# Asking The Price



## helz (May 24, 2008)

I was browsing the forum and I noticed a thread in the puppy section and I was wondering what the 'cat view' was on the subject.

Baiscally the question in the thread was if someone phoned you wanting a cat you were selling, would you be put off if the first question they asked was about the price. (this is assuming the price isn't advertised).

I already have an opinion myself on this (but I can be swayed ), to be honnest with you, I think it is a fair question to ask. Mainly because price ranges can vary so much.

If the cat in question is out of the persons range, or maybe just more than they wanted to spend, then any more conversation would be a complete waste of both the buyers and sellers time.

I also think, that just because it is the first question asked, doesn't mean the buyer sees it as the most important question. It may be that the price of the cat will then dictate further questions.


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## TiffanyLouise (Jul 23, 2008)

Yep i agree with you, although i am not a breeder so dont really know if i'm entitled to an opinion lol


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

TiffanyLouise said:


> Yep i agree with you, although i am not a breeder so dont really know if i'm entitled to an opinion lol


I'm not a breeder either, and yes everyone is entitled do their opinion hun.


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## Saynamore (Feb 28, 2008)

It wouldnt normally arise in my case, as with adverts on line I always put the price, so if they don't like it they don't have to ring. The only time this would crop up is if they had got contact details just from my webby, where the prices arnt shown. It wouldnt put be off if the buyer asked this cos like you say it is a strong contributing factor. So long as they went on to ask other important questions too, relating to the kittens wellbeing and upkeep


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Pretty much the same as C's answer to this


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## mattyh (Apr 15, 2008)

The first question I'd ask would be about the price. There's no point in having a 20 minute discussion about the breeding and health etc of the kitten if, after all that you can't then afford him/her. If you can only afford £200 and the kitten is £300, all the discussions about welfare etc aren't going to matter


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

If it were the first thing I'd find it odd and maybe put off. Depends how the rest of the conversation went!


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## ErbslinTrouble (Sep 1, 2008)

if they were asking the question just out of curiosity and not trying to barter with me then i don't think i would be put off as some are not aware of the prices of pedigrees and the ranges because of rare or common characteristics. But if they were asking and then going oh well i saw one for so and so amount. then i would probably be put off as price shouldn't really be a problem as you do get what you pay for in most cases. If they can't afford it then i would like others mentioned above question the care of the animal and welfare. if they can't afford the set price how do i know they will be able to afford to keep up with medical treatments as needed in future and be sure they will be spoiled rotten (winkwinknudgenudgesarcasm). but in all seriousness. i really do think it would depend on the case. for instance.. if a young teenage girl rang me and said oooh i really want to get my granmother or my mother this cat she has always wanted, but hasn't gotten for her self but i only have £300 then i would look into the situation get the details and make sure the parent or someone of adult nature was aware of the situation and i would probably sell the little girl the cat for £300 vs the normal £450 just so she could say she got her mummy the cat all by herself. but this would be a rare instance and really just me being a sucker lol


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

I avoid the problem by advertising the price on the advertisements. It gets rid of most of the time wasters.

Liz


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## Maxwell (Feb 19, 2008)

I only have my email address on most of my ads.. ( no Tel number)
I can't be arsed with time wasters, so after a few emails I can generally see what type of person they are..
So in an email I dont mind if they ask the price first, as long as that is not the only question..
I do like a bit of background info too..
I have the price on my website but some folk still ask..
I only give my tel number out if they want to visit..


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## Natik (Mar 9, 2008)

We asked our breeders (dogs and cats) about the price, and it was kinda our first question as we needed to know if we have the budget. 
If i would breed and people asking me the price but also showing interest in the kitten itself then i wouldnt think its a bad thing to do


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## Jen26 (Apr 22, 2008)

Maxwell said:


> I only have my email address on most of my ads.. ( no Tel number)
> I can't be arsed with time wasters, so after a few emails I can generally see what type of person they are..
> So in an email I dont mind if they ask the price first, as long as that is not the only question..
> I do like a bit of background info too..
> ...


Ive always found the opposite, if they are genuine they usually ring, sometimes i think people send emails for something to do, and i get sick of uploading loads of photos, ive only ever sold 1 kitten from first contact through email.

I had someone email me before asking if they were free to good homes


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## Selk67U2 (May 5, 2008)

> I had someone email me before asking if they were free to good homes


*Cheek!!

I had someone tell me that there was another breeder selling NFC's for £50 cheaper than me, but prefered my kittens. I just said well, i'm not reducing the price, so you'll have to go get the cheaper kitten. They still bugged me several times. I just ignored them*


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## Jen26 (Apr 22, 2008)

Selk67U2 said:


> *Cheek!!
> 
> I had someone tell me that there was another breeder selling NFC's for £50 cheaper than me, but prefered my kittens. I just said well, i'm not reducing the price, so you'll have to go get the cheaper kitten. They still bugged me several times. I just ignored them*


Ye i dont do deals either if they buy 2 ill knock abit off but other than that the price is the price, they dont realise the work that goes into raising a litter, annoying really


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## Selk67U2 (May 5, 2008)

*No, exactly, they don't, thats without all the normal love & cuddles we give, though kittens are such timewasters arn't they, lol.*


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

well when i advertise my price - u would think it would put off time wasters right.............

well someone emailed me and all it said was:

"is there any negotiation on price"

Cheeky beggars! I promptly sent one back saying that no breeder will negotiate on price and that you get what u pay for! 
Needless to say i never heard back from them again!


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## Jen26 (Apr 22, 2008)

Ive not advertised yet, i dont like to tempt fate, ill wait untill there about 4-5 weeks,

There are some genuine people out there, just ignore the idiots


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

The idiots far out way the sane people.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

If I get asked the price first off, that puts me off completely. I don't mind if its a question contained in loads of others with information about themselves as well, but if all you get is "how much for the female", then they don't get a reply.

I want a prospective slave to show an interest in the kittens. If they have done their homework on the breed before hand they will know roughly how much they have to pay and should be prepared for that before they contact a breeder.

If I was looking as a pet buyer, I would want a kitten I loved the look of, whose temperament would fit with my family and who had been bred by the kind of breeder whose ethics I approved of parents not over breed, kitten not inbred, raised in a family home, all the kittens happy and healthy looking, I certainly wouldn't make my decision based on whether that kitten was £x cheaper or more expensive than another I had seen.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

Saikou said:


> If I get asked the price first off, that puts me off completely. I don't mind if its a question contained in loads of others with information about themselves as well, but if all you get is "how much for the female", then they don't get a reply.
> 
> I want a prospective slave to show an interest in the kittens. If they have done their homework on the breed before hand they will know roughly how much they have to pay and should be prepared for that before they contact a breeder.
> 
> If I was looking as a pet buyer, I would want a kitten I loved the look of, whose temperament would fit with my family and who had been bred by the kind of breeder whose ethics I approved of parents not over breed, kitten not inbred, raised in a family home, all the kittens happy and healthy looking, I certainly wouldn't make my decision based on whether that kitten was £x cheaper or more expensive than another I had seen.


Exactly - if the cat is the one that you want!!

And if a pedigree is what you want, then you have to expect to pay for it. And like you said, you will know the price ranges anyway. 
And if you are not happy with the price, then choose another breed!!

The prices I have paid for my girls have been from £400 - £750. So quite a big difference. But even the one that was £750 i didnt care - she was worth it!
And having done my research, I would feel the same if I were buying a pet


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2008)

I have always looked around loads of ads and breeders so have always had an idea on price anyway although I think it is very different when you are specifically looking for studs or queens because they are always going to vary from breeder to breeder.

I remember that there was one lady I was going to get 2 coonies from and we must have talked on and off for about 4 weeks before I suddenly thought I had better ask her the price so I could send her a deposit!!! As it turns out, I didn't end up getting them because of restrictions from the stud owner.

I think if you have done your research on the breed, you should have a good idea of price before you even make the phonecall.

Lou
X


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## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

Well, its chicken and egg that one - you need to make a phone call or two in order to do some of the research and when you are starting out, you must ask. The way in which you ask will either come across ok or not. 

I have no objections to people asking what I charge for my kittens/future queens or pets (I do not let my boys go as studs). So long as it is not the only or first question that is asked. People must know what they need to budget for and its unfair to withhold information unless you have a bad feeling about the person.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

Rraa said:


> Well, its chicken and egg that one - you need to make a phone call or two in order to do some of the research and when you are starting out, you must ask. The way in which you ask will either come across ok or not.
> 
> I have no objections to people asking what I charge for my kittens/future queens or pets (I do not let my boys go as studs). So long as it is not the only or first question that is asked. People must know what they need to budget for and its unfair to withhold information unless you have a bad feeling about the person.


Yes i agree with that too.
I have no problems with people asking the price either


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

£750 *faints* 

LOL....


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

fluffypurrs said:


> £750 *faints*
> 
> LOL....


LOL - i was willing to pay £1500 for a different breed (but i decided against that particular breed - and not because of the price)


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

It does annoy me if a person asks about the price first - it's usually an indication that they are not willing to pay my price! And as I have my ktiten prices on my website in a FAQ, it shows they haven't bothered to read it properly. If I was looking to buy a new kitten I wouldn't ask the price first but then I woudln't leave it till the last minute either 



fluffypurrs said:


> If it were the first thing I'd find it odd and maybe put off. Depends how the rest of the conversation went!


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

I think I've always been told the price without even having to ask.

Yes if it's on your website and then they ask that's a bit silly.


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

the girl I paid the most for was my LaPerm, £650 - she has turned out to be the only girl I've ever had who has failed to get pregnant - an expensive mistake 
this is one reason why I don't agree with charging much higher prices for kittens sold for breeding - you cannot guarantee fertility.



xxSaffronxx said:


> Exactly - if the cat is the one that you want!!
> 
> And if a pedigree is what you want, then you have to expect to pay for it. And like you said, you will know the price ranges anyway.
> And if you are not happy with the price, then choose another breed!!
> ...


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

no, i think they should all be charged the same. my girl who was for breeding was sold to me at the same as pet price. £350. 

sorry about your laperm, such a shame.  she looks very beautiful as well.


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## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

I agree with you Kozykatz, about the question of charging more for potential breeding queens. My own reason for charging the same for a kitten (whether she is a pet, for showing or in the rare cases that this has ever happened, for breeding) is that they come from the same parents as the pet kittens, they are raised in the same home, fed the same food and are all registered and vaccinated etc etc equally as kittens and there is no guarantee once the kitten leaves its baby home that it *will* either do well on the show bench or breed well as a queen.


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

kozykatz said:


> the girl I paid the most for was my LaPerm, £650 - she has turned out to be the only girl I've ever had who has failed to get pregnant - an expensive mistake
> this is one reason why I don't agree with charging much higher prices for kittens sold for breeding - you cannot guarantee fertility.


bless your girl xx

i only charge more as i get them tested for everything to make sure they go with a certificate of full health - however if a girl or boy turned out to be infertile i would let them pick another kitten out of another mating xx

my first girls were 550 each and so far i've lost 2 of them for breeding but one of the breeders did offer me another girl to which i said maybe in the future as i plan to stay in touch with her anyway xx

my most expensive girls are obviously the imports and you don't even want to know how much that has cost me  LOL xx


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

kozykatz said:


> the girl I paid the most for was my LaPerm, £650 - she has turned out to be the only girl I've ever had who has failed to get pregnant - an expensive mistake
> this is one reason why I don't agree with charging much higher prices for kittens sold for breeding - you cannot guarantee fertility.


Quite true Naomi!
My mentor gave me a good piece of advice on selling for breeding, and it is something she does..........

Sell the cat as pet price (on the non active) and then when the cat is ready for breeding, my mentor goes to look at the cat to make sure she is of good type for breeding, and then swap the cat over onto the active, mate the cat and pay the rest of the price for a premium of a breeding cat.
That way, the person has not paid a premium for a cat that cannot breed.


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

What if you fork out more money and the cat has no live kittens and has to be spayed? 

I wouldn't want that TBH.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

fluffypurrs said:


> What if you fork out more money and the cat has no live kittens and has to be spayed?
> 
> I wouldn't want that TBH.


True - but if i were the breeder, I would offer them another queen.


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Well some of you that have your kitten prices listed on your sites, I have gone and had a nose, and some are actually more expensive than I thought they would be.
Now please dont get defensive over this, because I am not a breeder and I have no intention of buying a pedigree, I am purely noseyand bored at work, but what I want to ask, is can you justify the costs of your kittens?

Not knowing all the costs you incur, for example stud fees, cost of registering etc, its very hard for me to do the maths Just wondered if anyone was prepared to do some sort of breakdown for me.


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

I have one think to say having only raised on litter

IT'S F**KING EXPENSIVE


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

A breeder has
here you go 

here.


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Thanks for that fluff, its a good insight, but i think its a bit ott, putting in the price of things like newspaper when they are left over from something they would have bought anyway, plus we get a free one through our door each week.

Also, I can understand putting in the increase in food costs, but not all the mothers food cost, as she would be eating anyway even if she wasn't being bred from.

Also the cost of the hoovering is totally unrealistic. I hoover my whole house twice a week, (plus I have an electric shower, computer, tv, lights etc) and my weekly electricity bill is £5 per week, so i'm not sure how she came up with £3 per week just for hoovering the kitten room.


...oh and I have just seen they are saying 15 loads of kitten bedding being washed per week. Thats 15 loads, not 15 sheets. Thats about 75 towles in a week! No way is that right. I changed the bedding once a day when my cat had kittens, and that worked out about 2 full loads a week.

Also, they haven&#8217;t included any stud fees.


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

yes it's a bit OTT but I'd read it before and it was quite interesting


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

if you don't have a prefix it's £12 to register 1 kitten with the gccf, if you have a prefix which costs £60 then it's £6 for 1kitten.

stud fees i have enquired after range from £100 - £250 then travelling too and from, maybe twice etc..

but it cost lots to keep your own boy, outside heating for him etcetc...

c sections £350+ 

some people import cats to improve their cats which all cost. I don't mind paying alot as we've said before you get a quality cat that way.

some kittens i've seen going for £400 i wouldn't touch with a barge poll.


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Sorry fluff, sounds like Im getting at you. I do appreciate the link. &#61514;


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

don't apologise, i didn't think that.


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

It really is an interesting insight though.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

helz said:


> Also, I can understand putting in the increase in food costs, but not all the mothers food cost, as she would be eating anyway even if she wasn't being bred from.


yes but she eats more when pregnant (loads more!!!!). And even when she has had babies, making sure she only gets the best food while lactating is very important too


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

actually I have looked at the hovering bit again, she says it costs 4p to hoover the room for 10 minutes, and it only takes 10 minutes to hoover the room. And yet she reckons it costs her £2.80 per week. That means she is hovering the kitten room 70 times a week, which is 10 times a day! No way!


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

fluffypurrs said:


> some kittens i've seen going for £400 i wouldn't touch with a barge poll.


You mean Siamese for pets fluff at £400? If so, why not?


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

helz said:


> actually I have looked at the hovering bit again, she says it costs 4p to hoover the room for 10 minutes, and it only takes 10 minutes to hoover the room. And yet she reckons it costs her £2.80 per week. That means she is hovering the kitten room 70 times a week, which is 10 times a day! No way!


lol......


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

xxSaffronxx said:


> yes but she eats more when pregnant (loads more!!!!). And even when she has had babies, making sure she only gets the best food while lactating is very important too


Yeah, but she is claiming towards the end of the pregnancy the cat is using more than £20 per week in food and litter. Just to compare, my 4 cats cost me half of that all put together.

...right i'm going home from work. I will try to check in again later this evening. I'm not saying this womans TOTAL cost is wrong, its just the way she has added it up.


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

xxSaffronxx said:


> You mean Siamese for pets fluff at £400? If so, why not?


I mean some kittens I see advertised on dodgy sites selling suspicious looking kittens for £400, those are the ones I would not touch.

Though too be honest certain breeders who would want to charge £450 or over I personally wouldn't buy. Yet other breeders I wouldn't bat an eyelid paying that much. But that is just me.


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

helz said:


> Yeah, but she is claiming towards the end of the pregnancy the cat is using more than £20 per week in food and litter. Just to compare, my 4 cats cost me half of that all put together.


ok it may not be the most accurate  but all i could find as i had read it before. it may not be true.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

helz said:


> Yeah, but she is claiming towards the end of the pregnancy the cat is using more than £20 per week in food and litter. Just to compare, my 4 cats cost me half of that all put together.


maybe she buys expensive litter! LOL


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

fluffypurrs said:


> I mean some kittens I see advertised on dodgy sites selling suspicious looking kittens for £400, those are the ones I would not touch.
> 
> Though too be honest certain breeders who would want to charge £450 or over I personally wouldn't buy. Yet other breeders I wouldn't bat an eyelid paying that much. But that is just me.


hmmm true - but i would pay £400 for a good Meezer


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

I can imagine the cost - i've imported boys twice and will most likely be importing a Burmese next year, but I think he will be slightly less than the 2 Ocicats!

do you test all your kittens before they go then, and if so why? Surely if the parents are negative so will the kittens be? what do you test for?



LousKoonz said:


> bless your girl xx
> 
> i only charge more as i get them tested for everything to make sure they go with a certificate of full health - however if a girl or boy turned out to be infertile i would let them pick another kitten out of another mating xx
> 
> ...


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

Well yes so would I. Some people just put a boy and girl together with no research into the health of those cat's pedigrees or whatever. Don't care about much except having kittens and then selling them for very high prices.

I don't mind paying alot of a kitten who has been bred with a bit of thought, if you know what I mean!


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

Not sure if you looked at my site, but my Kitten FAQ does give reasons as to why my kittens cost what they do - the prices I charge are the average for my breed anyway, but mine are neutered and chipped before sale, and this is included in the price so in effect mine are actually less than many other breeders' 
I really ought to charge more, but not going to try in the current economic climate. Can't sell them too easily as it is!



helz said:


> Well some of you that have your kitten prices listed on your sites, I have gone and had a nose, and some are actually more expensive than I thought they would be.
> Now please dont get defensive over this, because I am not a breeder and I have no intention of buying a pedigree, I am purely noseyand bored at work, but what I want to ask, is can you justify the costs of your kittens?
> 
> Not knowing all the costs you incur, for example stud fees, cost of registering etc, its very hard for me to do the maths Just wondered if anyone was prepared to do some sort of breakdown for me.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

kozykatz said:


> Not sure if you looked at my site, but my Kitten FAQ does give reasons as to why my kittens cost what they do - the prices I charge are the average for my breed anyway, but mine are neutered and chipped before sale, and this is included in the price so in effect mine are actually less than many other breeders'
> I really ought to charge more, but not going to try in the current economic climate. Can't sell them too easily as it is!


Not one of my kittens was microchipped before I got them - but i think its a good thing for sure!
Do you take them to the vets or have you taken a course to do it yourself?

And i know why u neuter them before they go


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

helz said:


> Well some of you that have your kitten prices listed on your sites, I have gone and had a nose, and some are actually more expensive than I thought they would be.
> Now please dont get defensive over this, because I am not a breeder and I have no intention of buying a pedigree, I am purely noseyand bored at work, but what I want to ask, is can you justify the costs of your kittens?


Vaccinations plus microchip £80

Food I worked out recently, can't quite remember now, but I know I was rather surprised at how little profit there is on a litter when nothing goes wrong. Of course if something DOES go wrong you're into a loss. I have a litter for just two for which I had to have an emergency caesarean and the bill was over £500.

Liz


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

I know an established breed is priced at market value / fair value of what the other breeders are selling them for, but what I want to know is, why do the different breeds differ vastly in price??
And who sets the original price in the first place??

For instance, a Burmese Queen ranges from £400 - £800, and when I was looking into Australian Mists, a queen was about £1000 - £1500 if I remember rightly  and stud fees £500!!!


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2008)

I think it varies a lot in every breed for example one of my queens was £550, another was £700. The dearer one was from a very experienced breeder who's kittens also came from imported lines so I was quite happy to pay extra.

Lou
X


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

I did a course 4 years ago so I can do them myself - also I do a few for other breeders, have even done a litter of spaniel puppies (they were gorgeous!)
I think i charge less than most vets 



xxSaffronxx said:


> Not one of my kittens was microchipped before I got them - but i think its a good thing for sure!
> Do you take them to the vets or have you taken a course to do it yourself?
> 
> And i know why u neuter them before they go


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

Ouch!!

Aus Mists are fairly similar to Asians, but you certainly wouldn't pay that much for an Asian kiten 



xxSaffronxx said:


> I know an established breed is priced at market value / fair value of what the other breeders are selling them for, but what I want to know is, why do the different breeds differ vastly in price??
> And who sets the original price in the first place??
> 
> For instance, a Burmese Queen ranges from £400 - £800, and when I was looking into Australian Mists, a queen was about £1000 - £1500 if I remember rightly  and stud fees £500!!!


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

kozykatz said:


> I did a course 4 years ago so I can do them myself - also I do a few for other breeders, have even done a litter of spaniel puppies (they were gorgeous!)
> I think i charge less than most vets


Yes i considered going on the course as there is one in Nottingham - but at the time that class was fully booked and I have looked into it since as its an annual thing!
But having watched microchipping being done at the vets - im not sure I could do it!!

I can cope with breeding, placentas, blood etc, but for some reasons the microchip makes me cringe a little. I actually had to walk out the consulting room when they did my Siam because she was so tiny that I could not watch!
Needless to say - the nurse said she didnt even flinch!


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

kozykatz said:


> Ouch!!
> 
> Aus Mists are fairly similar to Asians, but you certainly wouldn't pay that much for an Asian kiten


Hmmm i think Aussie mists look similar to Bengals - only lighter in colour?? 
They are gorgeous cats!!


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## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

Some of us do not own a stud and will have to pay at least £150 per go for stud fees plus petrol money a further £20 plus 24 hr test to prove that the queen is free of any diseases (which means a vet fee of circa £40 in my area). Then there is the cost of ad hoc vet consultations for any kittens who may suffer with eye or tummy complaints - another vet fee of about £20 per go, registration of kittens (£10 each kitten), vaccination (£75 per kitten), worming treatment (£10 per kitten - vet fee/meds). Extra heating in winter for when kittens are tiny and need to keep warm.

This is fine so far, not included food yet nor have I included anything for when stuff may go really wrong - these are just ad hoc normal issues that need to be taken care of week by week. Many breeders also include a kitten pack which varies from just a few pages of advice concerning diet and pedigree plus details of vaccinations etc to a load of goodies including toys, litter, food for a week, blanket. Vet bills are mostly predictable but the unpredictable variations are the thing to worry about. 

Those who own their studs may not need to spend money on stud fees, but they do spend on extra heating, they do spend on testing their boys because they do have to keep this up to date in case a queen's owner wants to see proof of it, and most of them need to keep their boy's profile up to date so they have to show which again costs them entry fee money, petrol money, costs of show equipment etc etc etc. 

Anyone who has a website will need to keep it updated and perhaps pay for its maintenance too - this can vary depending on how you choose to manage the website or whether you employ a website manager. 

No doubt other people will add to this. 

Hope this information helps.


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

xxSaffronxx said:


> For instance, a Burmese Queen ranges from £400 - £800, and when I was looking into Australian Mists, a queen was about £1000 - £1500 if I remember rightly  and stud fees £500!!!


That's what happens with new breeds of course - bengals were like that at the start. And then the Aussie mist person seems to think that no Aussie mists can be produced except by her route which includes selected moggies. In the (highly unlikely IMO) event of them ever getting GCCF recognition over here then that will be out the window for a start.

I've always sold the same price active and non-active (reduce it if they get too old or for Asians on reference register)

Liz


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

xxSaffronxx said:


> Yes i considered going on the course as there is one in Nottingham - but at the time that class was fully booked and I have looked into it since as its an annual thing!
> But having watched microchipping being done at the vets - im not sure I could do it!!
> 
> I can cope with breeding, placentas, blood etc, but for some reasons the microchip makes me cringe a little. I actually had to walk out the consulting room when they did my Siam because she was so tiny that I could not watch!
> Needless to say - the nurse said she didnt even flinch!


Some of the vets at the practice I use insist on taking cats "backstage" to chip them - whether that's because they think the owner might get upset, or to sneakily (and rightly!) check there is no chip already, I don't know.

Mind you one of them, who should know me better, wanted to take my Katie backstage to lance an abscess on her Bum. I guess he thought I would be upset if she yelled. As it happened, since it was the second abscess she had in a month, and the first involved a general anaesthetic since it was on her throat, and since in both cases she started it with an unprovoked attack on a pregnant girl who was in her own room minding her own business, I did not have a great deal of sympathy with Katie and would not have turned a hair if she yelled! I did tell her after the first one, that I wanted an extra kitten in her next litter to pay for the vet costs, since it was entirely her fault, so perhaps that's why she gave me seven kittens this time 

Liz


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

Rraa said:


> Some of us do not own a stud and will have to pay at least £150 per go for stud fees plus petrol money a further £20 plus 24 hr test to prove that the queen is free of any diseases (which means a vet fee of circa £40 in my area). Then there is the cost of ad hoc vet consultations for any kittens who may suffer with eye or tummy complaints - another vet fee of about £20 per go, registration of kittens (£10 each kitten), vaccination (£75 per kitten), worming treatment (£10 per kitten - vet fee/meds). Extra heating in winter for when kittens are tiny and need to keep warm.
> 
> This is fine so far, not included food yet nor have I included anything for when stuff may go really wrong - these are just ad hoc normal issues that need to be taken care of week by week. Many breeders also include a kitten pack which varies from just a few pages of advice concerning diet and pedigree plus details of vaccinations etc to a load of goodies including toys, litter, food for a week, blanket. Vet bills are mostly predictable but the unpredictable variations are the thing to worry about.
> 
> ...


I can add to this:

Wear and tear on the car going back and forth to stud
Phone calls to new owners
Cost of advertising kittens (some websites are free but not all)
Stationery used for kitten packs & information for new owners
Subscriptions to cat clubs
The restocking of medical supplies & equipment after each litter

Just a tip - my cats & kittens have 2 rooms to themselves (not including the bedroom as a temporary nursery when needed). So it makes it easier to apportion the costs on overheads such as heating, electric etc.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

lizward said:


> Some of the vets at the practice I use insist on taking cats "backstage" to chip them - whether that's because they think the owner might get upset, or to sneakily (and rightly!) check there is no chip already, I don't know.
> 
> Mind you one of them, who should know me better, wanted to take my Katie backstage to lance an abscess on her Bum. I guess he thought I would be upset if she yelled. As it happened, since it was the second abscess she had in a month, and the first involved a general anaesthetic since it was on her throat, and since in both cases she started it with an unprovoked attack on a pregnant girl who was in her own room minding her own business, I did not have a great deal of sympathy with Katie and would not have turned a hair if she yelled! I did tell her after the first one, that I wanted an extra kitten in her next litter to pay for the vet costs, since it was entirely her fault, so perhaps that's why she gave me seven kittens this time
> 
> Liz


LOL liz - that made me giggle!


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

£150 is cheap for a siamese stud boy, I paid that for a Gr Ch 4 years ago. As their prices went up £25 per year it seemed, I hate to think what it would be now. I was quoted over £200 for a bi colour stud.


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## xxSaffronxx (Apr 2, 2008)

lizward said:


> That's what happens with new breeds of course - bengals were like that at the start. And then the Aussie mist person seems to think that no Aussie mists can be produced except by her route which includes selected moggies. In the (highly unlikely IMO) event of them ever getting GCCF recognition over here then that will be out the window for a start.
> 
> I've always sold the same price active and non-active (reduce it if they get too old or for Asians on reference register)
> 
> Liz


And bearing in mind that the Aussie mists costs so much  their average litter size is 3  so you are at a loss before you even start!
And part of the deal is that you have to agree to take the cats to shows to try and get GCCF recognition  that in itself is a huge cost on a regular basis including petrol for going up and down the country and entrance fees  never mind time spent doing so.

And as the cats themselves cost so much, you could try and sell them as pets at around £800  but would a pet owner actually want to pay that much for a kitten that could not been shown or is GCCF recognised?


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

Hiya hun,

Just breeding kittens are tested xx My reasoning behind this is purely from hearing stories of breeders having in new kittens and them bringing stuff in with them and it annoys me that when i hear these stories that it's usually that the breeder takes no responsibility for it whatsoever and puts the blame back onto the new owner x

well i will not be one of those types of breeders - i have an open and honest policy and as i will always want to be as safe as possible i will test the kittens going for breeding as then i've made sure that it's not down to me and my own if anything goes wrong xx

my breeding kittens will not leave with the pet kittens, usually a few weeks later than this xx

most of mine have been tested and/or parents have been tested and are negative for anything anyway (the others being tested before mating) but i just want to make sure that i am as responsible in putting breeding kittens out to other breeders as possible xx

obviously with all ones going as pet the parents are tested anyway so it's not as if thats not as important - just like to double check on any that are going to keep good bloodlines going xx

am confusing myself now so i'll shut up but hope i've explained what i meant  lol xx



kozykatz said:


> I can imagine the cost - i've imported boys twice and will most likely be importing a Burmese next year, but I think he will be slightly less than the 2 Ocicats!
> 
> do you test all your kittens before they go then, and if so why? Surely if the parents are negative so will the kittens be? what do you test for?


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2008)

LousKoonz said:


> Hiya hun,
> 
> Just breeding kittens are tested xx My reasoning behind this is purely from hearing stories of breeders having in new kittens and them bringing stuff in with them and it annoys me that when i hear these stories that it's usually that the breeder takes no responsibility for it whatsoever and puts the blame back onto the new owner x
> 
> well i will not be one of those types of breeders - i have an open and honest policy and as i will always want to be as safe as possible i will test the kittens going for breeding as then i've made sure that it's not down to me and my own if anything goes wrong xx


Couldn't agree more - it not only covers yourself as the breeder, but also gives the new owner peace of mind too. Especially if there are other cats who could be affected by illness that could be brought in.


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

ooo, forgot to say they're tested for all the normal stuff plus FCV and FHV as i've had a girl in who had a reaction to a vaccination and by luck i knew i should quarantine and did so no residual effects on anyone else but it showed me it's best to be safe before sending a kitten for breeding out as i've been on the recieving end lol xx


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

Oh thanks for the infomation ladies... (i think you are all ladies )


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

helz said:


> Oh thanks for the infomation ladies... (i think you are all ladies )


LOL, it's not something i get called often pmsl  xx


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2008)

LousKoonz said:


> LOL, it's not something i get called often pmsl  xx


me neither lol - well only when it's in the same sentence as 'crazy' and 'cat'

Lou
X


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## helz (May 24, 2008)

LousKoonz said:


> LOL, it's not something i get called often pmsl  xx


uh-oh, Does that mean your a fella then? Sorry


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## Soupie (Sep 2, 2008)

xxSaffronxx said:


> I know an established breed is priced at market value / fair value of what the other breeders are selling them for, but what I want to know is, why do the different breeds differ vastly in price??
> And who sets the original price in the first place??
> 
> For instance, a Burmese Queen ranges from £400 - £800, and when I was looking into Australian Mists, a queen was about £1000 - £1500 if I remember rightly  and stud fees £500!!!


The Selkirks when they first came in were very expensive - they were rare and it was aimed at encouraging only people serious in breeding and progressing the breed to purchase breeding cats. Also the breeders were importing cats which costs a fortune so producing the first kittens was obviously more expensive than now 

Now their prices have come down considerably and people seem to be charged around the suggested price range on the site. It was only a couple of years ago thought that a curly breeding queen would have set you back £1000 +


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

helz said:


> uh-oh, Does that mean your a fella then? Sorry


PMSL, no i just don't get called it that often 

other than as Lou said the "crazy cat lady" - which i agree with them on and thank them for the compliment LOL xx


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## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

LOL, maybe I will be able to afford one eventually then 
Am trying to resist looking at any websites that might have kitten pictures 



Soupie said:


> The Selkirks when they first came in were very expensive - they were rare and it was aimed at encouraging only people serious in breeding and progressing the breed to purchase breeding cats. Also the breeders were importing cats which costs a fortune so producing the first kittens was obviously more expensive than now
> 
> Now their prices have come down considerably and people seem to be charged around the suggested price range on the site. It was only a couple of years ago thought that a curly breeding queen would have set you back £1000 +


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