Typical "pet" kitten prices in the US?

[artgecko]

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!

 

[jmljml19]

I just searched the web and found that burmese kittens cost between $400-$1000 depending on show quality, coat color and sex since females are most expensive. And those prices usually only include shots, so having them being spayed or neutered after purchasing them can cost up to $300 depending on which vet you go to. So I think $800 all inclusive is a reasonable price.

 

[StefanZ]

If money is an issue, consider to having not a kitten, but an adult cat who needs a new home.   Say, a breeders retired queens / studs.  Or if an owner got sick and no longer can care for his pure bred... Such.

Not so unusual.    A tip.   

 

[alistair]

$800 is reasonable. I payed $1,400 for a three month old British shorthair kitten and $1,200 for another 5.5 month old British. Cost was so high because the only 2 breeders in my state decided to jack the prices up [emoji]128513[/emoji].

I later found a british breeder in a nearby state that charges $900. That is what I consider reasonable. Some breeders are just greedy.

 

[artgecko]

Thanks for your replies!

StefanZ-  I would be fine with a retired breeder but my husband has never had a kitten before and his preference is to get a kitten over an adult cat.

Alistair-  Because all three breeders are now charging the same amount, and one of them was charging about $300 less a couple years ago, I am assuming that they all decided to start charging the same price to not compete with each other.  Considering that the cost of spaying / neutering is about $200 here and the cost of all the kitten shots, it is probably a fair price at $800... Now, all I have to do is convince my husband of that.

 

[alistair]

Good luck, I hope you convince him! What I paid didn't include neutering either but I prefer not to have a male fixed before 7months or a female before 5 months [emoji]128515[/emoji]

 

[andrya]

l think it's a fantastic price too. l paid more for one of mine, and that didn't include neutering, it was written into the contract l would have him neutered by such and such a date.

 

[artgecko]

Thanks again for your input guys!  I'll keep you updated and if we end up buying a kitten, I'll post pics, etc.  

 

[gumbeauxabys]

As a breeder I can say that price can also be determined by region. My Abyssinian kittens are priced on average $350 lower. The reason for this is sheer economics and location. That does not mean, however, that my kittens are less quality or not taken care of. My kittens are vetted by my vet that I have used for all of my cats, she is cat exclusive, they are "speutered', vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped. Not to mention fed high quality food. I also take into consideration transport costs. Which is between $150 to &280. That keeps my prices low as well. I am not out to make money as some are, I want my babies in good loving nurturing homes with people or families that truly want them. Just my 2 cents.

 

[sarah ann]

Are you showing? Is there any reason you need a pure bred cat?

There is no way to personality test a cat without going to meet it. I've seen people pick out cats that are independent, or pick them out by color and looks, and end up unhappy with the results. I've always gone by personality and so far I've only had one cat who tricked me. It turns out if you put her in a cage she gets really loveable. The rest of the time, she doesn't want to be bothered.

My other kittens I've always picked out by the way they responded.  Caspian went totally limp and relaxed when I took him out of his cage at the shelter. Meanwhile there were dogs barking and he is curled up on my lap purring away while I am filling out the paper work.  Pounce leaped out of his cage into my arms, and was very "look at me" and in your face...Even in the cage he wanted attention. Right Now!

My other cats are all rescues who showed up at my doorstep. Taz I found as a kitten in the barn. His mom is a stray in the woods. Izzy showed up at the door starving for food, when she heard me feeding the dogs. I've also rescued some semi-ferals who were very aggressive. Those were quickly neutered and released.

I would not buy without seeing the cat in person.  So many people complain about their cats being "mean" or too independent. It is all about personality.  I consider myself very lucky to have some very loveable cats.

 

[GemsGem]

Erm.... :scratch: I believe the OP was asking about prices not personality. Purebred pedigrees are not just for people who want to show. After all not all pedigree's born will be of show quality many are pet quality.

 

[GoldyCat]

I bought a pet quality abyssinian boy (neutered) a few years ago. I'm not sure what the original price was, but it was reduced to $500 because he was already 5 months old and the breeder hadn't been able to sell him. I'm on a the waiting list for a show quality cat of the same breed from a different breeder. The show cat will end up costing almost twice as much as the pet quality, partly because of the quality, partly because it will be a female (spayed), and partly because the cat will have to be shipped instead of me driving to pick her up. There are so many factors to consider that the only way you can find out prices is to ask the breeder, which you've already done. Going by my own experience with a different breed and a different part of the country, I'd say $800 is probably a fair price.

As far as transportation costs go, you need to check with the airlines or transport companies. If you want the kitten to be in the cabin the pet fee for most domestic airlines is around $125-150, but you would probably have to pay round-trip airfare for someone to bring the kitten to you. Shipping the kitten cargo is usually cheaper, but not everyone is comfortable doing that. You could also ask if someone is driving to your area who could bring the kitten that way. The breed should know the different options and prices.

 

[williecat]

I paid $900 for my abyssinian in NC, which included her first vet checkup and shots. Then...close to $300 I think for her spay and microchip and rest of her shots. I looked at a few other breeders who charged more but covered sterilization, so the prices were comparable. I went with the breeder who was within driving distance.