The Cattery Business
Running a cattery and breeding cats is not a business. It is a hobby. If you are interested in breeding your purebred cat, it is important to realize that every penny that is made from the sale of a litter of kittens goes straight back into the operation costs of a cattery, and that does not include a salary for the breeder. If you are considering breeding your cat as a source of income, you should go straight to the veterinarian and have your feline spayed or neutered. It takes most breeders three to five years before they begin to break even financially.
Know Your Breed!
Before you ever consider breeding, you must first pick the right breed for your family. If you don’t start with this very basic foundation, you will fail. One must know their breed well if they are to be a successful breeder. Not only must you live in harmony with your kitty, but you also have to know enough about your breed to pick out the perfect cats for your breeding program.
You have to know about color genetics, bone structure, what your breed’s fur should look like, as well as often how their coat should feel. You have to know how to balance out the characteristics of your queen and stud cats so that your kittens produced will be the best of their breed – that is always the goal! People who adopt your kittens will also rely on you for every detail about properly raising their cats, including health, temperament, grooming and more.
Where to Find and Purchase Breeding Cats
Once you’ve decided what feline breed you would enjoy raising, the next step is to find a breeder who will sell a cat with breeding rights. This is often difficult! Reputable breeders screen thoroughly before placing a cat into a breeding situation, and most will only place cats with experienced and established breeders. The price of a purebred cat with breeding rights is easily $1,000.00 or more! If you do not purchase breeding rights, you cannot register your kittens.
Setting Up a Cattery
The CFA offers suggestions on how to set up your cattery. This includes how much space you need, what equipment you will need to efficiently run your cattery, as well as great detail on cleanliness and care. A cattery can be set up in a spare bedroom in your home, but it has to be done properly and be kept immaculately. If you don’t enjoy cleaning, trying to run a cattery is a bad idea. The CFA guidelines also recommend a certain female to male ratio to keep your cats happy and stress free. Also, in many states, there are more specific laws and regulations, including health inspections and state licenses.
Things to Consider BEFORE Starting a Cattery
If you’ve read this far and are still considering opening a cattery, here are a few things to think about:
- Running a cattery properly is a full-time job with no pay. Do you have 10 hours a day to devote to your cats?
- Breeding is an expensive hobby, and you may not recoup operating costs for 3-5 years. Can you afford the start-up costs?
- Breeders do not take vacations, and plans are often interrupted due to illness or births. Can you always be there for your cats?
- Cats often need expensive health care, up to $2500 in the case of an emergency C-section. Do you have this much in your savings account?
- There is always the possibility that your cat will die during labor. Are you willing to risk your cat’s life?
- You may not always be able to place every kitten in a home. Can you keep any kittens you can’t place?
- Kittens die – it’s just a fact that many do. Can you handle the death of a kitten?
There’s much more to consider and so much more involved in running a cattery, but these are the basics. Before you start a cattery, do your research, get involved in a breed club, find a mentor who will teach you about breeding, and search your heart and soul. You will be responsible for the life of every kitten you bring into the world, as well as to the family who adopted them. It is a huge responsibility!
Source: Darlene Cheek, Persian Cat Breeder, Tennessee Persians
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