How to Spot a Scammer When Buying a Devon Rex Kitten

Buying a Devon Rex kitten is exciting, but unfortunately, not everyone online is honest. In fact, there are now more scammers than actual breeders in the market, making it more important than ever to know how to protect yourself. Here’s how to spot a scammer and make sure you’re dealing with a reputable breeder.

1. Too-Good-to-Be-True Prices

If a breeder offers a Devon Rex kitten for far less than the typical price, it’s almost always a scam. Quality, home-raised, health-tested kittens—especially those from TICA-registered or award-winning breeding programs—require real investment, veterinary care, and proper socialization.

Scammers commonly price kittens around $800, likely because this sits under certain theft and fraud thresholds. While tempting, listings in this range are overwhelmingly fraudulent.

Typical Devon Rex pricing:

• Canada: $2,500–$3,000 CAD

• USA: $2,200–$3,000 USD

Legitimate breeders may fall slightly outside these ranges, but anything under $1,500 is a major red flag.

2. Pressure to Pay Quickly

Scammers try to create urgency, pushing for immediate deposits through untraceable payment methods like:

• Cash App

• Wire transfers

• Gift cards

• Unsecured e-transfers

You’ll also never see a “BUY NOW” button on a legitimate breeder’s page.

Ethical breeders generally ask for a small deposit only after a conversation, not full payment before you’ve seen proof of care or verified the litter.

3. No Phone or Video Contact

Ethical breeders are always willing to provide real-time proof that kittens exist. They may offer to:

• Video call

• Show the kittens live

• Introduce the mother

• Walk you through their kitten room

Scammers avoid this and offer excuses such as “my camera is broken” or “I’m out of town.”

Note: Some older breeders aren’t tech-savvy, so lack of video isn’t an automatic scam—but everyone can answer a phone call. If they refuse both video and phone contact, walk away.

4. Poor Communication or Evasive Answers

Even new breeders should be able to answer basic questions about:

• The breed’s temperament

• Gender differences

• Health concerns

• CMS or other genetic conditions

• Parent cats and pedigrees

Scammers often respond vaguely, avoid questions, or give contradictory information.

5. Generic Responses or Poor Grammar

Common scam messages include:

• “Yes available.”

• “Female very sweet ready for pickup tomorrow.”

• “We ship to you no problem.”

These messages are often copied, rushed, and don’t address your questions.

6. Constantly Changing Locations

Scammers frequently list multiple cities to appear “local everywhere.”Example: “Located in Toronto… also delivering in Calgary and Vancouver this week.”

A legitimate breeder has a fixed, consistent location and doesn’t magically operate across the continent.

7. “Shipping Included” or Unrealistic Transport Costs

Scam listings often promise:

• “Shipping included in the price”

• “Free delivery anywhere in the country”

This is not realistic.

Shipping varies widely based on distance and method—for example, a flight from New York to Montana costs far more than a flight to Washington, D.C.

Ethical breeders are transparent about real shipping costs and typically work with trusted, insured transport options.

8. Inconsistent or Stolen Pictures

Scammers often steal photos from Google or other breeders. Watch for:

• Different backgrounds or lighting

• Varying photo quality

• Photos that don’t match the kitten’s description

• Images that appear on reverse searches

Legitimate breeders typically shoot in consistent locations—same rooms, same blankets, same photo setups—especially for litter updates.

9. Incorrect or Suspicious Kitten Information

Scammers frequently get basic facts wrong, such as:

• Wrong age

• Wrong gender

• Impossible colors (e.g., claiming a male tortie or calico)

• Inconsistent birthdates

• Adult cats mislabeled as young kittens

Reputable breeders know their pedigrees, genetics, and colors, and can verify every detail.

10. No Health Testing or Documentation

Reputable breeders can provide documentation for:

• Health testing

• Vaccinations

• Registration

• Microchipping

• Veterinary exams

While many breeders (myself included) don’t disclose full documents before a deposit—for security reasons, like protecting microchip numbers—testing results must be available upon request. Ethical breeders are transparent about their cats’ health.

11. Kittens Ready Far Too Young

Watch for claims like:

• “Ready at 6–8 weeks”

• “Eating on their own so ready now”

If this was real, it's unethical, but this tactic is usually used to entice someone wanting the youngest kitten possible.

Reputable Devon Rex breeders:

• Do not place kittens before 12–14+ weeks

• Complete vaccines, socialization, and often spay/neuter first

Early placement is a massive welfare red flag.

12. No Pictures of Adults, Parents, or Past Litters

Scam pages often show only perfect kitten photos—no adults, no moms, no dads, no behind-the-scenes content.

Legitimate breeders proudly share:

• Photos of adult cats

• Show achievements

• Vet visit updates

• Previous litters

• Testimonials from real families

Seeing adult cats helps confirm color accuracy, health, genetics, and overall care.

If a breeder refuses to show parents or adult cats, that’s a major red flag.

13. Always Having Kittens for Sale

Ethical breeders plan their litters carefully and rarely have large numbers of kittens available at once.

Scammers often advertise:

• Dozens of kittens

• Multiple litters

• Endless availability

This is unrealistic. Raising kittens properly is time-consuming, and real breeders prioritize quality over quantity.

14. No Contract or Vague “Agreement”

Legitimate breeders use written contracts that outline:

• Health guarantees

• Spay/neuter requirements

• Return-to-breeder clauses

• What happens if something goes wrong

Red flags include:

• “We don’t do contracts”

• A one-paragraph “receipt”

• No mention of health guarantees or breeder responsibility

15. Won’t Verify Registration or Misuses Registries

Scammers may:

• Claim TICA/CFA registration but refuse to provide the registered cattery name

• Say “papers cost extra” (a common scam tactic)

• Use incorrect registry terminology or fake logos

A real breeder can:

• Tell you which registry

• Provide the registered cattery prefix

• Explain what registration does and does not mean

16. No Community Presence Outside Selling

Real breeders usually appear in:

• Cat show posts

• Breed groups (educational participation, not just ads)

• Tagged photos by other breeders or kitten families

• Discussions that aren’t sales-related

Scammers exist only where money changes hands.

17. Lack of Post History

A breeder’s online presence should tell a story—who they are, how long they’ve been active in the breed, and how they interact with their community. Scammers struggle to fake this, and missing or shallow posting history is often one of the biggest red flags.

What to Watch Out For

Be cautious if you notice:

• The breeder’s Facebook page is brand new despite claims of “years of experience.”

• Commenters, reviewers, or “customers” all have recently created profiles or no activity outside the breeder’s page. Reviews are often written back-to-back.

• Posts appear generic, sparse, copied, or look like they were uploaded all at once.

• No signs of gradual growth, learning, or involvement in the breed community.

• The breeder claims long-term involvement in the breed, but their personal profile shows no evidence of it.

  • Their Facebook profile contains no photos, posts, or history of the breed they claim to raise.

  • Instead, their profile may prominently feature entirely different breeds (for example, multiple Maine Coons while advertising Devon Rex kittens).

  • While not everyone keeps profiles public or posts pets often, an active profile showing every breed except the one being sold is a red flag.

  • A complete absence of the advertised breed—especially when other animals or family pets are clearly documented—should prompt extra caution.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

Scammers have become much more sophisticated. Many are now:

• Stealing the names, cattery prefixes, and photos of legitimate breeders

• Copying real websites or Facebook pages

• Creating nearly identical profiles to mislead buyers

Because of this, post history isn’t just a minor detail—it’s one of your strongest tools for telling real breeders from impersonators.

A legitimate breeder’s online footprint naturally shows:

• A timeline that makes sense

• Old posts mixed with new ones

• Engagement from real cat owners, friends, and community members

• Past litters, updates from families, and milestone posts

• Photos that reflect changing cats, environments, and seasons—not mass-uploaded stock content

What About New Breeders?

It is possible for a newer breeder to have a recently created page—but their history should still feel authentic.

Signs of a real new breeder:

• Their posting history lines up with their recent entry into the cat world

• Photos are personal, varied, and clearly taken at different times

• They may share about learning, showing their cats, joining clubs, or getting mentorship

• Their personal profile (if shared) has a longer and verifiable history

• They can provide references even if they don’t have many past kitten buyers yet

Even brand-new breeders should be able to show real life, real activity, and real cats—not a blank slate.

18. Watermarks, Logos, or Excuses About Image Ownership

Red flags include:

• Photos clearly watermarked with another breeder’s name

• Claims like “we share photos from partners”

• Refusal to take new photos due to “privacy”

Legitimate breeders own their content.

19. Overuse of Emotional Manipulation

Scammers often rely on:

• “My child is sick”

• “I need to rehome quickly”

• “We just want a good home, price doesn’t matter”

• Guilt if you hesitate or ask questions

Ethical breeders do not pressure through emotion.

20. Unrealistic Guarantees

Be wary of claims like:

• “100% healthy guaranteed forever”

• “Never any genetic issues”

• “Perfect temperament guaranteed”

Ethical breeders are honest: genetics reduce risk, not eliminate it. Now some BYBs also use this language to promote their kittens too.

EXAMPLES

All identifying information has been removed for legal reasons.

The original names were simple, generic titles frequently used in scam listings (for example, “Bob’s Devons” or “Devons for Sale Cattery”). These screenshots are shared strictly to highlight patterns buyers should watch for—not to accuse or identify any specific breeder.

1) Very generic "Cattery Name". This has been blacked out here, but when you encounter one in the wild, it will be immediately obvious.

2) Each kitten has a different background in the picture.

3) All the kittens are 10 weeks old, so we are to assume they are littermates, yet each kitten has completely different type.

4) Chalky is listed as a 10 week old kitten, however that kitten is probably closer to 14-15 weeks old. Meanwhile Orson is closer to a 6 week old kitten.

5) BUY KITTEN NOW button. yuck!

1) Another very generic "Cattery Name".

2) Available "Puppies"

3) $800 price

4) Another BUY NOW button

Now I will say, this one does have a more consistent background for their kittens. However, that is why you look at the whole picture, as this page still screams fake.

Final Thoughts

With scammers now outnumbering legitimate breeders, it’s more important than ever to do your research. Always prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of the kitten over convenience or price. At Nightmagic Devons, we welcome questions, thorough communication, and verifiable records so you can feel confident in your purchase.