hear back. I am so pissed off. My poor baby is now deformed, and it makes me so sad! I just have to warn everyone in the DFW are DO NOT take your babies to KittiCo in Garland!!!
 

I find it rather offensive that you refer to your cat as deformed. I have an ear tipped cat, she most certainly isn't deformed.

As stated previously, a lot of clinics that are low cost, and/or deal with a lot of ferals, will ear tip as part of their standard procedure, some tattoo as well.
 

From KittiCo's website: [font=arial, geneva][font=arial, geneva]All cats sterilized at the Clinic are eartipped. This is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a universally recognized signal that a cat has been fixed. [/font][/font]

[font=arial, geneva][font=arial, geneva]http://www.kittico.org/spayneuterprogram.html[/font][/font]

I'm sorry you weren't aware of their policy. And I understand being surprised and disappointed, not being aware of the policy.

But I agree: your kitty is in no way deformed! We care for ferals, and their ears are tipped when sterilized. I don't feel I am "deforming" the cats. Some we've ended up adopting. It just means they're rescue kitties!

I have. . .6 indoors who are eartipped (well, more notched than tipped. I guess the clinic I used does notches instead of straight cuts). It just makes them look more interesting . How much did they take off?

Arlyn said:

I find it rather offensive that you refer to your cat as deformed. I have an ear tipped cat, she most certainly isn't deformed.

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LDG said:

But I agree: your kitty is in no way deformed! We care for ferals, and their ears are tipped when sterilized. I don't feel I am "deforming" the cats. Some we've ended up adopting. It just means they're rescue kitties!

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Willowy said:

I have. . .6 indoors who are eartipped (well, more notched than tipped. I guess the clinic I used does notches instead of straight cuts). It just makes them look more interesting . How much did they take off?

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agree, agree, agree!



a tipped ear just makes them even more adorable imo.

What a shame they didn't make you aware this would happen, I would be furious and don't blame you for feeling he is now deformed - his ear has been cut, which you weren't prepared for and cannot be fixed

Arlyn said:

I find it rather offensive that you refer to your cat as deformed. I have an ear tipped cat, she most certainly isn't deformed.

As stated previously, a lot of clinics that are low cost, and/or deal with a lot of ferals, will ear tip as part of their standard procedure, some tattoo as well.
 

From KittiCo's website: [font=arial, geneva][font=arial, geneva]All cats sterilized at the Clinic are eartipped. This is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a universally recognized signal that a cat has been fixed. [/font][/font]

[font=arial, geneva][font=arial, geneva]http://www.kittico.org/spayneuterprogram.html[/font][/font]

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And further down:

The only exception to this will be cats for whom a $55 donation is made to cover the subsidized cost of their surgery. When residents are able to make a donation in this amount, that demonstrates that they are able financially to care for the cat and keep it indoors.

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I do, certainly, understand being upset, they should make everyone aware of their policy before any paperwork or appointments are made.

I prefer to think of it this way, my tipped cat is unique looking, and, should she ever get outside, I know I do not have to worry about her going through the trauma of being impounded, or worse, put under and cut open, as most shelters will not do an ultra sound to check for a uterus/ovaries.

As your kitten is male, it's pretty obvious in matured adults, whether or not they've been sterilized.

But even with tame cats, they tend to get frightened and act feral when trapped, ear tipping saves time and greatly reduces the stress on trapped cats.
 

This is my Baby Cat, she's quite certain that she's the most beautiful cat that ever existed.

I think if like the link above, you didn't pay the fee, then there isn't anything you can do about it.
If you did pay for it however, maybe yelling and complaining can at least get you a partial refund?

missymotus said:

What a shame they didn't make you aware this would happen, I would be furious and don't blame you for feeling he is now deformed - his ear has been cut, which you weren't prepared for and cannot be fixed

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being that it is clearly posted on the KittiCo website it seems like a large stretch to claim being unaware of the policies, or that there is no mention of it on any of the paperwork that was signed - ignorantia iuris nocet

or, the OP could have just paid the $55 and there would not have been a "problem".

Whaler said:

being that it is clearly posted on the KittiCo website it seems like a large stretch to claim being unaware of the policies, or that there is no mention of it on any of the paperwork that was signed - ignorantia iuris nocet

or, the OP could have just paid the $55 and there would not have been a "problem".

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 I also wouldn't assume that the OP read the entire website as it's not said on the front page where much of the info is, nor would I assume it was on any paperwork when the cat was dropped off  the OP hasn't said that

It's also not clear as one part reads: All cats sterilized at the Clinic are eartipped.

And another: feral cats will have the ear tip notched.

I think...

The clinic should have told you, but you shouldn't be that upset about it.  

I personally think ear tipping is a good idea. Ear tipping doesn't affect the cat at all. It's a universal sign of a cat that's already been spayed or neutered. Unless your cat is a purebred being shown in altered championship classes, ear tipping shouldn't be any problem at all.  On some of my cats that are ear tipped, the ear tip isn't even that noticeable except when viewed straight on. Your cat is still the same cat, same personality etc as he was before the ear tip. The ear tip does not affect his quality of life at all. He is not deformed!

Uno, the one-eyed black cat in my avatar, is ear tipped on her left ear and it's not that noticeable.  And as for being one-eyed, soneone put her left eye out when she was a 4-week old kitten & dumped her at a sanitation plant on Memorial Day weekend 2011.  She's the smallest, most agile, most coordinated, fastest, feistiest, most loudmouthed cat in my cat family (she obviously has some Siamese blood in her).  She rules over the other cats.  Being one-eyed has never even slowed her down!

I do wish they'd do something easily visible to all cats when spayed (at least, since you can tell if a boy is neutered if you can get close enough). Tattoo spots in the ear like ferrets have, or something.