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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why are kittens so expensive now?

139 replies

Paintdiagram · 06/03/2020 13:06

(Before I get flamed I have gone down the rescue route to no avail).

For the last couple of months I’ve been looking online to buy a kitten. Even for a black moggie it’s minimum £150 with some being £200 and that’s before fleeing/vets etc etc.

I swear a couple of years ago you could pick them up to next to nothing. One of my neighbours used to have a sign in the window with ‘free to a good home’.

The only reason I can think is because it’s not quite kitten season yet therefore they’re not in high demand?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
19lottie82 · 06/03/2020 13:09

Supply and demand I suppose?

Why not visit your cats protection and get a rescue cat that needs a home? They don’t always have kittens available but if you think about it, a kitten will only be a kitten for a few months anyway.

Shopkinsdoll · 06/03/2020 13:10

I sold our little kittens (3)for 50 pounds each, just to pay for her mum to be spayed. Didn’t want to just give them away free as they could just be going to get used as bait 😡. My sister was looking for a black cat a few months ago and I think she paid 200 for hers. Some people are greedy.

CoffeeHere · 06/03/2020 13:11

I thought you were unlucky and googled- so e are £500-750 here! How about looking somewhere a bit rural?

DangerousBeanz · 06/03/2020 13:11

£60 from our local cat rescue and that includes neutering.

Hopefully the higher prices are reflective of owners being more responsible and having their offers neutered so there stew fewer kittens around.

But I doubt it

5foot5 · 06/03/2020 13:12

I swear a couple of years ago you could pick them up to next to nothing

I don't know about a couple of years ago but when I was a child they were either "free to a good home" when someone's moggie had a litter, or from the RSPCA who just expected a very small donation.

I haven't had a cat for years but a quick look at the website of our local rescue they charge £50 for a vaccinated cat or kitten and £30 pre-vaccination

dementedpixie · 06/03/2020 13:12

Think we paid £100 each for our 2. Rescue places had a lack of kittens so we bought privarely

dementedpixie · 06/03/2020 13:13

And that was 3 years ago

WillyWonkaIsAWanker · 06/03/2020 13:14

Hundreds of kittens around at the moment. It's kitten season. We got ours last year at this time. £45 each or £80 for the two at a local rescue centre.

MikeUniformMike · 06/03/2020 13:15

There's no need for fleeing. Kittens are just furry little things, you don't have to run away from them.

captainprincess · 06/03/2020 13:16

I second the person who said get an adult cat. Sooo many needs homes and like they said, they aren't kittens for very long anyway.

isseywith4vampirecats · 06/03/2020 13:16

if you wait another couple of months rescue will start to have kittens in the one I work for has a network of fosterers and april is when things on the kitten front start ramping up January febuary is not the best time to look as the mom cats start producing kittens when the weather is starting to warm up

adaline · 06/03/2020 13:18

We got our first cat from a local farm for a tenner. She's four now and is awesome - super friendly and a fantastic family pet.

Our second one we re-homed privately and didn't pay a penny for. He'll be five next month.

There's no need to pay hundreds for a moggy.

QuantumEntanglement · 06/03/2020 13:18

Maybe the scarcity is because more people are responsible about getting their pets spayed or neutered which can on,y be a good thing.

When you say you went down “the rescue route to no avail” - what does that even mean? The shelters are full of cats that need homes of all ages - maybe tiny kittens are at a premium but, as pointed out, kittens become adult cats and fairly quickly, within a matter of months in fact. Seems to me, if you’re that stuck on only a kitten will do maybe you’re not ready to be a cat owner.

LettertoHermoine · 06/03/2020 13:18

Have never ever heard of paying for a kitten. Of course I know the rescues charge because they are vaccinated etc and a lot of them run on donations. but people who's cats have kittens charging? Unless they are a special breed but a normal, run of the mill moggy? I have never heard of anyone actually paying. They are crying out for people to take kittens where I live.

Original poster
Paintdiagram · 06/03/2020 13:19

I’ve contacted three cat rescues.

The first one said I could only have an indoor cat (they recommended me a 9 year old cat with PIV) as I’m within a 250m radius to a busy road (I live on a cul-de-sac and the busy road is 30mph).

The second said that they only place their kittens in twos.

The third said there’s a 4 month wait for kittens.

While I’d be happy to rescue again, I’ve found myself with two much loved cats before. One that found me and I could never trace the owners and the other was my sister’s as she moved abroad. I’ve also had a rescued dog before too. It sounds selfish but I’ve never actually picked a pet before and I want to hopefully spend as much time as possible with this little bundle of fluff.

OP posts:
PerfidiousAlbion · 06/03/2020 13:19

it's to weed out those who can't afford to pay it. If they can't afford to pay £60 - £200 then it's highly unlikely that they'll be able to keep it, feed it, worm it, spay it, de-flea it regularly, get flu-vax, nails clipped, pay for boarding cattery, etc. etc..

I agree with those who say get a cat instead. There are thousands.

Unhomme · 06/03/2020 13:20

Theres a new law in place which requires registration. Lucy's law I think it is. That will mean a price increase.

GinDrinker00 · 06/03/2020 13:21

£200 for a moggie? Might as well save up and buy a special breed. That or ask on Facebook? People aren’t allowed to advertise kittens/puppies anymore but you’ll always find the odd one.

adaline · 06/03/2020 13:22

The second said that they only place their kittens in twos.

That's the right thing to do, though. Kittens do best in pairs as it means they have a playmate and learn acceptable behaviour. So why not go with that rescue and get two?

PerfidiousAlbion · 06/03/2020 13:23

If you've never had a kitten before, are you fully prepared for how much work they are to rear properly? Do you work?

Original poster
Paintdiagram · 06/03/2020 13:23

@PerfidiousAlbion

Or maybe because the breeder wants to earn £800 for a litter of four? Get a few moggies and they won’t need to work.

After faffing around with the rescues (I’ve contacted them about numerous cats between the ages of 1-5) but they’re always reserved within a couple of days.

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 06/03/2020 13:23

It sounds selfish but I’ve never actually picked a pet before
You can pick a rescue Confused

Look at adult cats? Put out word among family and friends that you're looking? When I was a child we always had cats that were not from a formal rescue but were through word of mouth from people my parents knew who were having to rehome them.

It IS selfish to buy a kitten when so many cats desperately need homes.

MulticolourMophead · 06/03/2020 13:24

We'll be getting a cat this year. Going to go via the local rescues. I want to get one that's been neutered/spayed and chipped, so I expect the rescues will charge £50-60 for that, and I'm budgeting for it.

IntermittentParps · 06/03/2020 13:24

(I’ve contacted them about numerous cats between the ages of 1-5) but they’re always reserved within a couple of days.

Cross-posted; but still, why can't you reserve one?

19lottie82 · 06/03/2020 13:30

After faffing around with the rescues (I’ve contacted them about numerous cats between the ages of 1-5) but they’re always reserved within a couple of days.

I’ve always just visited the adoption centre and reserved a cat on the spot.