Concerns are once again swirling around former glamour model Katie Price after a string of health crises involving her sphynx kittens, reigniting a longstanding debate about her care of animals. The saga began when Price’s pet cat Doris gave birth to a litter of kittens a few weeks before September 12, 2025—a moment that should have been filled with joy but quickly turned to heartbreak and public outcry.
According to Metro and The Mirror, one of the newborn kittens died shortly after birth, marking the eighth pet to pass away under Price’s supervision. The tragedy did not end there. The surviving kittens’ health rapidly deteriorated, despite repeated vet visits, round-the-clock bottle feeding, and what Price described as her best efforts. On September 8, 2025, Price’s boyfriend, JJ Slater, found two of the kittens limp and unresponsive. He rushed them to an emergency veterinary clinic, where the situation looked dire. “All of them now have declined so bad even though we took them to the vets earlier,” Price shared with her followers on Snapchat. “JJ had to rush them to the emergency vets. We’re on our way back to the vets, it’s not looking good. Fingers crossed, they are like our babies. We’re doing everything we can. We’re just gutted at the minute. And we’ll be gutted if they can’t do anything for them.”
The kittens were kept overnight at the veterinary clinic as Doris, their mother, began to recover from an infection that had left her unable to nurse. Price and Slater had been hand-rearing the kittens, feeding them every three hours, and even bringing them along on their UK tour, “An Evening With Katie Price & Kerry Katona.” Price later updated her fans, saying, “Good morning, didn’t have a very good sleep last night at all. The vets ringing us three times in the night. I’ll give you an update on the kittens again just not in the right frame of mind. But Doris is alright.” As of September 12, Doris had returned home, but there was no further update on the kittens’ condition.
The ordeal has left Price “distraught,” according to The Mirror, and sparked a fresh wave of criticism. Over 36,000 people have signed a petition calling for her to be banned from owning pets. The animal rights organization PETA even offered £5,000 if she agreed to sign a legally binding promise never to acquire another animal. Despite these mounting calls, Price continues to keep several animals, including sphynx cats Jerry and Daisy and a dog named Batman.
This is not the first time Price has faced scrutiny over her pets’ welfare. The high number of animal deaths—dogs, horses, and now kittens—has led to repeated campaigns and petitions against her. The public’s concern is compounded by Price’s own admissions about the kittens’ precarious start in life. She explained on Facebook, “They were born two weeks premature and we have been bottle feeding them as well as their mum feeding them. But they’ve all been really healthy. We’re all really attached to them, they look at me like they’re second mum because obviously I feed them.”
The situation reached a critical point when JJ Slater called Price to say he believed two of the kittens were dead because they were not moving. “He showed them me and they were all limp with their tongues out, two of them. I said you need to get them to the vets straight away. He took them to the vet and the vet said it would be best to let them go basically, put them to sleep. I said, ‘No chance they must be able to do something.’ Thank God I didn’t go with what the vet said. £1,400 later they are now home. I’m just keeping a close eye on them. Thank god because they are like my babies.”
Price’s representative has emphasized that she has been following all veterinary advice. “Kate has been taking advice from the vets and has been following everything the vets have told her to do in regards to the kittens,” the spokesperson said. The RSPCA advises that kittens should remain with their mother until they are at least eight to nine weeks old, and only interact with other healthy, fully vaccinated cats and dogs, as well as people and children, from eight to twelve weeks. The premature birth of Doris’s kittens, combined with the need for intensive hand-rearing, has made their survival especially challenging.
Despite the emotional toll, Price has continued with her professional commitments. She was seen cuddling one of her kittens as she exited a theatre show in Chester on Monday, September 8, 2025. The kittens have accompanied her across the nation, joining her and Kerry Katona on tour. Price has openly shared her exhaustion and anxiety with fans, admitting that the ordeal left her sleep-deprived as she received multiple calls from vets throughout the night.
The ongoing saga has reignited debate about celebrity pet ownership and animal welfare standards. While Price’s supporters argue that she’s doing everything possible—citing her financial investment in emergency care and adherence to veterinary guidance—critics question whether her lifestyle and history of pet fatalities make her an appropriate caretaker for animals. The situation is further complicated by Price’s public persona: she’s a mother of five, a touring performer, and a frequent subject of tabloid headlines. Some observers point out that the demands of her career and personal life may not allow for the level of attention vulnerable animals require.
Animal welfare advocates, including PETA, remain steadfast in their calls for Price to stop acquiring new pets. Their offer of £5,000 for a legal agreement underscores the seriousness with which they view the situation. Meanwhile, Price’s fans and followers are left anxiously awaiting updates on the kittens’ fate, hoping for a positive outcome but bracing for more bad news. The lack of a definitive update as of September 12 has only increased the tension and speculation online.
As the story unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with pet ownership—responsibilities that, for celebrities in the public eye, are magnified by intense scrutiny. Whether this latest episode will lead to lasting change in Price’s approach to animal care remains to be seen. For now, the welfare of her kittens hangs in the balance, watched closely by supporters, critics, and animal lovers across the UK.
