The immense popularity of British Shorthairs has resulted in a wide variety of offers to buy these beautiful cats on the market. Some of them come from registered, professional breeders. Unfortunately, some come from so-called pseudo-breeders and scam artists who attempt to sell cats of the “British Shorthair” type to unsuspecting buyers. The only way to avoid being scammed is to be willing to pay more. The price of a British Shorthair usually reflects the type of offer being made. You can read more about this in our guide.
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How much does a British Shorthair cost?
The price range is quite large, which can cause a lot of confusion – especially for people who have never before decided to buy a pedigree cat and are not familiar with the prevailing rates.
Prices for kittens from registered breeders start at around 800-1000 dollars for a female kitten (it’s worth noting that males are usually more expensive – they can be used for breeding, so the buyer can make additional money from such a male kitten). However, the most you have to pay is for a British kitten from a reputable breeder, whose parents were champions. Prices here range from 800 dollars for a female kitten to even 1000 dollars for a male kitten.
The prices of British Shorthairs have dropped significantly in recent years. This is due to the popularity of the breed as well as the appearance of a large number of new breeders. It is always the case that when a breed becomes common, the prices of kittens begin to rise. We will soon be experiencing the same scenario with the Russian Blue – the second most popular breed of cat in Poland.
Looking for a British Shorthair kitten without pedigree papers?
A cat’s pedigree is confirmation of its origins. This is where we will find out who the cat’s parents were, which is important in assessing the animal’s inherited predispositions. When we buy a British Shorthair without a pedigree, we are taking a big risk. Why?
The reason is simple: we’re dealing with a literal case of buying a cat in a sack. Many pseudo-breeders convince people that a pedigree is an unnecessary piece of paper. The truth is quite the opposite. With a pedigree, we can at least determine whether the cat is free from typical genetic diseases of the breed – if they have been excluded in the course of breeding, then the owners can sleep peacefully and avoid unnecessary nerves and very high future costs.
Therefore, we advise against looking for extreme savings when purchasing a British Shorthair. The price of an animal without pedigree is certainly tempting (you can find offers for a few hundred zlotys), but think about how much you are risking. Not only is the cat likely to be genetically burdened, but there is always a chance that it will not turn into a pedigree “Briton” at all.
What else affects the price of a British Shorthair cat?
The important factors here are the coat color and length of a British Shorthair. You will typically pay more for a kitten with an unusual coat color – for example, the increasingly popular black, chocolate, or blue-gray. Interestingly, the color of a British Shorthair’s eyes also affects the price – kittens with green or blue irises are very sought after and therefore slightly more expensive.
British Shorthair Cats: Where to Buy?
The safest option is definitely to buy directly from the breeder. However, a word of advice: just because the seller claims to be a breeder, doesn’t mean anything yet. You need to check if the breeding farm with that name is even registered with a credible felinological organization – Felis Polonia would be the best option.
If you want to enjoy many years of life with your mewing friend under one roof, the price of a British Shorthair should be the last criterion in your choice. Of course, buying from a reputable, registered breeding farm will be more expensive, but don’t forget the benefits described earlier.
We would caution against buying a British Shorthair at a car market or classified ads site. There are a lot of offers there from pseudo breeders for whom the cat is only a commodity to be traded. By buying an animal without pedigree and from an unknown source, you are quietly supporting the mass production of cats for sale, which has nothing to do with the love of these beautiful animals.
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