5 factors that determine the price of a Bengal kitten
Bengal cats are among the cutest and most beautiful cats in the world. Are you trying to learn as much as possible about this breed before buying a Bengal kitten? You are doing the right thing; you need to take decisions of this kind seriously, because bringing a pet into your home is a lifelong commitment, and it comes with emotional as well as financial costs! In this article, we will look at what determines the price of a Bengal kitten.
The most cost-effective option when looking for a pet is always the possibility of taking an animal from a shelter. If you are interested in buying from a breeder, you should know that different breeders will ask different amounts for Bengal cats depending on their individual overhead costs. Let’s look at 5 factors that determine the cost of a Bengal kitten:
Kitten class. Coat type and color
Breeders divide Bengal kittens into 3 classes:
Pet class
These animals have small “flaws” — traits that disqualify them from cat shows and do not have breeding value, and they are the least expensive. This does not make them worse than others and does not affect their behavior in any way. The price of Bengal cats of this level ranges from 300 to 1000 dollars.
Breed class
Cats intended for breeding. As a rule, cats should have valuable breed traits and the main qualities needed to take part in shows and have the likelihood of passing these traits on to offspring. The price of Bengal kittens of this class is around 1000 — 3000 dollars.
Show class
Ideal representatives of the breed. Suitable for participating in shows. They have a wonderful temperament and the best breed characteristics. The price of Bengal kittens starts at 1500 dollars. Color contrast, a clean background, coat shine (glitter) and fur quality, the size and type of rosettes are the result of the breeder’s selection work. The greater the match in color and type to the breed standards, the higher the price of Bengal kittens.
Maintenance and health care
In order for kittens to grow up strong and healthy, they need a suitable diet and qualified care. Before switching to dry food, kittens should eat canned or wet food, which leads to additional expenses. It is also worth considering the costs of toys, scratching posts, litter, and coat care. This also includes veterinary examinations, vaccinations, and healthy nutrition (different from an adult cat’s diet).
A kitten that has been cared for from birth and whose health has been monitored is less prone to various diseases in the future.
Breeding work
Selecting pairs for mating is very important. It is necessary to consider the cats’ pedigree to assess genetic diversity. This allows breeders to determine whether the cats’ ancestors are at risk of having HCM in their lines and what traits the future kittens will have. Genetic tests should be done for the parents, and annual heart screening should be carried out. All these measures make it possible to produce healthy kittens that meet breed standards, so the costs of these procedures are included in the price of Bengal kittens.
Age
Age also has a significant impact on the price of a Bengal cat. Retired cats (removed from breeding) are much cheaper than kittens. This applies not only to PET class, but also to show and breeding quality cats. The best thing about retired Bengal cats is that, despite being much cheaper than quality kittens, they may even be more beautiful and have a formed character with good behavior.
Like most pets, adult cats are low-maintenance and behave better than kittens or adolescents. But regardless of the age of the Bengal cat, you should still be prepared to devote attention to this intelligent and energetic breed.