A Charlottetown woman is upset two kittens she bought from a downtown pet store became sick and died only days after she brought them home.

'It's definitely a matter of buyer beware.'— Dr. Els Cawthorne, P.E.I. Humane Society

The kittens were not vaccinated. Another unvaccinated cat Stephanie Doull already had in the house also died.

"Outraged, very outraged. No one should have to go through this," Doull told CBC News last week.

Doull bought two kittens from Critters Pet Shop in late November. Within four days the first kitten was dead. That animal died at the Atlantic Veterinary College, where she was told it had distemper, a highly contagious and deadly disease.

Several days later both the second kitten bought from the store, and the cat she'd already had, needed to be put down. Doull and her boyfriend spent $500 trying to treat the sick cats.

Critters' owner, Joy Young, is not convinced the kittens were sick when they left her store. Young said the kittens weren't vaccinated, but said she tells customers they have to take their new pets for a checkup and shots immediately after purchase.

She said she refunded the $40 for the kitten that died first, and bleached the empty cage, but she wants veterinary confirmation the kittens had distemper before she contacts any other people who may have bought cats from the same cage. 

Vaccinations important

Dr. Els Cawthorne, the veterinarian at the P.E.I. Humane Society, has some general advice about buying pets.

"Find out whether the animal has had vaccinations, and if there has been any history of disease in the last little while," said Cawthorne.

"There are no guarantees in this business, definitely not with kittens that tend to be more susceptible, but it's definitely a matter of buyer beware."

Cawthorne said vaccinations are crucial to prevent the spread of diseases like distemper.