Introduction
Cat breeding has grown into a major industry in the past few decades. According to market research, the global pets breeding management market size was valued at USD 9.32 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to USD 13.58 billion by 2030.[1] With the rising popularity of pedigreed and exotic cat breeds, cat breeding can be a profitable business opportunity for those with the proper facilities, expertise, and business acumen.
Breeding cats requires an investment in good quality breeding stock, proper housing, health care, registration, marketing, and sales. However, pedigree kittens often sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars each. By carefully selecting breeds in high demand, screening breeding cats for health and temperament, and ensuring top-notch care, cat breeders can build a reputation for quality and see excellent returns on their investment over time.
This article provides an overview of the most profitable pedigree and exotic cat breeds to consider, key costs and profit projections, facilities and husbandry requirements, ethical practices, and considerations for starting and running a successful cat breeding business.
Popular Pedigree Breeds
The most popular pedigree cat breeds sought after by breeders include the Persian, Ragdoll, and Maine Coon breeds. According to the Your Cat blog, the Persian is often considered “the ultimate glamour puss and one of the most popular pedigree cat breeds in the UK” ( Your Cat). Persians are notable for their long, luscious coats and sweet, docile personalities. Likewise, an article by Hola.com lists Persian cats as one of the most popular pedigrees in the United States, describing them as “fluffy and friendly felines” with “the sweetest personalities” (Hola.com).
Ragdoll cats are also a favorite pedigree breed for their laidback temperaments and affectionate nature. Their semi-long silky fur and striking blue eyes make them undeniably beautiful as well. Maine Coon cats, one of the largest domesticated breeds, are similarly popular for their loving personalities and lush, water-resistant coats which made them ideal mousers and ship’s cats historically.
Rare and Exotic Breeds
Some of the most profitable cat breeds for breeding are rare and exotic breeds like the Savannah, Bengal, and Toyger. The Savannah is a cross between a domestic cat and a Serval, an African wild cat. They have a striking appearance with large ears, long legs, and exotic spotted coats. Savannahs are energetic, intelligent, and inquisitive. Their exotic look makes them highly sought after, with kittens selling for $1,000 to over $20,000 depending on generation and breeder reputation.
The Bengal is another exotic hybrid breed descended from the Asian Leopard Cat. They have a wild appearance with large rosette patterns on their coat. Bengals are active, playful, and vocal cats that bond closely with their owners. Well-bred Bengal kittens can sell for $1,000 to $5,000. Show quality breeding cats can cost even more.
The Toyger is a new designer breed meant to resemble a mini tiger. They have vivid tiger-like stripes and markings. Toygers have an athletic build and energetic personality. As a newer rare breed, Toygers sell for upwards of $2,000 to $5,000 per kitten from reputable breeders.
There is high demand for these exotic and rare breeds because of their wild looks and unique personalities. However, breeding and caring for these unusual pedigree cats requires specific expertise and facilities to ensure health and proper socialization.
Breed Registration
To maximize profits and prestige when breeding cats, it is important to register your cattery and cats with a major breeding association. The two most prominent cat registries in North America are The International Cat Association (TICA) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA).
TICA allows both pedigreed and household pet cats to be registered. There are regular registration classes for purebred cats with full pedigrees and recorded ancestry. For household pets and cats with unknown backgrounds, TICA offers the New Breed or New Traits class. TICA also supports experimental breeding and recognizes more than 60 pedigreed breeds.
The CFA focuses on purebred pedigreed cats. They recognize 44 breeds that can be registered and shown for championships. CFA-registered cats typically have higher values, especially categories like pedigreed kittens and breeding/show cats. However, CFA registration involves more stringent ancestry documentation.
By registering your cattery and litters with TICA and/or CFA, you authenticate your breeding operation and can charge higher prices. Buyers know TICA/CFA-registered cats have documented lineage and properly bred characteristics. Registration provides a clear competitive edge.
Facilities and Equipment
Setting up proper facilities and having the right equipment is crucial for a successful cat breeding operation. Catteries should have adequate space for each cat, with recommended minimum dimensions of 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft per adult cat according to the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act (Connecticut General Assembly, 2013). Cages and enclosures must allow cats to freely stand, turn around, and lie down. Floors should be solid and impervious to moisture, easy to sanitize, and provide traction.
Breeding pens are essential to monitor breeding activity and behavior. A basic pen would be around 4 ft x 4 ft x 2 ft high. The pen should contain a nest box for birthing and kittening. All surfaces should be disinfectable. Proper heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, and humidity control systems may be required depending on climate.
Routine veterinary care is a must, including vaccinations, deworming, dental care, and reproductive services. A relationship with an experienced feline veterinarian provides support for any health issues. Necessary supplies include premium food, litter boxes, toys, brushes, and cleaning products.
Initial costs for building, supplies, vet care, and breeding stock can exceed $10,000. Ongoing expenses for food, utilities, veterinary services, registration, marketing, and labor make cat breeding a significant financial undertaking (BusinessGuru, 2022). Proper facilities and preparation are vital for ethical, successful cat breeding.
Finding and Selecting Breeding Stock
When finding cats to use as breeding stock, reputable breeders often start by reaching out to breeding networks and other breeders. According to https://www.vin.com, breeders should select cats that conform to the breed standard and avoid breed-related health issues.
PetMD recommends doing research to identify breeders that specialize in your desired cat breed when looking for breeding cats. Breeders should health test their cats before breeding to avoid passing on genetic diseases. Common health tests include testing for heart disease, kidney disease, and hereditary disorders like polycystic kidney disease.
According to https://www.wikihow.com, when selecting a breeding queen, look for healthy adult females exhibiting good mothering abilities and friendliness. The male stud cats should also undergo health testing and have a gentle, friendly temperament. Reputable breeders health test and screen their cats to improve the breed.
Breeding and Birthing Process
The breeding and birthing process for cats begins with mating. During mating, the male cat will hold the female’s neck skin in his teeth. When he ejaculates, the female will cry out and often become aggressive [1]. Mating induces ovulation in female cats and can occur multiple times over several days to ensure pregnancy.
The gestation period for cats is approximately 63-65 days or about 9 weeks [2]. An experienced veterinarian can confirm pregnancy through palpation or ultrasound around 3-4 weeks after breeding [3].
As the birthing time approaches, pregnant cats will begin nesting behaviors and may lose their appetite. Contractions occur at 30-60 minute intervals until active labor with 5-30 minute intervals. Each kitten is delivered in a translucent sac that the mother will remove. Kittens nurse immediately after birth. The litter is typically complete within 6 hours but the process can take up to 24 hours [2].
Kittens remain dependent on the mother’s milk until they are weaned at around 4-6 weeks old. Weaning involves gradually introducing moist solid food while decreasing nursing time.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales is an important part of making your cat breeding profitable. You’ll need to advertise your kittens, price them appropriately, and have sales contracts to protect both you and the buyer.
Cat Breeder Marketing Daily recommends advertising your kittens on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, posting videos and photos to reach cat lovers. Advertising in print classifieds and directories like Purebred Kitties can also connect you to buyers. Create an appealing website to showcase your cattery and available kittens.
Pricing should cover your expenses plus a reasonable profit margin. Factors like breed, pedigree, color/patterns, vaccinations, etc. can impact pricing. On average, purebred pedigreed kittens fetch $800-$1500. Rare breeds or specialty colors may sell for $2000 or more. Provide clear pricing information to prospective buyers.
Use a kitten sales contract to define the terms of sale, ownership transfer, health guarantees, payment schedule, and more. This protects you and the buyer. Require deposits, screen buyers carefully, and follow-up after sales to ensure a smooth transaction. Provide all paperwork like registration, veterinary records, and care instructions.
Expenses and Profit Margins
Breeding cats can be a profitable endeavor if done properly, but there are significant upfront and ongoing costs to consider. The initial investments include housing facilities, breeding stock, registration paperwork, veterinary care, and supplies. These fixed costs can range from a few thousand dollars for a small hobby breeder to tens of thousands for a larger professional operation.
The variable costs per litter include food, vaccinations, neonatal kitten care, supplemental formula, spay/neuter of kittens not kept for breeding, and health/genetic testing. Average variable costs per litter range from $500-2000 depending on the breed and litter size. Rare breeds often have smaller litters and higher costs.
To maximize profits, breeders should carefully select breeding stock from champion bloodlines that will produce desirable, pedigreed kittens. Well-socialized kittens from reputable catteries can sell for $800-5000+ depending on rarity and markings. After covering expenses, experienced breeders may pocket $2000-5000 in profit per litter, depending on their breeds. However, inexperienced breeders often underestimate costs and overestimate potential earnings. Breeding cats ethically and humanely should be the top priority, not profits.
Ethical Considerations
Breeding cats is an enormous responsibility that should always be undertaken with care and consideration. There are several key ethical practices responsible breeders should follow:
Health testing – Reputable breeders will screen their breeding cats for genetic diseases common in the breed. This helps reduce the chances of kittens inheriting debilitating conditions. Tests may include DNA screening, x-rays, eye exams, etc.
Socialization – Kittens should be raised in a home environment and properly socialized. This makes them comfortable around people and helps prevent behavior problems.
Spay/neuter contracts – Responsible breeders require pet buyers to spay/neuter kittens not intended for breeding. This prevents unwanted litters.
Take-back policy – Ethical breeders will take back a cat at any point in its life if the owner can no longer care for it. This reduces the risk of abandonment.
Limiting litters – Breeding females should be given ample recovery time between litters. Back-to-back breeding is stressful and unhealthy.
Careful screening – Reputable breeders are selective about who they sell kittens to in order to ensure proper lifelong care.
In summary, responsible cat breeding requires a focus on health, socialization, population control, lifetime care, and the wellbeing of the breeding cats.