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Zara McDermott was left fighting back tears after discovering a Vinted user appearing to sell their cat usio the second-hand clothing site.
An advert featuring a tortoiseshell cat is reported to have appeared in the “collar category” before the shocking listing was screenshotted and shared to TikTok.
The listing requested £130 and explained that the animal is neither spayed or microchipped, as is recommended, adding that the cat itself is one year and two months old, in “very good” condition and available via collection only.
It is not known if the advert seriously intended to sell the animal, or if it was added in jest. However, there have previously been examples of pets being advertised on second-hand clothing websites.
A spokesperson for Vinted confirmed the existence of the listing to The Independent and said it was immediately removed for breaking their terms and conditions, which prohibit the sale of animals.
Taking to Instagram stories, Ms McDermott, 27, who has two ragdoll cats of her own, said: “I’ve just seen someone was selling their cat – their cat – their adult cat, not kittens on Vinted. I’m just actually in shock, I am really upset by it.
“I’m aware that people sell their animals online – I do get it – and I’m aware that people breed and sell kittens and puppies I’m aware that that’s a thing.
“But selling your adult cat on Vinted because you don’t fancy having it anymore, and also the cat wasn’t micro-chipped wasn’t neutered or nothing.”
Ms McDermott, who is also known for appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, added: “How are people allowed to own animals if they’re not willing to put in a little bit of effort to take care of it? It’s so not hard to take care of a cat.”
Explaining their reasons for selling the animal, the seller wrote: “Looking for a new home as I am unable to take care of her anymore.”
Ms McDermott went on to add that the listing had made her so sad that she wanted to adopt the animal herself.
A spokesperson from Vinted told The Independent that the listing was removed within minutes and was in breach of their catalogue rules. “We absolutely don’t condone this kind of behaviour,” they stressed.
“The safety and security of members are a top priority for Vinted, and we have processes and procedures in place to make sure members have a safe and pleasant experience on the platform.
“Vinted reacts to reports of prohibited items being listed on the platforms as soon as we become aware, either through our own technology or through the reporting of members.”
Reacting to the listing on TikTok, one outraged viewer wrote: “People don’t deserve animals if they can’t look after them.”
“Why don’t people take them to the RSPCA or something?” questioned a second. “Then they’d find them a proper home with home checks and checks on the people too. It’s much kinder than on Vinted.”
A third added: “How is this even possible yet when I went to list my north face coat it got removed countless times because of [an] inaccurate description?”
An RSPCA spokesperson told The Independent: that they advise against rehoming pets online through websites such as Vinted because it is “incredibly difficult” to carry out the necessary checks to ensure the animal is going to a good home.
They added: “We understand that circumstances can change, and especially with the cost of living crisis, that some owners may be struggling to continue to care for their pets. However, we’d urge people struggling with the costs of pet ownership to reach out for help from friends, family or charities.”
