Non-refundable deposits

[ameezers]

Breeders:
Do you require people to give a non-refundable deposit to hold a kitten?

Do you require a deposit once they have picked their kitten, or just to be put on your waitlist? How much and what are the stipulations surrounding the deposit?

Do you find that taking a non refundable deposit to hold a kitten lessens the amount of people that change their mind at the last minute?

TIA

 

[lutece]

Are you having problems with people changing their mind at the last minute?

I don't usually bother with deposits, but I will sometimes accept a deposit of $500 if I have a specific kitten that I have matched with a family but isn't old enough to go to its new home yet. Usually it's only because the buyer asked to place a deposit...

I don't let people place a deposit just to be on a wait list, although people often ask to do that... I've also had people ask if they can pay extra to move up the wait list and get a kitten sooner, but I don't let them do that either!

 

[ameezers]

I have never taken deposits either, and haven't had an issue until recently. On one hand I am glad the lady pulled out (she said she wasn't over the death of her other cat so it wouldn't be fair to the new kitten); but on the other she waited until a week before she was supposed to pick up the kitten (she had picked a date and time to pick up already too), and now I am scrambling to set up visits with other potential fur parents and it's all a bit of a mess.

I get that when breeding you get to deal with all kinds of people and this was bound to happen at some point, I was more just looking for information from other breeders to see how to potentially not have this happen in the future.

 

[lutece]

Taking deposits should help. At least that person told you she changed her mind... some people will just disappear and not even get back to you, which is really annoying!