On June 1, 2023, a woman in Ningbo, Zhejiang brought back a kitten bought by a family member the previous day and asked to return it. The shop owner said the kitten had no health problem and refused the return. After talks failed, the woman threw the kitten onto the floor inside the fenced area and left; the owner picked the kitten up, and it died. The owner said police had been notified.

A Children's Day gift became the victim of a return dispute

Reports said a father bought the kitten with his daughter on May 31 as a Children's Day gift. The owner checked in the next morning and was told the kitten was doing well.

At noon on June 1, the child's mother returned with the kitten and said the family could not keep it. The owner said the shop would not accept returns when there was no health problem.

After talks failed, the cat was thrown to the floor

Video showed the woman standing outside the fence and throwing the cat onto the floor inside, then leaving. Qilu reported that the kitten twitched a few times and then stopped moving.

This was not understandable anger in a commercial dispute. Using a healthy kitten as an outlet and throwing it to the ground was a brutal denial of a small life.

A sales dispute cannot justify harm

Qilu's legal commentary said the sale had been completed; absent fraud or health defects, the shop had the right to refuse a return.

The commentary also said deliberately throwing the cat to vent anger could constitute a public-order violation. Whatever the legal route, the current property framework does not answer the public's sense of life's dignity.

Family disagreement should not be paid for by a kitten

The owner reminded people to agree with family before buying pets. If a family is not ready, the responsible choice is not to buy impulsively or to find a gentler rehoming path.

The kitten could not join the family discussion or understand arguments over refunds and pride. It was bought, brought back, and made to bear an adult's loss of control.

This record refuses to reduce life to an object

Pets may appear in contracts, but they are not goods without pain or fear. They depend on people and can be injured or killed by sudden violence.

This archive records the case not to take sides in a business dispute, but to preserve what was ignored: when an animal is treated as something to return, throw or use for anger, the basic line of kindness is broken.

Timeline

• May 31, 2023: The child's father bought the kitten at a Ningbo pet shop.
• Morning of June 1, 2023: The owner checked in and was told the kitten was doing well.
• Noon of June 1, 2023: The child's mother asked to return the kitten; after refusal, she threw the kitten to the floor and it died.
• June 2-3, 2023: Media reported the case and legal commentary said the act could be punished under public security rules.

Public Sources

• Xiaoxiang Morning News / Tencent: Ningbo woman killed a cat after return was refused
• Qilu / Lightning News: legal commentary says the conduct was illegal and punishable under public security rules
• Sohu / Xiaoxiang repost: owner said police were notified and families should agree before buying pets