Svetlana Rey / Adobe Stock
Planning to add a purebred cat to your family soon? You may not realize how much it can cost to buy a kitten from a breeder—especially if it’s one of the most expensive cat breeds. The average price of a purebred kitten from a breeder is about $500 to $1,500 for common breeds. However, some cat breeds, like those listed below, cost much more than that.
Hybrid cat breeds with wild heritage tend to be the most expensive due to the costs and difficulty involved in breeding them. Other expensive cat breeds include those with coveted genetic traits like hairlessness or folded ears, and those that are rare and have limited availability. Breeds that have a lot of genetically linked health conditions also tend to be more expensive. This is because responsible breeders have to spend a lot of money on health testing for the adult cats to ensure future litters of kittens are as healthy as possible.
10 Most Expensive Cat Breeds
Remember, you don’t have to buy your next cat, even if you have your heart set on a purebred cat. Adopting a pedigreed cat from an animal shelter or rescue group not only costs much less, but you are saving a life. Adoption fees range from about $75 to $300, with kittens and purebred cats often costing more to adopt than other cats.
Here are the 10 most expensive cat breeds:
#1 Savannah
Nynke van Holten / Shutterstock.com
The Savannah cat tops the list as the most expensive cat breed. The Savannah is a hybrid breed, which means it was created using domestic cats and wild cats—in the case of the Savannah, the African serval. Breeding Savannahs is both difficult and expensive. Breeders need to acquire one or more servals, which cost a lot to house and feed. Interbreeding two species is a challenging process.
Queens can experience issues during pregnancy and litters are usually small. Male Savannahs are not always fertile, which further complicates matters. Savannahs are desired for their exotic appearance and unique personality.
#2 Bengal
Alexander_Evgenyevich / Shutterstock.com
Like the Savannah, the Bengal is a hybrid breed. It was created by crossing domestic cats with a small wild cat species called the Asian wild cat. Compared to the Savannah, the Bengal is a more established breed with a larger gene pool. These days, Bengal breeding programs do not usually include Asian leopard cats, instead using Bengals that can trace their lineage back generations to their wild ancestor.
However, Bengals are pricey because they are in high demand. Some colors and patterns are more desirable, such as the coveted rosette spotted pattern, which gives these cats a distinct “wild” appearance.
#3 Persian
Cassiano Correia / Shutterstock.com
The Persian cat is one of the most popular cat breeds, cherished for its gorgeous long hair, endearing flat faces, and sweet personality. But it’s also one of the most expensive. Breeding Persian cats is challenging and expensive, which means kittens cost more. The breed is prone to a number of known genetic health conditions, including polycystic kidney disease (PKD), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). Reputable breeders perform extensive testing on their adult cats before breeding them to prevent health problems from being passed on to the kittens.
This heath testing, which may include genetic testing, echocardiograms, blood typing, and general health exams, is extremely expensive, which raises the price of kittens. Another reason Persian cats are so expensive is because they tend to have small litter sizes, and sometimes need veterinary assistance during birthing.
#4 Peterbald
SSeregraff / Shutterstock.com
The Peterbald was created by crossing a hairless Russian breed called the Don Sphynx with the Oriental Shorthair. The result? A cat with five possible coat types: naked (hairless), chamois (hair like suede or peach fuzz), flock (fine to slightly dense velour or velvet coat), brush (a sparse wiry coat), and straight (a short coat). Breeding Peterbald cats is complicated; breeders must carefully pair cats due to the coat genetics involved.
Breeders in the United States might have to import cats from other countries, which is costly. The Peterbald cat is also quite rare. Because there are few breeders and kittens available, prices tend to be higher. They are loved for their unique appearance and charming personality.
#5 Sphynx
Alexander Piragis / Shutterstock.com
The Sphynx is the oldest hairless cat breed. It originated in Canada in the 1960s when a bald kitten named Prune was born in a litter of fully coated kittens. Prune’s hairlessness was due to a natural genetic mutation. The breed was originally called the Canadian Hairless Cat, but the name Sphynx was later adopted.
Sphynx cats are costly to breed. Responsible breeders perform health testing and genetic testing on their adult Sphynx, and make careful breeding decisions to help them produce healthy, hairless Sphynx kittens. Sphynx are more rare than some other breeds, but in high demand, so prices can be higher.
#6 Scottish Fold
D’Action Images / Shutterstock.com
The Scottish Fold cat is beloved for its adorable folded ears, which makes these cats look like little owls. The folded ears are the result of a genetic mutation, which can sometimes cause unwanted health issues, including problems with cartilage and bones, and spinal deformities. Breeders must be very careful when breeding Scottish Fold cats to ensure the kittens are born healthy.
The costs associated with health testing adult cats before breeding them makes kittens expensive. Additionally, not all kittens born in a litter will have folded ears, but those are the kittens most people want. Because fewer-folded ear kittens are available, their price will be higher than their straight-eared siblings.
#7 Maine Coon
photosbelkina / Shutterstock.com
One of the largest domestic cat breeds, the Maine Coon is beloved for its big size and mellow personality. But this gentle giant comes with a hefty price tag. Maine Coons are in high demand, but breeding them is more expensive than breeding other cats. Due to their large size, Maine Coons are slow to mature, which means breeders must raise and house the cats longer than average before breeding them.
Responsible breeders also conduct health tests on their cats, including screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hip dysplasia, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Additionally, it costs more to care for the oversized Maine Coon—they eat more food than smaller cats and require higher doses of flea control, dewormers, and other medications.
#8 Ragdoll
Peredniankina / Shutterstock.com
The Ragdoll is a popular cat breed treasured for its gorgeous appearance and lovely temperament—they relax and snuggle into your arms just like a floppy ragdoll. The Ragdoll isn’t terribly more expensive than average, but they can cost a bit more than other breeds.
Like the Maine Coon, the Ragdoll is slow to mature, so breeders often wait longer than average to breed adults. Also, Ragdolls have genetic tests available for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which are costly but help ensure the health of future litters. One of the biggest reasons Radgoll kittens are expensive though is their high demand.
#9 British Shorthair
Natasha B / Shutterstock.com
British Shorthairs are coveted for their round, smiling faces with chubby cheeks that make them look like teddy bears. Responsible breeders perform health testing on their British Shorthairs for diseases common in the breed like HMC and PKD, which increases the cost of breeding them. Though British Shorthair kittens are in high demand, they tend to have smaller litters than some other breeds, which drives up their price.
#10 Siberian
fantom_rd / Shutterstock.com
One of the reasons Siberian cats are so expensive is because they are one of the few cat breeds considered to be hypoallergenic. Despite their thick fur coat, Siberians seem to produce lower levels of the Fel d 1 protein that causes allergies in people. (Remember, no cat is guaranteed not to cause allergies—allergic people should spend time with adult Siberians to see how they react before bringing one home.)
Siberians are relatively rare in the United States—fewer kittens available means their prices will be higher. Although pet quality Siberian cats average around $2,000, show quality Siberians can cost as much as $4,000 or more.
