How much do I sell kittens for?

[newcatmoth]

I recently rescued a black and white female and it turns out she is pregnant. I'm not sure with how many kittens yet. I have no clue of her breed or the breed of the father of the kittens.

As much as I would love to keep them, I can't and will need to sell them. I want to make sure they are going to good homes.

What is the usual selling point for kittens of this type?

Plus, the money that rescues get for re-homing enables them to help other animals that need assistance. Selling animals (unless you are a licenced breeder) benefits only the seller.

Speak to a local rescue.
Absolutely do not give away for free.
If you are prepared to worm, deflea, vaccinate and microchip each kitten as well as honechecking each home and following up the new home in a few months to ensure they have neutered the kitten, then fine. All this is what a rescue does.

I know someone who had a similar situation. She let friends/family know and gave the kittens away to people she knew well and who had good homes. She gets to see them when she visits, which is lovely too. Of course, this is dependent on people you know wanting a kitten but she managed to rehome them pretty easily!

I bought my 2 kittens from an ex- colleague at an old workplace. Moggies. They're 13 now! I gave her £20. Can't remember whether that's what she asked for, or if they were free and I just gave her that. The best 2 x £10 I ever spent 😊

Post on your Facebook asking if any of your friends are interested or know anyone who is interested. That's how I got my kitten and the owner of the mum cat felt reassured that they were all going to vetted people. She also asked for a contribution towards spaying the mum. Mum had the shaved patch when I picked up my kitten so I know she did it. We gave her £25.

If you are in London, OP, I would be delighted to adopt a male tuxedo kitten from you and would happily donate a reasonable sum of money to an animal rescue charity in return.

You will be part of the problem if you sell them rather than handing them over to a rescue, which will neuter them before rehoming them and ensure they go to good homes.

Just send me 2, I'll give them a happy home.

Agree with PPs about contacting a rescue. The kittens will need to stay with mum for a while (my cats have been 14 weeks when I've bought them) so you wouldn't be handing them over for looking after. The rescue could add the kittens to their website and deal with the home vetting process for you while the kittens are still growing up with mum. By the time they're ready to leave, they'll probably have new homes lined up ready to go and foster homes for any that haven't found a home yet.

Put the word out among friends and family- I got our 2 from a colleagues brother. They were free not sold. Old school style.

Our rescue basically recoups their costs. The kittens are spayed or neutered and they have a deal with a vet where the first checkup is included. Any extra tests or meds are responsibility of adopter. I have no doubt they get this cheap because it feeds customers to the vet. If you are doing this diy, maybe find a vet who will let you make a similar arrangement, though I wouldn’t expect a discount for one litter. You can include the entire cost in the adoption fee so you won’t be out any money and you will know the families are committed to medical care.

In my experience 'private rescue' means 'bought off the internet'

It's illegal for you to rehome kittens before 8 weeks if you're in England or Wales so worth being aware of that. Kittens will also need socialising when v young. They're usually rehomed at about 9 weeks after their first vacc. Also contact your vet as the mother should be dewormed during pregnancy to reduce worm burden in the kittens.

Based on you saying:

I have no idea what I'm doing and want the best for my lovely cat and her kittens.

You'd be best off following Wolfie's advice and contacting a rescue to ensure these kittens get the deworming, vaccines and neutering they need and that their homes are properly vetted.

I would ask around your friends and work colleagues etc - I'm sure they will be snapped up!

I will be getting her spayed as soon as I can. Aren't there already so many kittens and cats in rescues? I don't want the be a part of the problem.

You won't be part of the problem.

A rescue will make sure the kittens are healthy, and they'll make sure they're vaccinated and microchipped before they go to their new homes. They'll also make sure all the new owners have been vetted and checked properly too, as well as making sure the kittens come back to get spayed/neutered once they're old enough.

Please don't sell them unless you know what you're doing. By law, you'd need to get them chipped at the very least before sending them off to their new homes. Ideally they should also have their vaccinations too.

The trouble with giving them to a rescue is the kittens will go from their mother to a rescue and then to a home which is very unsettling for them. Personally I would rehome them myself and be very careful who they go to. Home check them yourself and ask them what they know about cats, other pets, proximity to busy roads, whether they have young children etc. Visit them at home.
It is expensive and hard work having kittens till eight weeks. I have done it. I would charge about £50 to £80 per kitten. It depends where you live.
Make sure the mother is spayed as soon as the vet can do it after she gives birth and the kittens are weaned. Don’t let the kittens go till at least eight weeks.

The trouble with giving them to a rescue is the kittens will go from their mother to a rescue and then to a home which is very unsettling for them

Not in my experience most rescues, especially small local ones will do all the checks/paperwork etc but the kittens will stay with Mum/the OP and go straight to their new home from there.

The trouble with giving them to a rescue is the kittens will go from their mother to a rescue and then to a home which is very unsettling for them.

All the rescues in our area keep the kittens at home with mum, and re-home them directly from there. The only time they're re-homed from rescue is when they're brought in as tiny babies or the mum is found pregnant on the streets.

OP said herself she has no experience of raising kittens or with finding them new homes. The best place to do that would be an experienced rescue. As you say, raising tiny kittens is hard work even if you are experienced and knowledgeable.

@mermaidsariel

The trouble with giving them to a rescue is the kittens will go from their mother to a rescue and then to a home which is very unsettling for them. Personally I would rehome them myself and be very careful who they go to. Home check them yourself and ask them what they know about cats, other pets, proximity to busy roads, whether they have young children etc. Visit them at home. It is expensive and hard work having kittens till eight weeks. I have done it. I would charge about £50 to £80 per kitten. It depends where you live. Make sure the mother is spayed as soon as the vet can do it after she gives birth and the kittens are weaned. Don’t let the kittens go till at least eight weeks.

I do hope you've stopped that practice, @mermaidsariel.

According to Lucy's Law www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy-farming that is illegal.

From the Gov.uk web site:

Lucy’s Law’ means that anyone wanting to get a new puppy or kitten in England must now buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead. Licensed dog breeders are required to show puppies interacting with their mothers in their place of birth. If a business sells puppies or kittens without a licence, they could receive an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months.

@Itwasoverwhen
No, I don’t believe people who organise dog fights etc are the type to spend the time and effort to breed their own kittens. And if you believe they do, what’s to stop one of these kittens becoming the breeding stock?

youre supposed to do it via a rescue now if youre not a licensed breeder. Lucys law which was brought in to combat backyard breeders.
Otherwise I know people still just do it via their facebook in reality or word of mouth. I wouldnt let them go to anyone you dont know

@AlfonsoTheTerrible if you read the law in full, you don't necessarily need a license to breed kittens or puppies.

What mermaid did is still perfectly okay under Lucy's Law.

You do not need a licence to sell a small number of offspring of pets that you’ve bred, for example as a hobby. However, if you do this often or with many animals you may be classed as a business and may need a licence.

www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-animals-as-pets-licence-england

@mermaidsariel

The trouble with giving them to a rescue is the kittens will go from their mother to a rescue and then to a home which is very unsettling for them. Personally I would rehome them myself and be very careful who they go to. Home check them yourself and ask them what they know about cats, other pets, proximity to busy roads, whether they have young children etc. Visit them at home. It is expensive and hard work having kittens till eight weeks. I have done it. I would charge about £50 to £80 per kitten. It depends where you live. Make sure the mother is spayed as soon as the vet can do it after she gives birth and the kittens are weaned. Don’t let the kittens go till at least eight weeks.

We got our kittens from a rescue where the mother had fallen pregnant in similar circumstances. They housed the mother with the kittens at the rescue once they reached about 8 weeks, so potential adopters could see them and returned her (spayed) when the kittens left for their new homes at 10 weeks.

youre supposed to do it via a rescue now if youre not a licensed breeder. Lucys law which was brought in to combat backyard breeders.

That's not the case. You still don't need a license to sell a one-off litter but you must follow other regulations - kittens must be seen with their mother and be sold from the owners' home - not via a third party or commercial centre. You also have to keep them with their mother until at least 8 weeks of age.

"You do not need a licence to sell a small number of offspring of pets that you’ve bred, for example as a hobby. However, if you do this often or with many animals you may be classed as a business and may need a licence."

from: www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-animals-as-pets-licence-england

In my local gumtree, moggies are going for 250/350 pounds.

@AlfonsoTheTerrible
I haven’t rehomed kittens myself for over 25 years. It was one litter. Both the cats I have had most recently were bought from people advertising. I have found adult cats from rescues have come with so many issues they were not manageable for me. I prefer to get a kitten and none of the rescues had any at the time.
I haven’t heard of Lucy’s law. I agree it’s a good law but why then are people still advertising on the internet etc if it’s not legal?