Breeding cats at home: where to start?

Strange as it may seem, you need to start breeding cats with yourself. First ask yourself this question: Why do I need cat breeding?

Possible answers:

1) I want to make money by breeding cats

Such a crazy thought often comes to mind after viewing advertisements for the sale of purebred kittens, which amaze with their price tags. However, for some reason, few people think about how much money needs to be invested in “raising” one kitten. Breeding cats is not a profitable business, but rather an expensive hobby that requires, in addition to serious material, also a lot of time and mental investment. However, you can still make a small profit from selling kittens, especially when the main exhibition period of their parents has passed.

2) I bought a purebred cat, why not try cat breeding?

This sounds good, but keep in mind that breeding cats is a complex endeavor that requires certain skills and knowledge. You'll have to learn, and it's not easy. Well, see point 1: you need money, physical strength and energy.

3) I’m not going to seriously breed cats, it’s just that a cat needs to give birth at least once.

We already wrote in the article about sterilization of cats that a cat does NOT HAVE to give birth; moreover, there is no point in a “one-time” birth; on the contrary, if a cat is sterilized after the first birth, this will have a detrimental effect on its mental and physical health. So it is better not to experiment and immediately sterilize the animal.

4) I was involved in breeding dogs/ferrets/rats/etc., now I want to try breeding cats.

Here you need to understand that cats differ significantly in genetics, living conditions, etc. from other animals, so you should not transfer your experience in breeding ferrets to breeding cats without changes.

5) I always wanted to breed cats, I carefully studied the issue, bought a good cat; I want to breed a fundamentally new breed or significantly improve an old one.

In fact, this is exactly what the ideal answer to the question “why do I want to breed cats?” should sound like. But, alas, it sounds like that extremely rarely.

What are the pros and cons of business?

Breeding cats has both advantages and disadvantages. It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with them even before proceeding directly to reproduction.

Important. Any animal, regardless of breed, requires money and attention.

The more cats were taken to start with, the more money will have to be invested in raising them. The benefits noted by business owners include:

• relatively small financial costs for purchasing a female or pair;
• quick payback;
• no need to obtain a license;
• ease of combination with other work.

But there are also disadvantages that are quite significant. Studying them, some novice businessmen abandon their idea. There is always high competition among breeders. Also, when starting a business, you need to have basic knowledge of felinology and zoomedicine. You can't do without them.

It is also important to understand that a cat requires a lot of attention during the period of bearing offspring. Most likely you will have to take a vacation from your main job. No matter how sad it is, there is always a risk that some of the pets or the female herself will die. Even if the birth was successful, you should not relax. After delivery, your cat may experience complications.

Another disadvantage is the irregularity of earnings. There may be only one kitten in a litter, which means that the investment will not pay off. At the same time, a cat can be bred only once every 7-8 months.

Tips for beginning breeders

There are many nuances that you should pay attention to in breeding cats.

Animal health and disabilities

When purchasing breeding animals, you should pay close attention to ensure that all individuals are healthy. To do this, you can do the necessary tests before purchasing (at the buyer’s expense).

In addition, breeding individuals should not have any birth defects. Therefore, it is worth going to the nursery with one of the experienced felinologists, if possible.

Some faults, such as medallions in color or a crease in the tail, cannot be determined when kittens are purchased. In this case, the breeder cannot be blamed for this; these are risks of acquisition.

In the future, it is necessary to carry out all measures to support the health of the entire nursery. To do this, the entire livestock should be regularly dewormed (at least once a quarter), treated for external parasites every six months, and vaccinated annually, including against rabies.

If your pets are being exhibited, you should also take care not to bring lichen into the nursery. There is no effective vaccine for it. But you can consult with a competent veterinarian and take the necessary preventive measures.

Exhibitions

Participation in exhibitions is not mandatory for breeding animals. But this will help improve the reputation of the nursery.

These activities will take up many weekends and require additional financial investment. In some felinological systems, a pet can receive high titles within a year, in others it will take a longer period (2-3 years).

Education

Often, at the beginning of their activity, young breeders undergo special training and receive a diploma as a felinologist.

This only makes sense if the breeder has decided on the breed and the teacher is competent enough.

All these courses are organized by clubs on a voluntary basis and do not have legal certificates. Rather, they can slightly contribute to the prestige of the nursery and provide some basic knowledge. Next, you need to improve your level of training on your own by communicating with experienced felinologists at exhibitions or online.

Veterinary assistance

You will have to visit a state veterinary clinic regularly, at least for annual vaccination. But sometimes unforeseen cases arise, for example, when an animal is injured or during a difficult birth.

It is advisable to find an experienced “your” veterinarian who will constantly inspect the entire nursery. Finding a competent professional in Russia is quite difficult. There are often unscrupulous doctors who are only interested in receiving monetary rewards. Not all clinics, seemingly large and well advertised, can be trusted even when undergoing banal tests.

It is better to learn some basic procedures and do them yourself, for example, trimming pets’ claws.

Business plan

When figuring out how to become a cat breeder and where to start, making a business plan is a must. It will help you analyze the chosen niche and make a final conclusion. The business plan should include risks, opportunities, sales routes, competitor analysis, financial and marketing plans.

Costs and profits

At the initial stages, only approximate data can be calculated. The price for breeding purebred cats depends on the chosen breed and the number of animals. It will take approximately *1.5 million rubles to create a nursery with 10 cats. If each of them gives birth to at least 4 kittens, then you can achieve an income of *1.2 million rubles.

*Prices are current as of September 2020.

Where to start breeding cats as a business at home

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A new type of entrepreneurship appeared in Russia only with the popularization of various foreign breeds and immediately gained mass popularity. This is due to the fact that the maintenance of many elite species does not require large expenses and a long period of time for their sale.

First of all, you need to go to the library or buy materials at the store. You need to learn a lot about the breed that you want to breed in the future. Today you can limit yourself to the Internet, since it contains not only a lot of free materials and recommendations, but also paid books. From everything that has been or will be read, the following key points should be clarified:

• the main characteristics of the breed and its standard sizes, what deviations from the norm may be greater or lesser;
• genetic features and possible mutations when crossing with other breeds. It is not always possible to mate different species and observe changes for the better;
• nutritional rules, including the body’s basic requirements for food, its types and the presence of nutrients and vitamins in a certain dosage. This also includes different types of diets that are more suitable for cats of this particular breed;
• important points that are contained in the rules of care. Any breed has its own disadvantages, which affect the health of individual organs and increase the risk of their disease;
• actually, breeding itself. This is what you need to read about most, since this is what a person plans to do. The basic principles of breeding, the problems that may be encountered and how to solve them should be studied in detail.

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Nursery organization

When figuring out how to open your own cattery, you need to understand that a large number of animals cannot be kept in an apartment. Pets will require a separate large room. There are a lot of other nuances that will need to be taken into account.

Breeding room

The room should be spacious and bright. At home, you can allocate a large separate room for animals or build a separate building. If possible, females and males should be kept separately. It is advisable to additionally have an open enclosure outside for walks.

Suitable conditions for keeping

To raise cats, the room must be equipped with ventilation and a heating system. This will make the animals’ stay in the nursery comfortable.

Equipment preparation

There must be cat litter trays, food plates, scratching posts, beds and toys.

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Additionally, you should have combs, animal care products, nail clippers and other additional accessories in your arsenal.

Matings

There are also a number of nuances here. All breeds have their own character and predispositions. The general principles of mating will come in handy here, but you should not neglect the advice that is suitable for a specific breed. As for the process itself, the Internet will do everything for the person. All you have to do is advertise and find a candidate. In exchange, you can receive part of the offspring or a monetary reward.

Exotic breeds are sometimes more profitable than regular ones

Breed selection

The most popular breeds are exotics, Maine Coons, British, Scottish, and Sphynxes. Such cats have been in demand for many years and their popularity has not yet decreased. Breeding Bengal cats as a business is also profitable. However, Bengals are very demanding in terms of maintenance. You need to understand that this animal has many qualities from its wild counterparts.

Why do they start breeding cats?

Breeding animals, including cats, like any other business that needs to make a profit, must begin with a clear definition of its goals. Many involve obtaining a specific result, which will have to be achieved through hard work and great responsibility for the animals.

Recently, it has been profitable to breed Bengal cats

The main reasons why cat owners begin to think about selling and breeding them are:

• receiving additional income. This is especially beneficial when selling expensive and rare breeds, but they often require additional care. This factor becomes key if you want to engage in breeding;
• desire to help the cat. Many people believe that any female cat must give birth before sterilization. This is the only way she won't want a cat anymore. This is a myth, and a cat that has given birth will still want to go for walks;
• breeding a new breed or improving the characteristics of an existing one. Some people love animals and their appearance so much that they are willing to breed just to end up with another type of breed, improve its appearance or health.

Important! Love alone is not always enough. Breeding is a lot of work that requires not only material, but mental investments. You need to not only think about your own benefit, but also understand that if the rules of reproduction are violated, animals may suffer or die.

Any breeding must begin with identifying goals

Birth and care of kittens

The place for childbirth must be prepared starting from the 30th day. This could be a large closed box or a bed. If the birth goes well, then the cat will not need outside help.

The breeder must be near the cat at the time of birth. The animal may not be able to perform any tasks efficiently. You may need help clearing fluid from your kitten's nose, rupturing the fetal sac, or cutting the umbilical cord, for example. There may be more serious problems. That is why you need to agree with a veterinarian in case of emergency assistance. At first, the cat will provide all the necessary care. Only in the future you will need to accustom the kittens to the tray and natural food or food.

Selection of the number of animals and mating

If you decide to limit yourself to one pair, then this will not bring much profit, since the females need a rest from childbirth, but during this break there will be costs for food and care. In this case, it is necessary to calculate the number of animals that will be able to produce litter throughout the year. In general, it is recommended to carry out no more than two matings per year for one female, and the very first mating for a young cat - no earlier than after the first 3 heats. Pregnancy lasts about 2 months and depends on the characteristics of the breed. There can be 6 kittens from one mating, and for Maine Coons even more.

There are several options for purchasing breeding pairs:

• Buying kittens. In this case, you need to pay special attention to choosing a nursery so that by puberty you get what you wanted to see.
• Buying cats and cats that have already grown up. Their age should be no more than one year.
• Purchase of only females with further payment for mating. The more elite the male, the more expensive the mating. Usually its cost is 500-800 dollars.

For mating, it is worth setting aside a separate room if you have cats, since mating is usually carried out in the territory of the male. The mating itself lasts from 3 days to a week. To organize it, it is necessary to draw up a purchase and sale agreement between representatives of the bride and groom, which will stipulate the conditions, payment and the possibility of dressing in the event that the cat does not become pregnant immediately.

If pregnancy, fortunately, has occurred, then the future mother cat will need good care - high-calorie and vitamin-rich food, as well as a quiet and secluded place where she could rest. It is important to keep a diary of the dates of estrus and mating so that you are prepared for the female to give birth.

Kittens for sale

Breeding cats as a business is difficult. Kittens are expensive, so it’s unlikely to sell them too quickly. You can use different marketing channels - bulletin boards, newspapers and magazines, forums, social networks, exhibitions.

If the kittens grow and become more difficult to sell, the price may need to be reduced. Or you can keep the best animal from the litter for further breeding.

Joining specialized clubs

If you want to create a nursery, you will not need state registration and licensing. In order for your kennel to have official status, you need to submit an application to a club that works with a particular breed according to one of the international systems. In addition, the club helps those who breed cats to find mating pairs for their pets and prepare the necessary documents, such as birth certificates and pedigree passports. You will also need to pay a membership fee to join the club.

Step-by-step list of actions for breeding purebred cats

Thus, after you decide to start breeding cats, the general plan of action will be summarized in the following points:

• choose and purchase a purebred kitten (according to previously studied literature);
• check the availability of relevant documents (passport, pedigree, etc.);
• undergo a thorough veterinary examination and receive all necessary vaccinations (if they are not available);
• join a club or system, that is, obtain the status of a breeder;
• start an exhibition career, which is necessary for admission to breeding;
• take a felinologist course;
• give competent advertising: both paid (with all photographs and text through newspapers, websites, etc.) and free (through neighbors, acquaintances and other people) to your pet;
• organize mating for the animal and then properly raise the resulting offspring (kittens);
• sell, in accordance with all the above nuances in this business, raised kittens (who have reached the age of approximately 3-4 months).

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Estrus calendar for cats

The age of the first heat depends on the month the cat was born. Sexual hunting does not begin until six months, but usually does not occur in late autumn and winter.

Month of birth	First heat	Age of the cat
January	February next year	1 year
February	March next year	1 year
March	September	6 months
April	October	6 months
May	February	10 months
June	March	10 months
July	February	7 months
August	February	6 months
September	March	6 months
October	April	6 months
November	May	6 months
December	June	6 months