Cats as domesticated animals managed to conquer the ancient world about 9 thousand years ago, and since then these mustachioed, graceful beauties have become one of the most popular four-legged pets on different continents.
As a result of selection, many breeds were bred. seals, which are in demand because they have found millions of their fans. That is why in many countries there is a cat breeding as a branch of modern business.
Up-to-date information on opening a business related to the sale of purebred kittens is provided in the following text. The article provides advice to founders of such a business and explains the points related to investments for the relevant business and profits from it.
General points
At first glance, organizing a cattery is a fairly profitable type of business.
This dubious conclusion is suggested when you consider the price of a kitten, which can exceed $10,000, and the short gestation period of cats, which lasts about 66 days.
Cats reach sexual maturity at the age of 1 year, and they can be bred in a city apartment.
People who choose this activity usually purchase one purebred female cat with documents, find a cat of a similar breed to mate with her (he must also have documents), pay for the mating (the amount, depending on the breed, can range from 300 hryvnias to 4,000 hryvnias and above), and then wait for the offspring.
But this kind of business can be regarded as an original hobby, not a business. To the professional cat breeding Important requirements are put forward - the need for experience in communicating with representatives of the feline tribe, knowledge of its genetics, sincere love for these gentle predators, and careful care for them.
What should you know about registering a cattery?
A cattery is an institution whose purpose is to select this species of animals and breed them for the purpose of selling offspring.
A significant part of such kennels are structures subordinated to the standards and rules of international felinological associations and clubs with centralized management. The corresponding clubs, in turn, are components of international systems of a global or European scale.
They register every cat that meets their own established breed standards – they enter it into the stud book database.
The official opening of a cattery involves solving a number of tasks:
- breed selection;
- purchasing the first animals;
- joining a specialized club (the basis for considering membership is submitting a special application to the local branch, which then forwards this document to the system's head office);
- waiting for the assignment of official status - this decision is preceded by a check by the competent authorities of the uniqueness of the name chosen for the nursery and other aspects.
In our country, applicants for legalization of a cat breeding business submit an application for registration to the Ukrainian Felinological Association. From the date of acceptance of this request to the assignment of official status to the cattery, one week may pass.
Cost of cats: the most expensive breeds
Buying a pedigree cat is a necessary investment to start a kitten selling business. Currently, the most valuable cat breeds in the world are those listed and briefly described in the list below.
- Usher. A breed bred in 2007 based on the crossing of an African serval and an Asian Bengal cat with an ordinary domestic cat. Such cats, huge and not adapted to living in an apartment, resemble a snow leopard and a leopard at the same time. Being gentle with their owners, they can show aggression towards strangers. Initially, Usher kittens were sold for 27 thousand dollars, but in recent years their cost has risen to a record $125,000.
- Savannah. The date of breeding of the savannah is considered to be 1986, and the American breeder Judy Frank created such an amazing breed, which is a hybrid of the African serval and the Siamese cat. These long-legged and graceful cats weigh from 7 to 15 kg and resemble a mini-leopard, and their kittens cost $50,000.
- Bengal cat. It was bred in the 1970s by crossing a wild Asian leopard cat with a domestic shorthair breed. Bengals have a spotted coat and a muscular build, while being distinguished by their affectionate disposition. The estimated cost of such an exotic kitten is $ 25,000.
- Persian cat. The Persian cat attracts attention with its large and expressive eyes and long fur. The breed has an ancient history, dating back to ancient times. The character of Persian cats is balanced, sweet and sociable. They easily adapt to new conditions, can live both in an apartment and in a house. The price of a kitten is about $ 5500.
- Peterbald. A member of the cat family with an almost imperceptible coat resembling the surface of a velvety peach. The Peterbald was bred in 1988 by crossing an Oriental Shorthair with a Russian Don Hairless. You can buy an exotic kitten of the corresponding breed, which has very sensitive skin and a good disposition, for about $ 5000.
Since the cost of cats of the corresponding elite breeds is far from affordable for everyone, as it is practically equivalent to the price of an apartment or a car, it is quite difficult to sell them.
How much do cats of the most popular breeds cost?
Many purebred cats that cost less are in relatively greater demand - they are the ones most breeders prefer to breed.
Information about such genetic populations of domestic feline representatives and approximate ranges of their prices, which depend on the external data of a particular animal, their compliance with exterior standards, breed purity, and other factors, are given in the table.
| Breed name | Price in $ |
| Maine Coon | 1000 – 2500 |
| Scottish Fold | 200 – 1500 |
| Long time no see Rex | 400 – 1200 |
| British cat | 200 – 1500 |
| Russian blue | 300 – 3000 |
| American Wirehair | 800 – 1200 |
| American curl | 500 – 1200 |
| Scottish Fold | 2000 – 3000 |
| Sphinx | 2000 – 3000 |
| Manx | 500 – 4000 |
Each of the relevant cat species has its own behavioral and physiological characteristics that breeders need to know and take into account when breeding.
Cat business: components and specifics
Entrepreneurship of this kind, which begins with the purchase of a cat and registration of a business, involves many other types of work:
- organization of a nursery;
- feeding and caring for cats;
- visits to the veterinarian (or house calls to this doctor);
- participation in exhibition events;
- finding a cat for mating and mating itself;
- raising kittens:
- selling them at the age of 2 to 3 months.
The right to breed cats is granted by obtaining a certificate and a pedigree. Purebred cats are sold in nurseries with a decent pedigree. Sometimes, to purchase a suitable cat, the breeder has to go to another country, which entails additional transportation costs.
Basic care equipment: list and prices
Any cat, especially a purebred one, needs to be provided with comfortable conditions. You need to purchase the following items for it:
- Tray. A budget version of such an accessory costs from 100 hryvnias, and a modern smart automatic tray controlled by artificial intelligence costs about 18,000 hryvnias.
- Toilet filler. The price of a package of wood or silica gel filler weighing from 1.5 to 5 kg is 200-400 hryvnias.
- Hygienic cat litter mats and bowls (from 300 to 500 hryvnias).
- A comb for combing out the fur (approximately 400 hryvnias).
- Nail clippers or nail clippers (120-400 UAH).
- Shampoo for washing (100-500 UAH).
- Bowls for food (feed) and water (200-1000 UAH).
- Claw hammer (400-600 UAH).
- Cat house (500-5000 UAH).
- Carrier for transporting a cat (500-3000 UAH).
You will also have to regularly buy special cat food to feed your pets - table food will not suit pedigreed tailed cats.
Useful tips for novice breeders
Experts advise starting a cat breeding business by giving preference to fluffy representatives of the British or Bengal breeds or Maine Coons. The demand for such kittens is higher than the number of offers, and caring for them is relatively simple.
Especially popular are the plush British Shorthairs, which have a calm and balanced temperament. They need to be combed infrequently - only once a week.
But large, majestic Maine Coons with long, lush fur require both frequent brushing (2-3 times a week) and personal space.
Additional costs will be required for the cat's vaccination. In the first year of life, the animal is vaccinated against diseases such as panleukopenia, calicivirus, and rhinotracheitis. The cost of one dose of the drug is about 300 hryvnias.
The appearance of a cat's fur and eyes, the condition of its claws and bones depend on proper nutrition. A veterinarian will advise you on the optimal, balanced cat food, taking into account the age, breed of the animal and its individual characteristics.
Hygienic cat care procedures include combing the fur, bathing, trimming the claws, keeping the eyes and ears clean, and preventing helminths and parasitic insects.
If the blood types of the parent cats are incompatible, the cat may become ill after mating, and its offspring risk being born non-viable.
Before selling kittens, the breeder can either create a pedigree for them or sell the kittens with metrics. In the latter case, the buyer will have to create the pedigree themselves.
It is believed that a purebred cat should take part in several exhibitions before giving birth. This will allow them to receive titles. The participation of a four-legged cat in exhibition events will cost its owner from 2000 to 3500 hryvnias. If the owner has a so-called “cattery package” and exhibits 4 or more cats at once, this amount of the contribution may vary.
Additionally, you may need to pay for a double cage (from 250 to 500 ₴) and a place for grooming (about 250 ₴).
Kittens with an existing pedigree or metric are sold both at exhibitions and through advertisements on the Internet on specialized platforms or in other media.
At the maximum cost, there is a possibility of selling a kitten only with the right to breed. The absence of such a document automatically reduces the market price of tailed cats several times.
List of mandatory and probable expenses
Anyone who chooses cat breeding as a business will have to spend money for the following purposes:
- Purchase professional food. The cat's diet during pregnancy should be of particularly high quality, which means it should be even more expensive. And kittens need a special, balanced diet for babies.
- Veterinarian services. A veterinarian should attend to a cat's first birth.
- Registration of membership in the cat lovers club with payment of membership fees.
- Participation in exhibitions.
- Mating with a cat. This process lasts 4-5 days. Therefore, if your cat's partner lives in another city, consider transportation costs and the cost of staying in a hotel for several days.
As practice shows, the breeder receives practically no income from the sale of the first offspring, most often breaking even, that is, returning the initial investment.
Those who choose to breed cats can expect to make real money from this type of business only after gaining some experience and making friends among lovers of these amazing pets.
