For many people, the high price of purebred kittens can come as a shock. Understanding the real expenses involved in ethical and humane breeding isn’t straightforward unless you’ve been through it yourself. While it’s impossible to cover every conceivable cost, a basic breakdown should help clarify how we set our prices and where the funds go.

First off, let’s make one thing clear: ethical and humane breeding is the baseline for us. Many reputable breeders, ourselves included, aim for much more than just the bare minimum. But for the purposes of this discussion, that’s our starting point.

Initiating a breeding program is no small feat. Extensive research into each prospective cat’s lineage is required, ensuring they come from reputable catteries and meet the highest quality standards. One can’t simply reach out to a top-notch cattery and expect to buy breeding cats. A long-term relationship must be cultivated, proving your commitment to improving the breed. Once trust is earned, you may be able to purchase a top-quality, registered cat or kitten—for a significant price, usually ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per cat.

Finding stud services has become increasingly difficult due to the risks of diseases like Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS. A closed cattery is a safer alternative. However, having your own stud brings additional challenges. For instance, it’s unfair to keep a stud with only one breeding female; at least three queens are necessary. Starting your program will likely require a minimum of four top-quality cats, totaling between $20,000 and $40,000.

Housing a stud cat requires additional considerations. If you’d prefer to avoid a house reeking of cat spray, you’ll need to find an alternative housing solution. While some breeders resort to caging their studs—a cruel and increasingly unpopular practice—others opt for outdoor kennels. Yet this isn’t ideal either, as cats need proper weather protection and temperature control. Custom catios or cottages are better but necessitate substantial daily socialization efforts. We’ve opted to use ‘stud pants’ for our males, allowing them to remain part of our family. This entails months of training and frequent pants changes throughout the day. Custom pants can be expensive, and the added laundry isn’t cheap. For those considering custom catios or cottages, the starting cost is around $15,000, scaling up to $500,000.

High-quality food is a non-negotiable expense in cat breeding. Premium cat food not only supports the well-being of the pregnant and nursing mothers but also contributes to the overall health of the kittens. Anything less would invite health issues, escalating veterinary costs, and could even reduce the lifespan of your cats. Unhealthy kittens could also tarnish your reputation as a breeder. Growing kittens sometimes consume as much food as adults, while pregnant and nursing mothers can double or even triple their food intake. Even a modest-sized cattery could spend between $500 and $1000 per month on cat food alone.

In addition to food, kittens require a specific type of non-clumping litter in their early stages to prevent accidental ingestion. Despite your best efforts to conserve, expect some waste. A smaller cattery can spend between $300 and $600 a month on litter.

Regular veterinary visits are another significant expense. Each adult cat requires at least two annual check-ups and yearly vaccinations, some of which are mandated by law. The typical yearly vet costs per adult cat, including tests for FeLV and FIV, routine fecal exams, and dental cleaning, amount to around $1520.

For kittens, routine care includes a wellness check, two rounds of vaccines, deworming, and fecal testing, generally costing around $85 per kitten.

Emergencies are, unfortunately, a fact of life in breeding. Issues during labor and birth can range from failure to progress to more serious complications requiring after-hours emergency treatment. In the worst-case scenario, a C-Section may be necessary, costing upwards of $3-8,000 and often resulting in loss of life. Overall, emergencies can add an annual cost of $10,000 to $30,000.

Specialized equipment is another consideration. A purpose-built birthing and nursery area offers mothers a private, secure space to care for their kittens. Our own custom nursery, equipped with a magnetic, mom-only kitty door, cost around $5,000 to implement.

Taking care of newborn kittens comes with its own set of required supplies: pet heating pads, scales, kitten milk replacers, towels, blankets, and more. Expect an annual outlay of around $3000 for these essentials alone.

As the kittens mature, their needs evolve. From toys and cat beds to medications and flea treatments, older kittens command additional expenses. Basic litter training gear like self-standing baby gates are also a requirement. The estimated annual cost for these items is approximately $6000.

But let’s not forget the adult felines! While they’re less demanding than their younger counterparts, they still enjoy their toys and creature comforts. Allocate around $4000 annually for adult cat enrichment, plus an additional $800 for monthly Revolution treatments during the summer.

Scratching posts and cardboard scratchers also make the shopping list. Though relatively inexpensive, they represent an annual expenditure of around $1500. Factor in some unavoidable wear and tear on your furniture—despite best efforts—and you’re looking at an extra $500 per year for replacements.

Before selling your first kitten, you’ll need a polished website to showcase your cattery and its mission. Professional web development and hosting can set you back around $700 initially, with ongoing costs each year.

Initial advertising is often crucial for breeders who are just starting out. Coupled with routine maintenance tasks like answering emails, updating the website, and managing social media, expect to dedicate several hours each day to these activities.

Lastly, hosting potential clients at your cattery is an indirect but important cost. We offer refreshments and parting gifts during these visits, adding roughly $850 to the annual expenses.

In our city, pet registration is a must, costing $25 per cat annually. Combined with our yearly inspection fee of $100, and cattery registrations through two associations at $50 per year, administrative costs quickly add up. Each litter’s registration is an additional $10. We also allocate approximately $150 per year for printing, mailing, and stationary expenses.

Every kitten we send home receives a “Welcome Home” package, including premium cat food, non-clumping litter, probiotics, treats, and other essentials. The cost? Around $60 per kitten.

Returns do happen. While we don’t offer full refunds unless specific conditions are met, returned kittens incur various costs, such as isolation and vet check-ups that can be around $400. On average, we spend between $1200 to $1400 annually on returned kittens.

Introducing a new breeding cat to our cattery doesn’t come cheap, either. After an initial investment ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 for a top-quality, breedable feline, we also shoulder the $600 testing fee for each new addition.

Our current breeding cats produce about 60 kittens per year. However, not all kittens are destined for sale. Our priority is to enhance the Traditional Siamese breed, so we carefully select kittens based on their potential for future breeding. This means we usually sell around 50 kittens annually.

When all costs are considered, including modest yearly investments for expansion and new cats, and then balanced against the revenue from selling 50 kittens at an average price of $1800 each, the net profit is a modest $198 per kitten.

So, why breed at all? For reputable breeders like us, it’s a labor of love. We’re committed to the health and longevity of the breed, and every purchase helps sustain our mission.

A Word on Backyard Breeders

These calculations are bare-bones estimates. The next time you spot a “purebred” kitten on a quick-sale website at an unbelievably low price, think twice. Chances are, those kittens are not purebred and have been neglected. Whether born of ignorance or malice, such shortcuts harm the animals and jeopardize the integrity of the breed. Your purchase from such sellers only perpetuates this cycle. Choose wisely and support responsible breeding.