Introduction
Cat breeding can be a profitable endeavor for those who are passionate about cats and willing to put in the significant time, effort, and investment required. While kitten mills prioritize profit over animal welfare, responsible and ethical cat breeding focuses on furthering cat breeds and producing healthy, well-socialized kittens in a humane environment. Successful cat breeding requires an immense amount of knowledge, care, and attention to detail in order to breed healthy, pedigreed cats that buyers are willing to pay premium prices for. Profitability ultimately depends on factors like startup costs, facility expenses, reputation, demand, and being able to find ethical buyers who value cat health and welfare. Like any small business, cat breeding carries risks and challenges, but can also be a fulfilling endeavor for dedicated cat lovers with the proper skills, resources, and business acumen.
Startup Costs
The startup costs for breeding cats can range from $7,000 to $20,000 depending on the breed and quality of cats you plan to breed (Cat Breeder Sensei, 2022). The biggest expense is purchasing high quality breeding cats, which can cost $2,000 – $3,000 per cat for purebreds from reputable breeders. Supplies like cages, litter boxes, grooming tools, and kittening boxes can cost around $1,000 – $5,000 depending on your setup. Veterinary care and health testing also adds up quickly – expect to spend $400 – $600 per breeding for stud fees and vet care for the mother cat (Furry Acres, 2022). Registration with cat associations, licensing fees, and pedigree paperwork can cost several hundred dollars as well.
Finding Buyers for Purebred Kittens
Marketing and selling purebred kittens requires identifying the right buyers. Some options for finding buyers include:
Listing kittens on online marketplaces like Petmeetly or HappyPawsUS. Online listings allow you to reach buyers across the country. Make sure listings have high quality photos and detailed descriptions of the kittens and pedigree.
Partnering with local pet shops. Pet shops may buy kittens outright or allow you to showcase available kittens in their store. This connects you with buyers looking to purchase in-person.
Attending cat shows and exhibitions. Cat shows allow you to network with breed enthusiasts and buyers. Bring available kittens to showcase lineage and temperament.
Leveraging social media and online communities. Share kittens on breed-specific Facebook groups, subreddits like r/kittens, or cat enthusiast forums. Include your website/contact info.
Building an email list of potential buyers. Collect emails from your website and social channels and send announcements when new litters arrive.
Offering first pick reservations. Allow interested buyers to reserve kittens before they are born. Collect a deposit and keep buyers updated throughout pregnancy and birth.
Partnering with a pet influencer or blogger. See if they will feature your cattery on their platforms in exchange for a kitten.
Running targeted ads on Google and social media. Advertise to cat enthusiasts in your area when you have kittens available.
Breeding Considerations
When breeding cats, there are a few important factors to consider regarding the actual breeding process:
Selecting the right cats for breeding is crucial. Reputable breeders focus on health, temperament, and conformance to breed standards when choosing cats to breed. It’s important to avoid inbreeding by carefully selecting unrelated cats. Common breeding cats are between 1-8 years old.
The breeding cycle is how often a female cat can get pregnant. Cats are polyestrous, meaning they go into heat multiple times per year – usually every 2-3 weeks from spring through fall. A female cat can produce three litters per year on average.
Litter sizes range between 1-9 kittens on average, with 3-5 being common. Litter size depends on factors like the breed and age of the female cat. Proper prenatal care helps ensure healthy litter sizes.
Facilities
Proper housing and facilities are crucial for cat breeding operations to ensure the health and welfare of the cats. According to standards from the USDA, cat breeding facilities must provide structurally sound housing that is in good repair and meets minimum space requirements. The USDA outlines specifications for indoor and outdoor housing dimensions based on the cats’ age and size.
For example, each kitten up to 4 months old must be provided at least 3.5 square feet of floor space, while each adult cat must have at least 7 square feet. The floors and walls of enclosures must also be constructed with materials that can be properly cleaned and disinfected. Proper ventilation, lighting, and temperature control are also required. Outdoor enclosures must provide protection from the elements and adequate space for exercise.
According to state laws, cat breeders must adhere to these minimum standards of care and facility requirements in order to operate legally and ethically. Responsible breeding practices require substantial investments in proper housing, space, and enrichment to ensure cat health and welfare.
Profit Potential
When it comes to income from kitten sales, there is potential to make a decent profit from cat breeding if done correctly. However, it takes time and effort to establish a quality breeding program. The amount of money made will depend on the breed, bloodlines, and demand.
Purebred kittens often sell for $800 to $1,500 each. Rare breeds or breeds that are currently popular may sell for even more. For example, a Bengal kitten could sell for $1,500 to $5,000. On the other hand, mixed breed kittens typically sell for much less, around $20 to $100 each.
An experienced breeder with an established cattery can produce several litters per year with 4-6 kittens each. If able to sell each kitten for an average of $1,000, a breeder could potentially make $20,000+ annually. However, costs must be accounted for before determining actual profit.
Overall, quality breeders are passionate about improving their chosen breed, not trying to get rich. Responsible breeding is a labor of love. While supplemental income can be made, becoming wealthy from cat breeding alone is quite rare.
Expenses
Cat breeding can be an expensive endeavor. Some of the major expenses include:
Food: Quality cat food is essential for the health of breeding cats and kittens. Feeding high-protein, species-appropriate diets from kittenhood through adulthood can cost $200-$500 per year depending on the cat’s size and activity level.
Litter: Litter costs will depend on the number of cats, but expect to spend $200-$300 per year on litter.
Veterinary Care: Breeding cats require more frequent veterinary care for screenings, vaccines, and other preventative care. Annual vet bills for a breeding cat can range from $600-$1,000.
Supplies: Breeders need supplies for nursing queens, feeding kittens, housing cats, grooming, and more. Expect to spend $500-$2,000 on initial setup costs.
Labor: A significant time investment is required to properly care for and socialize breeding cats and kittens. Consider costs associated with your time or hiring staff.
Challenges
Cat breeding comes with many challenges that can make it difficult to turn a profit. Some of the main challenges include:
Health issues – Purebred cats are prone to genetic health problems. Breeding cats ethically requires screening for issues like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, progressive retinal atrophy, and polycystic kidney disease, which is expensive. Vet bills and lost income from sick kittens can eat up profits (Source).
Finding homes – Quality breeders carefully screen potential buyers to ensure kittens go to good homes. With cat overpopulation a major issue, finding buyers who will properly care for kittens is difficult. Unsold kittens are an expense not a profit source (Source).
Market saturation – Cat breeding has become popular, creating significant competition. Distinguishing yourself in a crowded market is challenging. Lower demand and prices make profitability an uphill battle (Source).
Alternatives
While cat breeding can be profitable, there are some alternative animal breeding businesses that may be worth considering.
Other popular and profitable animals to breed include chickens, pigs, and cattle. These livestock animals often have large market demand and can be raised on relatively small areas of land. According to RuralOnly, chickens in particular are one of the most profitable per square foot due to their high reproduction rates and low overhead costs. Raising cattle, pigs, chickens or other livestock for meat production can provide steady income.
Another option is getting into the pet boarding or pet sitting business. According to the American Pet Products Association 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of U.S. households own a pet. With busy schedules, many pet owners are willing to pay for quality pet care while they are away. Pet sitters can earn $15-$40 per 30-minute visit, while overnight boarding can cost $25-$125 per night depending on the amenities. Unlike breeding, pet care requires minimal upfront costs and can be started as a flexible side business.
Conclusion
Based on the research, cat breeding can be a profitable business venture but does require significant upfront investment and ongoing costs. The profit potential largely depends on the breed, quality of cats, demand in your local market, and your ability to find good homes for the kittens.
For profitable cat breeding, focus on popular purebreds like Ragdolls, Bengals, or Sphynx that can sell for $800 to $1500 per kitten. Breeding everyday domestic cats is unlikely to be profitable. Expenses like food, litter, veterinary care, genetic and disease testing, registration papers, advertising, and supplies can quickly add up and eat into profits if not managed properly.
Success requires careful planning, quality breeding stock, responsible practices, business savvy, and attention to all aspects of kitten care. Patience is also key as it may take a couple years to establish your cattery and build a reputation before seeing significant returns. While cat breeding can potentially be lucrative, proceed with caution as it involves major commitments of money, time, and responsibility.