Would you make a profit selling kittens?

Kavanne

A friend of mine has a cat and she would like for it to have kittens.

I believe (but I may be wrong) she would like to make some money from this. The cat is just a tabby, I believe, not a breed. Can you actually make any money from this?

jennyo

possibly, however if things go wrong it may end up costing money, it also depends on how much demand in your area there is, moggy kittens seem to sell for around £50 near me, although some people still give them away

SnowyOwl_2

Hopefully any money she makes will go towards getting the mum cat spayed as she might have to get rid of two litters of kittens per year.

It really rankles with me that people can sell kittens. But then when I think about it more closely I think that people who part money for something will probably take better care of it as it's less likely to have been taken on on a whim. However there is no denying that it's possible to get a kitten for free if you ask around enough.

She needs to ask herself what she is going to do with kittens which aren't purchased. They will still need feeding, wormed, defleaed and inoculated, and if still with her at five or so months old will also need to be neutered before they interbreed. She could end up with more adult cats than just the mother.

Point her in the direction of the vet to get mum cat spayed pdq and you'll save her a lot of hassle and heartache.

Sorry to rain on her parade...

kiraroo

i would say absolutely no chance. not only is it incredibly selfish to even consider doing this it will also cost an absolute packet.

each year i foster kittens, the average litter i would say will be cost about £250 in food, cat litter, newspaper. pregnant cats should eat as much as they like, and they can easily get through nearly a box of sachets in under two days.

then you have to consider medical costs, a c section if needed could cost them over £100 easily, any standard required trips to the vet would be about £20 without medication. every pregnant cat i have fostered has had an upset tummy, costing extra for medication and bland catfood or chicken.

unless a breeder selling rare kittens, there is no money to be made. besides there are 1000s of kitten born in the uk every year needing homes without more being born unnecessarily. not only finacially, but your friend should consider how much she loves her cat, does she want to risk losing her (cats can die before and after birth) just to make money, then there's the heart ache if kittens die too

Kimberley

You can't really make lots of money from selling kittens unless it's a BYB who don't vaccinate or spend money on them. If you breed them then the money is spent on registration, vaccinations, food, kitten packs, vet check ups or if the mum needs help to give birth etc. It can be costly.

foreign_correspondent

it is very unlikely she would make any money - more people are getting rid of cats and dogs now - more than ever, as they are an additional cost which many choose not to prioritise when money is tight... and so lots of 'cheap' or 'free' kittens and cats will be available -why would people buy one when its not so difficult to get one for nothing? -or to get a neutered, vaccinated and chipped cat or kitten from a rescue centre for a relatively small fee?

Also, it could cost her a lot of money (and even her cat's life!) if there are complications - emergency treatment for a cat struggling in labour in the middle of the night does not come cheap... look at this thread which is on here at the moment to appreciate what can happen when labour goes wrong -
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1507071

Please advise her against letting her cat have kittens, it is better for her cat to be speyed, vouchers are avalable from lots of places if she s on benefits, and it avoids the risks of birth and pregnancy for the mother and the risks of homelessness and hunger for any potential kittens!

Buttonmoons

You wouldn't believe the prices kittens are going for around here! Because it's not kitten season yet (though I presume the kittys will be born soon) and people seem very desperate for a kitten.

I've seen a few ads on gumtree, one woman's cat had obviously went into heat early and she had 1 kitten left, she was wanting £150 for it! Just a regular ol' tabby cat, and I think someone bought it!

I've also seen ads stating that their cat is pregnant and the kittens are due in X time or they have just been born. £50 deposit to reserve your cat and then ANOTHER £75 when you pick it up.

Give it a few months and people will be giving them away for free. The mind boggles.

spookylukey

Would she make a profit? If she cares for Mum cat and the kittens as they should be cared for ie feeds a high quality food, regular vet care/check ups, worming tablets, flea treatment, vaccinations etc then the answer is No.

Should she make a profit - even more resoundingly No. There are literally hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats and kittens looking for homes in rescue centres up and down the country, not to mention the strays living on the streets. All those adult cats living rough and sitting in cages in rescues were once cute kittens who people wanted to give a home.

PLEASE DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER ANIMALS DIE

foreign_correspondent

spookylukey wrote: »

Should she make a profit - even more resoundingly No. There are literally hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats and kittens looking for homes in rescue centres up and down the country, not to mention the strays living on the streets. All those adult cats living rough and sitting in cages in rescues were once cute kittens who people wanted to give a home.

PLEASE DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER ANIMALS DIE

Agree 110% - "Would you make a profit selling kittens?" - no I wouldnt, because I do not want to add to the terrible problem of unwanted animals in the UK.

Neutering and Speying is the way to solve this problem!

dolally_2

No, I wouldn't make a profit but I would have a house full to the brim with cats because I would want to keep them all!! On a serious note though I don't see how you can make a profit from them if you are providing them with the right care and attention.
I personally would not get a kitten again, I have done both (buying a kitten and adopting an older cat) and things were much smoother when I took on the cat. Kittens are cute but cats are better and my new one is such a darling and so loving that I couldn't see me ever choosing a kitten again.

hethmar

An ordinary moggie will command no price - there are hundreds of them waiting for homes in rescues. I think she is being very selfish.