Why Are Purebred Kittens So Expensive?

When shopping for a purebred cat, one might be surprised to see that pedigreed cats usually cost several hundred dollars. People shopping for cats may notice that mixed breed or domestic shorthair cats are very cheap and often given away. There are many reasons for this discrepancy.

Cats that are given away were often the product of an accidental mating. A cat owner may have neglected to get their cats spayed and neutered. Or, the cat owner may have wanted a kitten or two and is giving away the rest of the litter.

Breeding purebred cats is on ongoing business with substantial costs. The start-up costs of becoming a breeder have to be recovered. The initial costs of becoming a breeder include a high-quality female kitten which will become the queen of the line. This kitten must meet high standards with an excellent pedigree. For anyone who has been shopping for a cat, the person knows that this is not cheap. A female kitten for breeding can cost up to $1000.

Before a potential breeder can even begin, the individual must have established relationships among reputable, experienced breeders. A cat breeder is not just going to hand over a high-quality female kitten for breeding purposes without knowing that the kitten and the breed itself will benefit. In order to establish this trust, the potential breeder may have to join and pay dues to cat clubs, breed-specific clubs, and make frequent contacts at cat shows and by phone.

Before becoming a cat breeder, the potential breeder has to be knowledgeable about the cat breed, the genetic factors of the breed, caring for cats and kittens, and breeding practices as a bare minimum. To gain this knowledge, the cat breeder is likely to spend several hundred dollars on magazines, books, etc.

The new breeder needs to have the cat thoroughly examined by a veterinarian and provide regular veterinary care. When starting a cattery, the cat breeder must register the name of the cattery, the queen, and each subsequent litter with at least one cat organization. The cat breeder needs to make several purchases of supplies for the cat and kittens. Though the necessary beginning costs of supplies may be around $500, there is an ongoing need for supplies including food and litter.

The cattery supplies also include the appropriate sales contract forms to allow for adoptions. Advertising the cattery can be a major cost for cat breeders. The costs associated with each litter are stud fees and veterinary costs which totals about $500. The queen requires special food during pregnancy and the kittens will start eating food. The food cost per litter is near $300. Then, there are the vaccinations and any other veterinary costs. Even with the high cost of purebred kittens, cat breeders often lose money.