Novosibirsk breeder accused of cruelty
Volunteers say the cats were largely left to fend for themselves without supervision.
In Novosibirsk, the owner of a cattery of Abyssinian cats and Cornish Rexes is suspected of animal cruelty. The woman has been in a rehabilitation center for a long time, her pets were left alone in the apartment, and neighbors began complaining about the stench and cries. After animal rights activists intervened, the breeder’s mother moved in with the cats and tried to put the home in order, but volunteers came to inspect and filed a police report. An NGS correspondent spoke with all parties to the conflict.
Warning signs
Animal welfare activists in Novosibirsk grew concerned: they learned of an apartment in the city center from which plaintive meowing could be heard and an unpleasant odor spread through the stairwell, the kind usually associated with overcrowded animal keeping.
A former friend of the apartment owner, Alla (name changed at her request), told NGS that the apartment housed the Dragon Kit Ten cattery. But lately things there have not been going well.
«We met Dasha (the breeder and apartment owner) at a cat show in late 2023,» recalled Alla. «I saw she had many bags and helped her downstairs. And she said: “Do you want to come, help, photograph my kitties?” I agreed. We started talking. When the first babies appeared, and then more and more, everything started spinning, and I stayed on to help».
Daria sold the kittens at premium prices, but all of her listings are now removed.
Alla was aware of all the cattery’s affairs: she cared for the cats, bottle-fed kittens, even took one for socialization (the breeder planned to have it euthanized, allegedly for aggression), treated the sick, and went to shows and veterinarians. Then the warning signs began.
«First, in May 2024, an Abyssinian cat named Tiger died — Dasha told me a mirror fell on him. Then in November, Barashka, a Cornish Rex, turned yellow and died. I asked her: “Why didn’t you take her to the clinic?” She said: “I thought she got dirty.” She had been white and turned yellow like a leaf,» the woman recounted.
After that, the friendship began to wane.
On 7 January 2025 another Cornish Rex died — for some reason Daria took her to her mother in Matveyevka (a village near Novosibirsk), the cat was frightened by the dogs living in the house, ran outside and froze to death. Under similar circumstances, three more cats died there later.
At the cattery itself, due to crowding and poor conditions, newborn kittens were constantly dying, according to Alla.
«Kittens were kept in the freezer together with human food. There were so many that Dasha once told me that “the freezer would soon be overflowing,”» she recalled. «They disposed of the animals themselves, more often simply burning them in a stove».
Over the remainder of summer 2025, the number of cats fell by more than half: if at the beginning of July the breeder had 39 cats, by 8 September only 17 remained. It turned out that since 21 August the cattery owner had been in a rehabilitation center, and in her absence no one came to the cats. During this time, Alla is convinced, five litters of pedigree kittens died.
«On 8 September I went into her apartment and saw that the surviving cats were severely emaciated, injured, sitting in their own feces, with eyes and noses running. The bowls were dry and empty, and the litter boxes were overflowing,» the Novosibirsk resident said.
The breeder herself wrote on social media about the cattery’s dire state. But after the public reaction, the post was later edited slightly.
«Everything was fine»
Alla set out all these facts in an appeal to Olga Itygina, president of the cat fanciers’ club Felinologichesky Tsentr “KUZBASS KOT” (Felinological Center “KUZBASS CAT”). It was under this club’s auspices that Daria took part in shows.
She registered her cattery in the WCF system in 2024. The young breeder took part in international cat shows and held great promise.
WCF (World Cat Federation) — an international non-profit organization coordinating the work of more than 370 cat fanciers’ clubs worldwide. Its headquarters are in Germany.
«Initially she had very good intentions and big plans. She bought gorgeous animals at very high prices. And she, let’s say, was lucky: in her breeding program the pairs were well matched, very good kittens were born. The animals at the show were completely well-behaved, clean, and well-groomed,» Olga Itygina, president of the cat fanciers’ club Felinologichesky Tsentr “KUZBASS KOT,” told NGS.
Cats from Daria’s cattery shown at a cat show before the current controversy emerged.
She believes the young woman hit a crisis and that expelling her from the club will not solve the problem.
«How would that help her animals? Well, I could expel her not only from the club but also from the system, revoke her cattery — she will go to another club, another system, and do the same thing. We need to sort this out,» the club president said. «If the picture is actually as described, then of course it’s very sad. Everything had been fine — I don’t know what happened. Over the past year she has not registered a single litter, has not submitted documents, and has not paid membership dues. But there are tragedies in every life».
At the time of publication, no decision had been made to expel Daria from the club or the system.
Inspector’s visit
On Saturday, 20 September, public inspector Aleksandra Sukhova of Rosprirodnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (Rosprirodnadzor), arrived at the cattery accompanied by six animal welfare activists. The concierge told the visitors that residents on the floor constantly complained about the apartment-cattery.
«The building manager called her many times. Then her mother came with a worker, and they carried out bags,» the woman said. «At first she had dogs living there too — it was just awful. She later took them away».
A neighbor on the same floor added that there were periodic puddles and a smell here, and that the building supervisor once said animal carcasses were carried out of the apartment.
«I asked Galina (the apartment owner’s mother), and she said she had already cleaned everything. A neighbor gave her 2,000 rubles ($22 at current rates) so she could buy a cleaning agent and wash the stairwell,» the woman said. «It’s horrible — I didn’t expect anything like this in our building».
Daria’s mother asserted that the cats were fine and receiving food and supplements.
They managed to meet Galina, Daria’s mother, the same day at the entrance — she had come out to open the door for a pet shop courier. The animal welfare volunteers and the public inspector immediately surrounded her and asked her to describe the cats’ condition.
«The animals are all fine. They even just delivered vitamins for them to me,» the woman said, shaking the bag. «Girls, forgive me, but I love animals very much — very much. I dote on all of them, I do what I can — take a look first. I’m a well-off person; they bring me food for sensitive digestion, 10 kilograms».
Inspector Aleksandra Sukhova insisted on checking the conditions in which the animals were kept, and after a brief argument and a call with her daughter, Galina agreed. An inspection of the apartment confirmed the activists’ concerns.
«One of the Abyssinian tomcats has a swollen paw and cannot step on it. I don’t like the Abyssinian kitten — clearly ill. Two pregnant Cornish Rex females are emaciated. The others are also all covered in scratches, abrasions, and scabs,» the inspector said of what she saw. The inspection recorded everything on video; the recording is at the editors’ disposal.
In addition, according to Aleksandra Sukhova, the cats had diarrhea, the litter boxes were dirty, and food was scattered on the floor mixed with litter. Traces of vomit were visible in some places. In the room where the tomcats were kept, the window had no safety screen and not even a mosquito screen; a sash was simply left ajar for ventilation.
After waiting for the public inspector’s verdict, the animal welfare volunteers called the police. The officers who arrived accepted a complaint of animal cruelty. The activists also demanded that five cats be handed over against a receipt for veterinary examination, but Galina refused.
The Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Novosibirsk Oblast (MVD) told NGS that a review is now being conducted based on the activists’ complaint.
In March, NGS reported how Shiba Inu dog enthusiasts from Novosibirsk uncovered a money-making scheme around fashionable breeds.
