Why Does a Responsibly Bred Maine Coon Cost So Much?
Past Kitten
If you’ve never purchased a responsibly bred purebred cat before, I completely understand the sticker shock. A few thousand dollars for a kitten sounds like a lot of money. Because it is.
With that said, a more expensive kitten does not automatically mean a better breeder but it does mean they have the income to breed responsibly. An unusually low price (think $2000 and under) should probably make you ask some questions, but price alone still doesn’t tell you whether someone is breeding responsibly.
What matters is what is actually happening behind the scenes.
I’ve been raising companion animals for 16 years, and one thing I can tell you is that responsible breeding is expensive. Really expensive. And those expenses start long before there is a litter of adorable kittens for someone to choose from.
There are the breeding cats themselves, genetic testing, veterinary care, quality food, litter, medications, parasite prevention, vaccinations, registration, supplies and everything involved in maintaining a clean and healthy home environment. There are also years when you spend money raising a beautiful cat that ultimately never enters your breeding program at all because something about that cat makes you decide breeding isn’t the right choice. Let's not forget taxes, I am a Sole Proprietorship, so just like any other self-employed person, I pay taxes on the income my business earns.
Then there are the expenses nobody really sees.
Pregnancy and delivery don’t always go according to plan. Kittens sometimes need around-the-clock supplemental feeding. Queens can need emergency C-sections. Newborns can require veterinary care. And occasionally something goes terribly wrong.
I’ve had a queen develop pyometra after breeding. Her uterus filled with infection, ruptured, and she became septic. She required an emergency spay and spent four nights hospitalized. At the first emergency hospital, I was given an estimate of roughly $7,000–$10,000 for her continued care. I ultimately transferred her to another veterinary hospital where we could continue treating her at a more manageable cost (ended up being $6000), but there was never a question of whether she was going to receive the care she needed.
She survived. She was retired from breeding and now lives as a very loved pet.
Those are the expenses you don’t see when you’re looking at a cute eight-week-old kitten on Facebook.
And then there is time.
Kittens are born and raised in my home. I’m there for deliveries. I’m weighing newborns, watching nursing, cleaning, doing laundry, introducing food, cleaning some more, socializing kittens, answering families’ questions, taking pictures and videos, running my website and social media accounts, scheduling veterinary appointments, preparing records and paperwork and sometimes getting on an airplane to help a kitten reach its new family.
This isn’t passive income. 😂
Does that mean breeders shouldn’t make a profit?
No.
This is another conversation where I think we’ve gotten a little strange as a society. We expect people to be compensated for their work in almost every other profession, but sometimes there’s an expectation that if someone truly loves animals, they shouldn’t make money breeding them.
I don’t agree with that.
My animals depend on me. Their food, veterinary care, housing and emergency care all cost money. Responsible breeding has to be financially sustainable or eventually you cannot continue providing that level of care.
This is also part of my livelihood. I don’t apologize for that.
At the same time, I’m not interested in charging the absolute highest price the market will tolerate simply because I can. Many of my families travel from other states and already have airfare or delivery expenses. Some families would love to bring home two kittens together. I take those things into consideration when setting my prices.
Could I charge more? Probably. My prices may increase as my expenses and program change over the years. But my goal isn’t to determine the highest possible dollar amount someone will pay for one of my kittens.
My goal is to charge an amount that allows me to responsibly maintain my program, care for my animals, support myself for the work I’m doing, and still feel comfortable with what I’m asking my families to pay.
So what ARE you paying for?
You’re paying for the kitten, of course. But you’re also paying for everything that came before that kitten.
You’re paying for thoughtful breeding decisions, health testing, veterinary care, properly cared-for parents, pregnancy and neonatal care, quality nutrition, vaccinations, socialization, a health guarantee, registration and a breeder who intends to still answer your questions after your kitten goes home.
And those are the things I would look at when comparing breeders, not simply who charges the most or who charges the least.
Ask what health testing they perform. Ask how their kittens are raised. Ask about veterinary care. Ask what happens if a kitten becomes sick. Ask about their contract and health guarantee. Look at their adult cats. Talk to previous families. Pay attention to whether they’re willing to answer your questions.
Because ultimately, price is a number. Responsible breeding is a practice.
And those two things should never be confused.
Daphne Riggs
With that said, a more expensive kitten does not automatically mean a better breeder but it does mean they have the income to breed responsibly. An unusually low price (think $2000 and under) should probably make you ask some questions, but price alone still doesn’t tell you whether someone is breeding responsibly.
What matters is what is actually happening behind the scenes.
I’ve been raising companion animals for 16 years, and one thing I can tell you is that responsible breeding is expensive. Really expensive. And those expenses start long before there is a litter of adorable kittens for someone to choose from.
There are the breeding cats themselves, genetic testing, veterinary care, quality food, litter, medications, parasite prevention, vaccinations, registration, supplies and everything involved in maintaining a clean and healthy home environment. There are also years when you spend money raising a beautiful cat that ultimately never enters your breeding program at all because something about that cat makes you decide breeding isn’t the right choice. Let's not forget taxes, I am a Sole Proprietorship, so just like any other self-employed person, I pay taxes on the income my business earns.
Then there are the expenses nobody really sees.
Pregnancy and delivery don’t always go according to plan. Kittens sometimes need around-the-clock supplemental feeding. Queens can need emergency C-sections. Newborns can require veterinary care. And occasionally something goes terribly wrong.
I’ve had a queen develop pyometra after breeding. Her uterus filled with infection, ruptured, and she became septic. She required an emergency spay and spent four nights hospitalized. At the first emergency hospital, I was given an estimate of roughly $7,000–$10,000 for her continued care. I ultimately transferred her to another veterinary hospital where we could continue treating her at a more manageable cost (ended up being $6000), but there was never a question of whether she was going to receive the care she needed.
She survived. She was retired from breeding and now lives as a very loved pet.
Those are the expenses you don’t see when you’re looking at a cute eight-week-old kitten on Facebook.
And then there is time.
Kittens are born and raised in my home. I’m there for deliveries. I’m weighing newborns, watching nursing, cleaning, doing laundry, introducing food, cleaning some more, socializing kittens, answering families’ questions, taking pictures and videos, running my website and social media accounts, scheduling veterinary appointments, preparing records and paperwork and sometimes getting on an airplane to help a kitten reach its new family.
This isn’t passive income. 😂
Does that mean breeders shouldn’t make a profit?
No.
This is another conversation where I think we’ve gotten a little strange as a society. We expect people to be compensated for their work in almost every other profession, but sometimes there’s an expectation that if someone truly loves animals, they shouldn’t make money breeding them.
I don’t agree with that.
My animals depend on me. Their food, veterinary care, housing and emergency care all cost money. Responsible breeding has to be financially sustainable or eventually you cannot continue providing that level of care.
This is also part of my livelihood. I don’t apologize for that.
At the same time, I’m not interested in charging the absolute highest price the market will tolerate simply because I can. Many of my families travel from other states and already have airfare or delivery expenses. Some families would love to bring home two kittens together. I take those things into consideration when setting my prices.
Could I charge more? Probably. My prices may increase as my expenses and program change over the years. But my goal isn’t to determine the highest possible dollar amount someone will pay for one of my kittens.
My goal is to charge an amount that allows me to responsibly maintain my program, care for my animals, support myself for the work I’m doing, and still feel comfortable with what I’m asking my families to pay.
So what ARE you paying for?
You’re paying for the kitten, of course. But you’re also paying for everything that came before that kitten.
You’re paying for thoughtful breeding decisions, health testing, veterinary care, properly cared-for parents, pregnancy and neonatal care, quality nutrition, vaccinations, socialization, a health guarantee, registration and a breeder who intends to still answer your questions after your kitten goes home.
And those are the things I would look at when comparing breeders, not simply who charges the most or who charges the least.
Ask what health testing they perform. Ask how their kittens are raised. Ask about veterinary care. Ask what happens if a kitten becomes sick. Ask about their contract and health guarantee. Look at their adult cats. Talk to previous families. Pay attention to whether they’re willing to answer your questions.
Because ultimately, price is a number. Responsible breeding is a practice.
And those two things should never be confused.
Daphne Riggs
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