It is a very important question, a burning one, I would say. That is why I wanted to say a few words. Yes, to you: the one who called, wrote on social media or by email simply to ask the price of a kitten. To the one who, hearing the price, says in surprise: “Why so expensive? I can buy a kitten cheaper somewhere else.” And to the one who says a pedigree is not needed, because they just want a kitten “for the sofa”, just a pet.
A cat is not “just a pet”.
Behind every breed, behind every pedigreed kitten, stands a Breeder. I write this word with a capital letter to tell a real Breeder from a mere producer. A real Breeder never allows into breeding cats without a pedigree, cats with genetic problems, or cats whose health they are unsure of. They protect the integrity and purity of the breed.
The documents you receive with a kitten are the pedigree, which lets you trace the genetics and health of its ancestors back five generations. When you tell a Breeder that you do not need the documents, you are telling them that you are indifferent to the kitten’s health and simply want the cheapest thing available. When you buy a kitten from a serious cattery, the Breeder is responsible for the health of every kitten. You are buying from a person who long ago forgot what a holiday is, who has lost sleep, and whose home has long since become a separate world for their cats and kittens.
This is a person devoted to their work, who loves every cat and kitten they raise and pours their whole heart into them. Every new family a kitten joins becomes part of their family. The Breeder worries about their children even after they leave: even if something goes wrong in the new home, they will take the kitten back without asking unnecessary questions.
The Breeder takes each newborn into their own hands and manages the birth. Because this is exactly what life is. Between birth and death a miracle happens: the life of a tiny creature, beside which from the very beginning there is not only the mother cat but also a person who loves this little bundle of happiness from the first moment. It falls to the Breeder to handle the vaccinations, deworming, vet check-ups, club registration, pedigree paperwork, microchipping, treatment, tests and emergency operations at any hour. Such a person always has the vet on speed dial.
Last but not least: the Breeder chooses the family lucky enough to receive one of their beloved children. Yes, you read that correctly. They carefully choose whom to give their adored child to, because they do not earn money selling them. There is nothing material that could make up for the effort and love invested. So they must be firmly sure that these are the right people. Sometimes a Breeder simply says “no”, and no money in the world will change their decision.
A good Breeder has higher expectations of those who take a kitten for future breeding. Why? Because breeding is not simply mating a female with a male of the same breed. It is a life choice meant for the few, truly devoted people ready to sacrifice themselves.
If you have read carefully everything written here, then you now understand why a kitten costs what it costs. And why a cat is not “just a pet”. It is a member of your family, a child’s friend, a companion and a therapist for the elderly. And it is also a Breeder’s legacy and someone’s whole world.
What is more, I am convinced: once you buy a Sacred Birman kitten, you will understand how unique the beauty and character of your pet are. From that moment on you will proudly tell all your relatives, friends and acquaintances about your cat and advise them to get one just like it, and no other.