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Why do your kittens cost so much?
I wanted to take a few minutes and explain to
you why kittens are priced the way that they are.
First of all, let's consider our adult cats.
For one, the costs of purchasing healthy, breeding quality
cats. Most breeder quality cats are between $1200 and 1500, some as high as
$3000 depending on quality and pedigree.
I breed my queens on average 4 times in their lifetime. That means that for each litter, a queen costs $300. Say there are 3 kittens in a litter, the queen costs $100 per kitten. That is not even considering the cost of the sire.
Now that's just the cost of the breeding cats. Next we have
health tests for each cat.
Then we have the cost of giving the cat a comfortable
environment -- beds, scratching posts, food/water dishes, litter boxes,
grooming supplies, carriers, etc. All of these are replaced every 2-3 years.
And we have multiple of each in our house!
Then the ongoing costs -- litter, food, treats, water (mine
all use bottled water), toys, vaccinations, deworming, vet exams, cleaning
supplies (javex, laundry detergent, etc).
All of these expenses probably add up to $500+ PER cat EACH
year.
Next, we have the cost of raising a litter. There isn't just
the cost of feeding, litter, water, etc. Persian and himalayan cats are
known to have complications giving birth and may require emergency vet care
at times. Not all of them, but some. Last year, I had an emergency c-section
(of course, on a Sunday) for one of my himmie girls. The c-section cost me
$1000. Then she went into shock. Back to the vet, and another $400. None of
the kittens made it. I still have to pay the bill to get a healthy cat. That
particular cat from start to finish cost me $4500 in purchase price, health
tests, vet bills... she only produced me 1 kitten that I sold for $600.
We also have moms who will not take care of their kittens -
they lack maternal instinct OR they don't have any milk. Hand raising
kittens is not only time consuming, but a labour of love. It's like having
an infant baby for 2-3 months. Up every 2-3 hours feeding the baby, keeping
it warm, cleaning it (they cannot go to the bathroom by themselves). Think
of the time involved in that. The alternative is that they will not live --
which is NOT why I breed.
There's the cost of vetting for each kitten. Vet checks,
vaccinations, deworming, and each of my kittens are spayed/neutered before
they go (which is included in the price).
There's the cost of birthing supplies and equipment.
Then you have the cost of registration
The cost of showing... I choose to show my cats, with the nearest show being
in Winnipeg (it's a cheap show, only costs about $500 to attend). But all
other shows are 4-10 hrs away, costing $1000-1500 per show. I show at 2-3
shows a year.
Plus, I spend countless hours answering questions, educating people,
informing people and helping them show. I will also stand behind my kittens,
and IF something comes up, work towards not only making it right, but making
sure it's not a problem with my cats (I have purchased cats for $1200, and
they had a health issue, and I NEVER bred them).
As a quality breeder, you do not make money on raising
quality kittens. We feed the best food, use good quality litter, our cats
get taken care of. We show to see how our cats stand up to the breed
standard for quality. And we do this for the passion of cats, not for
profit.
You know the old expression -- you get what you pay for...
that's the difference between a breeder, and a for profit back yard breeder.
What is a Breeder? A Breeder (with a capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience, and commitment. A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time, friendships, fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting ! She gives up the dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favour of turning that all important Show into this years "vacation". The Breeder goes without sleep (but never without coffee!) in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process, and afterwards, over every little sneeze, wiggle or cry. The Breeder skips dinner parties because that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight. She disregards birth fluids and puts mouth to mouth to save a gasping newborn, literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that may be the culmination of a lifetime of dreams. A Breeders lap is a marvelous place where generations of proud and noble champions once snoozed. A Breeders hands are strong and firm and often soiled, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a kits wet nose. A Breeders back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping, bending, and sitting in the birthing box, but are strong enough to enable the breeder to Show the next choice kitten to a Grand Championship. A Breeders shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from competitors, but they're wide enough to support the weight of a thousand defeats and frustrations. A Breeders arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful of kittens, or lend a helping hand to a newcomer. A Breeders ears are wonderous things, sometimes red (from being talked about) or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone receiver), often deaf to criticism, yet always fine-tuned to the whimper of a sick kitten. A Breeders eyes are blurred from pedigree research and sometimes blind to her own cats faults, but they are ever so keen to the competitions faults and are always searching for the perfect specimen. A Breeders brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall pedigrees faster than an IBM computer. It's so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse: it catalogues thousands of good bonings, fine ears, and perfect heads... and buries in the soul the failures and the ones that didn't turn out. The Breeders heart is often broken, but it beats strongly with hope everlasting... and it's always in the right place ! Oh, yes, there are breeders, and then, there are BREEDERS !!
I Love My Kitty
I’ve never been a breeder, seen life through their eyes, I hold my little kitty and just sit and criticize. I’ve never known their anguish, I’ve never felt their pain, the caring of their charges through snow and wind and rain. I’ve never sat the whole night through waiting for babies to be born, the stress and trepidation when their still not there by dawn. I’ve never felt the heartache of a little life in my hands, this darling little baby, who weighs but 60 grams. Should you do that instead of this…or this instead of that, alone you fight and hope one day he’ll grow to be a cat, and bring joy to another being and make a house a home, you know it’s all up to you, you’ll fight this fight alone. Formula, bottles, heating pads, you’ve got to get this right, two hour feeds for this little guy, throughout the day and night. In your heart you know you’re almost sure to lose this fight, to save this little baby, but God willing you just MIGHT. Day one he's in there fighting, you say a silent prayer, day two & three he's doing well, with lots of love and care. Day four & five...he's still alive, your hopes soar to the heavens, day six he slips away again, dies in your hands day seven. You take this little angel, and bury him alone, with aching heart and burning tears, and an exhausted groan; you ask yourself "Why do this? Why suffer all this pain? but see the joy your kittens bring...It really self explains. So, when you think of breeders and label them with greed, think about what they endure to fill anothers need. When you buy a kitten and with your precious savings you do part, you only pay with money, we pay with our heart. Author Unknown
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