Last Updated: May 9, 2026 | Effective Date: May 9, 2026
We know that buying a kitten is both a financial commitment and an emotional one. This page explains exactly how deposits, payments, refunds, and cancellations work at MeoWoff — including your rights under Illinois law and federal regulations. We have written this policy to be as clear and transparent as possible, because we believe you deserve to know exactly where you stand before you send us a single dollar.
This policy is part of your purchase agreement with MeoWoff Inc. and is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service. Please read both documents before placing a deposit.
Table of Contents
- 1. The $500 Reservation Deposit
- 2. When the Deposit Is Forfeited
- 3. When the Deposit IS Refundable
- 4. Final Payment and Balance
- 5. Hereditary or Congenital Defects Within One Year
- 6. Filing a Health Guarantee Claim
- 7. Situations That Are NOT Eligible for a Refund
- 8. Cancellation by MeoWoff
- 9. Shipping and Delivery Fees
- 10. Payment Processing and Security
- 11. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
- 12. How Refunds Are Processed
- 13. Contact Us
1. The $500 Reservation Deposit
To reserve a kitten, you submit a $500 reservation deposit through our secure Stripe checkout. Once your deposit is confirmed, we immediately remove your chosen kitten from our available listings and hold it exclusively for you.
This deposit serves as liquidated damages — a legal term that means it is designed to compensate MeoWoff for the real, measurable costs we incur the moment a kitten is reserved. These costs include:
- Administrative labor — processing your reservation, coordinating veterinary clearances, and arranging delivery logistics
- Continued boarding and veterinary care — housing, feeding, and providing medical oversight for the kitten during the reservation period
- Lost sales opportunity — removing the kitten from our website and declining inquiries from other interested buyers
- Remarketing costs — if a cancellation occurs, the kitten must be re-photographed, re-listed, and re-marketed to new buyers
These costs are difficult to calculate precisely at the time of reservation, and both you and MeoWoff agree that $500 represents a reasonable estimate of those damages. The deposit is not intended as a penalty or a forfeiture — it reflects genuine business costs.
When you submit your deposit, you will be asked to actively confirm (by checking a box) that you have read and agree to these terms, our Terms of Service, and our Privacy Policy. We retain a timestamped record of your confirmation.
2. When the Deposit Is Forfeited
Your $500 deposit is non-refundable in the following situations:
- You change your mind. If you decide you no longer want the kitten after placing your deposit — for any reason including personal preference, lifestyle changes, or a change in financial circumstances — the deposit is forfeited as liquidated damages.
- You become unresponsive. If we are unable to reach you for 14 consecutive days after your deposit is confirmed (by email and phone), we will treat the reservation as abandoned. The kitten will be re-listed, and the deposit is forfeited.
- Failure to Complete Pickup or Maintain Communication
Once your kitten arrives at our showroom, we will notify you and coordinate pickup or delivery arrangements. If, after our notification, communication is lost and we do not receive a response from you, we will continue holding the kitten for up to 7 calendar days.
If no communication or pickup arrangements are made within this period, the reservation will be considered abandoned, the deposit will be forfeited, and the kitten may be made available to another family.
- You provide false information. If we discover that the information you provided during checkout (name, address, payment details) is materially false or fraudulent, we reserve the right to cancel your reservation and retain the deposit.
3. When the Deposit IS Refundable
Despite the general non-refundable nature of the deposit, there are specific situations where you are entitled to a full or partial deposit refund:
| Situation | Deposit Refund | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| MeoWoff is unable to deliver the specific kitten you reserved (e.g., the kitten becomes unavailable due to a health issue before delivery) | Full refund of the deposit, OR the option to apply the deposit toward a different kitten of your choice | Contract law — failure to perform; FTC Mail Order Rule |
| MeoWoff cancels your order for any reason within our control (see Section 8) | Full refund of all amounts paid, including the deposit | Contract law — seller breach; FTC Mail Order Rule |
4. Final Payment and Balance
Your kitten’s total price is displayed on its listing page and confirmed at the time of reservation. The total cost consists of:
- Kitten price (ranging from $2,500 to $6,000 depending on breed, color, pedigree, and breeding rights)
- Minus the $500 deposit already paid
- Plus shipping/delivery fees (if applicable — see Section 9)
The remaining balance is due in full before your kitten is shipped or made available for pickup. We will contact you when your kitten is ready for delivery to arrange payment of the balance and finalize delivery details.
Example: You reserve a Maine Coon kitten listed at $3,800 and pay the $500 deposit. You choose air cargo delivery ($550). Your remaining balance would be $3,300 (kitten) + $550 (shipping) = $3,850.
5. Hereditary or Congenital Defects Within One Year
MeoWoff provides a 1-year genetic health guarantee covering qualifying hereditary or congenital conditions as described in the signed Sales Agreement and Health Guarantee documentation.
If a licensed veterinarian diagnoses a covered hereditary or congenital condition during the applicable guarantee period, the client must promptly notify MeoWoff and provide supporting veterinary records and diagnostic documentation for review.
Any available remedies, reimbursements, replacements, limitations, exclusions, and claim procedures are governed exclusively by the terms of the signed Sales Agreement and Health Guarantee.
Certain breed-specific genetic conditions, including HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), and PKDef (pyruvate kinase deficiency), may be covered for applicable breeds as specifically outlined in the Health Guarantee documentation.
6. Filing a Health Guarantee Claim
If you believe your kitten has a medical condition covered under the Sales Agreement or Health Guarantee, please follow the steps below:
Step 1 — Veterinary Examination
Have the kitten examined by a licensed veterinarian within the timeframe required by the Sales Agreement. The initial post-pickup examination is important for establishing the kitten’s baseline medical condition.
Step 2 — Obtain Veterinary Documentation
Request written veterinary documentation describing the diagnosis, examination date, supporting medical findings, and any relevant treatment recommendations or diagnostic results.
Step 3 — Contact MeoWoff
Email us at info@meowoff.us with the subject line “Health Guarantee Claim” and include:
- Your full name
- Kitten’s name
- Purchase date
- Veterinary records and supporting documentation
You may also contact us by phone at (773) 917-0073.
Step 4 — Claim Review
MeoWoff will review the submitted documentation in accordance with the terms and procedures outlined in the signed Sales Agreement and Health Guarantee. Additional records, testing, or veterinary communication may be requested during the review process.
Claim Time Limits
All claims must be submitted within the applicable timeframes described in the signed Sales Agreement and Health Guarantee documentation. Claims submitted outside the applicable coverage period may not qualify for review or coverage.
7. Situations That Are NOT Eligible for a Refund
While we want every adoption to be a perfect match, the following situations are not grounds for a refund, exchange, or reimbursement:
-
- Buyer’s remorse or change of mind — including decisions based on personal preference, lifestyle changes, or a kitten not meeting subjective expectations for temperament, size, or appearance
- Allergies discovered after purchase — we recommend spending time with cats before purchasing if allergies are a concern
- Behavioral issues — including litter box habits, scratching, shyness, or adjustment behaviors common in kittens transitioning to new homes
- Theft or loss of the kitten
- Illness or injury caused by the buyer’s negligence — including failure to provide proper nutrition, veterinary care, or a safe indoor environment
- Conditions excluded from the health guarantee — such as upper respiratory infections (common stress responses in transitioning kittens), fleas, ringworm, or other nuisance conditions acquired after delivery
- Heart murmurs graded 1 or 2 — these are common in kittens, are typically transient, and resolve as the kitten matures
- Failure to complete the required veterinary examination within 5 calendar days of pickup or delivery
If you find yourself unable to keep your kitten, please contact MeoWoff before making any other arrangements. We will do our best to assist with safe rehoming coordination. Kittens purchased from MeoWoff should never be surrendered to a shelter, rescue organization, or research facility without prior communication with us.
8. Cancellation by MeoWoff
In rare cases, we may need to cancel your order. This can happen if:
- The specific kitten you reserved develops a health condition that makes it unfit for sale or transport
- A force majeure event makes delivery impossible for an extended period
- We identify a fraudulent transaction (stolen payment information, false identity, etc.)
If we cancel your order for a reason within our control (such as kitten unavailability), you will receive a full refund of all amounts paid, including the deposit, within 7 business days. Alternatively, we will offer you the option to apply your deposit and any balance paid toward a different kitten of your choice.
If we cancel your order due to suspected fraud, we reserve the right to retain the deposit pending investigation and to cooperate with law enforcement if warranted.
9. Shipping and Delivery Fees
Shipping and delivery fees are separate from the kitten purchase price and are quoted at the time of reservation based on your delivery method and destination. Our current delivery options and estimated costs are:
| Delivery Method | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Local Pickup (Wood Dale, IL) | Free |
| Air Cargo (American Airlines) | $550 |
| Ground Transport | Variable (quoted per route) |
| Flight Nanny (in-cabin escort) | $900 |
| Door-to-Door Delivery | $1,250 |
Refundability of shipping fees: If your order is canceled and a refund is issued (whether by you under the FTC rule or by us due to kitten unavailability), shipping fees that have not yet been incurred are refunded in full. Shipping fees that have already been paid to third-party carriers (airlines, transport services) may not be recoverable, and we will inform you of any non-recoverable amount before processing the refund.
Shipping fees are not refundable for health-related claims under Illinois law. The Illinois statute covers the purchase price of the animal and veterinary fees — not ancillary shipping costs.
10. Payment Processing and Security
All payments are processed through Stripe, a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor — the highest level of payment security certification. Here is what that means for you:
- MeoWoff never stores your full credit or debit card number. Stripe handles all card data in its secure environment. We receive only a tokenized reference and the last four digits of your card.
- Every transaction is verified using Address Verification Service (AVS) and Card Verification Value (CVV) to confirm that you are the authorized cardholder.
- Your billing statement will display the charge as “MEOWOFF” or “MEOWOFF KITTEN” so you can easily identify the transaction.
- 3D Secure authentication may be required for balance payments, which adds an extra layer of verification through your card issuer. This protects both you and us from unauthorized transactions.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover through Stripe.
11. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
We understand that disputes can arise, and we always prefer to resolve them directly. If you have a concern about a charge, please contact us first at info@meowoff.us or (773) 917-0073 before filing a dispute with your bank or credit card company. In most cases, we can resolve the issue faster than the bank dispute process, which can take 60 to 90 days.
What happens if you file a chargeback
If you file a dispute (chargeback) with your bank or card issuer, Stripe will notify us and we will respond with the documentation we have on file. This documentation typically includes:
- Your timestamped click-wrap agreement confirming acceptance of these policies
- The specific kitten listing you selected, including the price displayed at the time of purchase
- Records of all email and phone communications between you and MeoWoff
- Delivery confirmation and tracking information
- Veterinary health certificates issued before delivery
- Any Delay Notifications sent and your responses (or non-responses)
We take fraudulent chargebacks seriously. Filing a chargeback for a kitten that was delivered as described — after you agreed to these terms, received the kitten, and did not pursue the resolution process outlined in this policy — may be considered friendly fraud. We reserve the right to pursue all available legal remedies in such cases.
That said, if a chargeback reveals that we made a genuine error — such as an overcharge, a duplicate charge, or a failure to issue a promised refund — we will cooperate fully to resolve it in your favor.
12. How Refunds Are Processed
When a refund is approved:
- Method: Refunds are issued to the same payment method you used for the original transaction. If you paid by credit card through Stripe, the refund goes back to that card. We do not issue refunds by check, cash, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
- Timing: We initiate the refund within 7 business days of approval. Once initiated, it typically takes 5 to 10 additional business days for the refund to appear on your statement, depending on your bank or card issuer.
- Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation from Stripe when the refund is processed, along with a reference number for your records.
- Partial refunds: If only part of your payment is refundable (for example, if the deposit is retained but the balance is refunded), we will clearly itemize the refund amount and explain what was retained and why.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions about this policy, need to file a claim, or want to discuss a refund or cancellation, please reach out:
MeoWoff Inc.
126 E Irving Park Rd
Wood Dale, IL 60191
Email: info@meowoff.us (include “Refund,” “Deposit,” or “Health Claim” in the subject line)
Phone: (773) 917-0073
Hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT; Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM CT; Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT
We respond to all refund and claim inquiries within 5 business days. For urgent health-related concerns about your kitten, please call us directly — do not wait for an email response.
This policy was last reviewed on May 9, 2026. For legal questions about your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.