Hello guys,
It's been quite a long time since I've posted here... I'm finally at the point where I'm buying a house and beginning to consider buying another cat / kitten. I have long wanted a pure bred (either a burmese, tonkinese, or oriental shorthair) and was curious about what the going rate or average cost is for a "pet" quality kitten. I know that there's no concrete way to say what a breeder should charge, but what I'd like from those of you that breed or have purchased a purebred kitten, is what you paid for or what you generally charge for a pet quality kitten.
In my area there's very little selection. I know of 3 burmese breeders in my state and none in neighboring states (or any breeders of the other breeds I'm interested in) and the three breeders in my state have apparently come to a consensus among each other and all charge the same price for their kittens... This is a good business practice for them, but I'm wondering if what they're charging is well above, or at average for pet quality kittens. The breeders in question happen to charge $800, which includes shots and spaying / neutering.
I'd also like feedback on the costs of having a kitten sent via air (i.e. if I purchase from a breeder several states away), so if anyone has experience with this, that would be great... Although I'd prefer to pickup the kitten in person, if what locals breeders charge is well above what I"d pay to say buy from someone in California, and shipping isn't crazy expensive, that might be an option for me.
I'm not necessarily cheap and know that you usually "get what you pay for", but in this instance, I now have a money-conscious husband to deal with and although I may think it's worth saving up the $800 for a kitten, he may feel that we're being overcharged unless I have proof to backup their pricing.
If anyone has any feedback on this topic, I'd greatly appreciate it, also if anyone does not feel comfortable talking figures in the forum, feel free to pm me.
Thanks for your time and help!
It's been quite a long time since I've posted here... I'm finally at the point where I'm buying a house and beginning to consider buying another cat / kitten. I have long wanted a pure bred (either a burmese, tonkinese, or oriental shorthair) and was curious about what the going rate or average cost is for a "pet" quality kitten. I know that there's no concrete way to say what a breeder should charge, but what I'd like from those of you that breed or have purchased a purebred kitten, is what you paid for or what you generally charge for a pet quality kitten.
In my area there's very little selection. I know of 3 burmese breeders in my state and none in neighboring states (or any breeders of the other breeds I'm interested in) and the three breeders in my state have apparently come to a consensus among each other and all charge the same price for their kittens... This is a good business practice for them, but I'm wondering if what they're charging is well above, or at average for pet quality kittens. The breeders in question happen to charge $800, which includes shots and spaying / neutering.
I'd also like feedback on the costs of having a kitten sent via air (i.e. if I purchase from a breeder several states away), so if anyone has experience with this, that would be great... Although I'd prefer to pickup the kitten in person, if what locals breeders charge is well above what I"d pay to say buy from someone in California, and shipping isn't crazy expensive, that might be an option for me.
I'm not necessarily cheap and know that you usually "get what you pay for", but in this instance, I now have a money-conscious husband to deal with and although I may think it's worth saving up the $800 for a kitten, he may feel that we're being overcharged unless I have proof to backup their pricing.
If anyone has any feedback on this topic, I'd greatly appreciate it, also if anyone does not feel comfortable talking figures in the forum, feel free to pm me.
Thanks for your time and help!