How much to charge for a kitten?

[Wyndie]

We are not able to keep our kitten. The kids allergies are so severe to her that two of them can't even be around her anymore and she has to stay closed up in a room all day. That's just not fair to her so we are looking for someone to take her.

 

I listed her on Petfinder.com and have to charge something for her; they said giving animals away for free is dangerous as it can lead to animal cruelty. She's not spayed, has not shots, nothing. She's a domestic short haired, ordinary to everyone but us, kitten. I don't want to make her so expensive that no one wants her but don't really know what to charge.

 

Please, no debates on whether we should/shouldn't do this. It's decided, I just want to make sure she's well cared for and that someone who really wants her can have her. I need advice on how much to charge please.

 

Thank you.

[gingersmom]

Have you called around to local no kill shelters to see if they could take the kitty?

 

Being she has had no vet care I would probably charge around $25.

Edited August 13, 2009 by gingersmom
typo

[Wyndie]

I will call the no-kill shelter as a last resort but I wanted to try to find a person first.

 

Thank you for the suggestion. I was thinking $25.00ish range too...

[Alicia64]

I worked in rescue for years and you want to charge a sizeable adoption fee. Not to be money-grubbing but because the real jerks come out of the wood work for low cost or free animals.

 

I know it sounds odd, but the more responsible animal owners expect animals to cost money (vet care, food, pet sitting) and expect to pay an adoption fee.

 

Also, here are some good questions I learned to ask:

 

1) How many animals have you had? If the answer is, "oh! Lots!" it may mean that they're not good animal owners in that they've had so many that they keep losing them for one reason or another. You want to find someone who says something like, "oh, I've only had three cats over the past few years. First I had Peaches and Daphne and when they died at 17 and 18 years of age, I adopted little Blossom who now needs a friend to hang out with when I'm at work."

 

Look for new owners that would put care and vet care into their animals lives.

 

2) Is your neighborhood safe for cats? Unfortunately I once adopted the coolest kitten to a woman who let him outside and he went walking along the fence, fell, and was killed by dogs. I wish the new owner had had the brain power to wait till the kitten was older and wiser before letting him out.

 

3) And that leads me to: try to find an owner with brain power. Animals need guardians. If the owners aren't really going to look out for them, they won't likely make it.

 

I would call my local rescue or humane society and ask them what a good adoption rate is. If you don't want to keep the money, donate it to the humane group.

 

Good luck,

 

Alley

[gingersmom]

 

I know it sounds odd, but the more responsible animal owners expect animals to cost money (vet care, food, pet sitting) and expect to pay an adoption fee.

 

 

When you adopt from a shelter the adoption fee includes the animal being up to date on its shots. This kitten has had no veterinary care. Is it feline leukemia positive/negative? No way of knowing. Shelters will also often offer you a discount on spaying/neutering.

[In The Great White North]

That's really pessimistic. Everyone I know with a cat got it free and takes good care of it. I've also given away kittens free, and see them happily playing with their new families frequently. Why would any reasonable person pay $100 for a free kitten? Charging for it is a guaranteed way to make sure no one wants it and it ends up at a shelter.

 

There may be some real jerks in those woods, but there are a lot of nice people too.

[Wyndie]

I worked in rescue for years and you want to charge a sizeable adoption fee. Not to be money-grubbing but because the real jerks come out of the wood work for low cost or free animals.

 

I know it sounds odd, but the more responsible animal owners expect animals to cost money (vet care, food, pet sitting) and expect to pay an adoption fee.

 

Also, here are some good questions I learned to ask:

 

1) How many animals have you had? If the answer is, "oh! Lots!" it may mean that they're not good animal owners in that they've had so many that they keep losing them for one reason or another. You want to find someone who says something like, "oh, I've only had three cats over the past few years. First I had Peaches and Daphne and when they died at 17 and 18 years of age, I adopted little Blossom who now needs a friend to hang out with when I'm at work."

 

Look for new owners that would put care and vet care into their animals lives.

 

2) Is your neighborhood safe for cats? Unfortunately I once adopted the coolest kitten to a woman who let him outside and he went walking along the fence, fell, and was killed by dogs. I wish the new owner had had the brain power to wait till the kitten was older and wiser before letting him out.

 

3) And that leads me to: try to find an owner with brain power. Animals need guardians. If the owners aren't really going to look out for them, they won't likely make it.

 

I would call my local rescue or humane society and ask them what a good adoption rate is. If you don't want to keep the money, donate it to the humane group.

 

Good luck,

 

Alley

 

You bring up some good points, thank you so much this information. I will call the local groups to see what they charge.

 

To clarify b/c I don't want to be thought of as an irresponsible pet owner, we planned to keep our kitten forever. She was abandoned by her mom at birth (she was found in her afterbirth) and bottle raised by our friend. When she got to be 6 weeks old, her dad told her to give it away or it was going to the pound. So we took her intending to make her an outdoor cat if the kids allergies were bad. She goes outside only with us, never alone and the other day as I listened to two cats fighting outside, I realized she was in no way prepared to be an outdoor cat as she had no mommy cat to teach her. I know cats are smart but we love her and can't bear the thought of her getting torn to shreds by another cat so we decided finding a new home for her would be the kindest thing to do. She spends most of her day closed up in our spare room and that's just not fair to her. I specified in my adoption notice that she has to be indoors. She loves other animals (when we're around to supervise) and thinks she's a person. lol She's wonderful and it breaks our hearts to have to give her away.

 

ETA: we were waiting until she was 6 months old to get her spayed and all her shots at once. Hence the lack of vet care. We knew she was unlikely to catch anything while being indoors.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Wyndie

[snickelfritz]

Maybe they could handle it all for you, but would probably be thrilled if you could foster the cat for a bit.

 

I 2nd the point that rescue organizations around here charge large fees, but provide animals that are up-to-date on ALL care and usually fixed.

[fshinkevich]

I think a $20ish dollar adoption fee, along with some questions about the future home would be appropriate.

 

I agree that good owners are willing to pay an adoption fee, but I would not pay more than that for a cat that had not had been fixed, shots etc. And I think I am an excellent pet owner :D

[Wyndie]

I called the local shelter and they said I would need to get her fixed and up to date on shots for $80.00. I just can't do that so I will have to hope someone on petfinders or my husbands work will agree to take her. I too think a low fee is better for a cat with no vet care I'm just afraid of letting a bad person have her.

 

The shelter said if I turned her in without any vet care, she would be one of the first to go if they got overcrowded, so that's not even an option.

[2cents]

I would get her shots and fixed and then charge what it cost you to do those things. I would also interview the people.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking. I wouldn't want to re-home a pet without having vetted it. The new owners will probably ask you if it has had rabies & distemper shots and has been tested for feline Leukemia and wormed. You should be prepared to give them a clean bill of heath. :)

[Wyndie]

I wish I could pay for her vet care, but right now I have $27.00 to my name. I just can't, no matter how much I want to. I guess we can officially chalk me up as an irresponsible person...

[Wyndie]

Thank you, I will do that.

 

And thank you for your kind words.

[OHGrandma]

Be sure you stress this kitten was hand raised from birth, I know some people who go out of their way to get a hand raised kitten.

[Jean in Wisc]

How to make your cat less of an allergy problem:

 

http://www.awfct.org/content/AllergiesCatsWhatToDo.pdf

 

Jean

 

Edit: also be sure to never let kitty into bedrooms of the allergy sufferers.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Jean in Wisc

[vettechmomof2]

Be sure you stress this kitten was hand raised from birth, I know some people who go out of their way to get a hand raised kitten.

 

and people who wouldn't as well.

 

You could also check around for local vaccine clinics where the charges are low cost, normally around $5-$20 to ge tthe cat started on vaccines, then keeping the records to give to the new owner would be fine for an asking fee.

 

Just because craigslist recommends an asking fee you do not need to accept it if you decide on a new home for the kitten.

[Erica in PA]

Unfortunately, unless there's something unusually cute or special about your kitten, I think it would be difficult to find someone willing to pay for a kitten. There are so many free kittens available everywhere. Our family has had *lots* of cats over the years, and we haven't ever paid for any of them. I would just hate to see your kitten not get a home because of the fee.

 

I would start by asking all friends and family if anyone would like a free kitten. Put it on Facebook if you're on there, or ask a friend you trust to list it for you (I actually found a stray cat a home this way! :)). List it on your local homeschool group. Mention it at your church if you attend one. Anywhere you have trustworthy contacts, I would talk up the free kitten, what a great pet it has been, etc. I think that's the most likely way to find your kitten a really good home.

 

It's really only when you deal with a very public listing like the newspaper or Petfinder that you have to be concerned with offering the kitten for free. I might even feel comfortable putting up an ad with a photo at the local grocery store, for that matter.

[Erica in PA]

I think a $20ish dollar adoption fee, along with some questions about the future home would be appropriate.

 

I agree that good owners are willing to pay an adoption fee, but I would not pay more than that for a cat that had not had been fixed, shots etc. And I think I am an excellent pet owner :D

 

I am a cat lover, but even I probably wouldn't pay $20 for a kitten when I could get a free one countless other places.

[Plucky]

Unfortunately, unless there's something unusually cute or special about your kitten, I think it would be difficult to find someone willing to pay for a kitten. There are so many free kittens available everywhere. Our family has had *lots* of cats over the years, and we haven't ever paid for any of them. I would just hate to see your kitten not get a home because of the fee.

 

I would start by asking all friends and family if anyone would like a free kitten. Put it on Facebook if you're on there, or ask a friend you trust to list it for you (I actually found a stray cat a home this way! :)). List it on your local homeschool group. Mention it at your church if you attend one. Anywhere you have trustworthy contacts, I would talk up the free kitten, what a great pet it has been, etc. I think that's the most likely way to find your kitten a really good home.

 

It's really only when you deal with a very public listing like the newspaper or Petfinder that you have to be concerned with offering the kitten for free. I might even feel comfortable putting up an ad with a photo at the local grocery store, for that matter.

 

I agree. I know it is not the PC answer. We are open to getting another cat and I'm just waiting for a free kitten. It will cost us much more when we get it fixed. We love cats.

[Pink Fairy]

I am a cat lover, but even I probably wouldn't pay $20 for a kitten when I could get a free one countless other places.

 

I thought the same thing when I saw this thread. Why would someone pay when there are so many free ones out there? Perhaps you could list it for $5, to weed out anyone looking for a free kitten for the wrong reasons.

[Wyndie]

Funny, I just posted on FB today. :) I also put an ad in the military newpaper so we will see. I have hit up all my friends (and even some just barely acquaintances) and she's even been to church once for everyone to see the cuteness. (And no, she didn't go in the sanctuary, she stayed in one of the spare rooms in the annex) My husband said he will double his efforts at work to find her a home.

 

I have to say I've always had free animals myself. Until our firstborn came along, we had a house full of dogs and cats; all free. I don't think I would pay for a cat myself, hence my difficulty in setting a fee. I hope to give her to someone simply b/c of the lack of vet care but again, am leary of people will bad intentions. The best case scenario would be a friend changing their mind! I guess I will play it by ear if PF gets any bites but I will definately keep everyone's advice in mind.

 

Thank you for the tips on reducing allergens. We have done them all, believe it or not. We were desperate to keep her but nothing is working. My kids have multiple allergies and this one they just can't seem to live with.

 

I so appreciate everyone's input. This is a heartwrenching decision and I am grateful to have good advice finding her a place to live permanently.

[WishboneDawn]

That's really pessimistic. Everyone I know with a cat got it free and takes good care of it. I've also given away kittens free, and see them happily playing with their new families frequently. Why would any reasonable person pay $100 for a free kitten? Charging for it is a guaranteed way to make sure no one wants it and it ends up at a shelter.

 

There may be some real jerks in those woods, but there are a lot of nice people too.

 

It sounds like you know the people you adopted out to and in that case a free kitten is probably ideal. For people who are adopting out to people they don't know though it's an additional check they can use to screen those who might not take care of a cat or have the money to properly care for a cat. If a a person can pay $25 for a kitten after all then they can likely afford getting it needled and fixed.

 

I learned this the hard way. We had a beautiful cat that had a couple of kittens years ago. One was adopted out for free to a friend and lives a great life. The other we gave for free to a couple who promptly let her out of their apartment a couple of weeks later and she disappeared. Not a responsible couple - of course, we weren't either for letting them adopt. If we ever had kittens again I'd screen and charge for them. It might have ended differently for that little kitten if we'd taken more care and used a charge to discourage some people.

[hornblower]

Did she come from a reputable breeder? Reputable breeders will always take back all the lives produced if they're in need.

 

I would vet her first (vax,deflea& deworm) & definitely spay her before adopting her out.

Here $50 is a good price to ask for a private adoption. What sweetens the deal is if you ask for the $ to be donated to a local shelter or SPCA. It's not YOU making the $. There are all sorts of good reasons why ftgh (free to good home) pets is a bad idea. People like that they're donating to a good cause & still getting a 'good' deal.

 

Local shelters & rescues adopt fully vetted & spayed/neutered cats for about $120, kittens at some shelters go for more (but again they're already altered.)

 

I have heard from people that you sometimes get MORE interest when you have a higher price. People often won't value things that you don't value....

[phathui5]

I can't imagine paying money for a cat that isn't spayed and hasn't had any shots.

[Tree House Academy]

My advice would be to get her fully vetted and then charge a $100 adoption fee. Make sure she has had all her shots (or the first round) and rabies (if she is old enough). Also, have her spayed if she is old enough. THEN, you can justify charging the fee (and still, that will be barely enough to cover what you paid...if not less than what you paid...to vet her). A responsible pet owner would NEVER give an animal to a STRANGER without these things being done. Giving her to a friend or family member that you trust would be different...but not to a stranger.

 

I am not calling you irresponsible overall...but when you get an animal - and plan to keep it outdoors, you should have its shots and have it spayed. If you can't afford those things, then you probably shouldn't have taken the cat in the first place. That is just my humble opinion having rescued 10 cats, 4 dogs and a hampster in my lifetime from shelters and having fostered 2 other dogs with debilitating issues that were caused by them not having vaccines and being left outdoors with other animals that carry diseases.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Tree House Academy