When it comes to the price of an adoption, it can go without saying that any purebred cat is going to be far more than a mixed/unknown breed of cat at a shelter. This is an important factor to consider when searching for ragdoll cats.
Ragdoll cats, by nature of being a purebred cat, are going to be more expensive than the standard cat that you adopt at your local rescue shelter. On top of that, there are some other features that make ragdoll cats more expensive than even other purebred cats. If you are planning to adopt a purebred ragdoll cat, you are going to have to expect to spend anywhere between $400 and $1,000 USD.
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What Goes Into the Price of a Ragdoll Cat?
One of the biggest reasons why ragdoll cats tend to be in the hundreds of dollars is because of the fact that they are purebred cats. Almost all purebred cats that are bred by reliable breeders who focus on health rather than show-quality are going to be over $100, no matter what the breed is.
This is because of the strenuous and time-consuming process that is creating a purebred cat. Of course, to have a purebred cat, the parents of the cat need to be purebred as well. This means that there is often a long line of managing different generations of cats, pairing them together in a way that balances genetics so that the cat will not only look good but it will be healthy as well.
On top of that, there is the care and maintenance that comes with breeding any animal. For a purebred cat to be born as healthy as possible, there is a fair amount of care that goes into making sure that the mother cat is properly cared for. Much of this time and energy is reflected in the price of a purebred cat.
Additionally, certain features are going to add on to the price of a purebred ragdoll cat. A cat with minimal hereditary and genetic conditions is going to be more expensive upfront than a cat that does not have a strong genetic background, although the unhealthier cat may end up costing more later in life due to those health conditions.
The appearance of the Ragdoll influence how expensive the cat it
The coat and appearance of the ragdoll is also going to play a massive role in the price. Ragdoll cats are beloved for their lush fur and their strong bodies. This makes them popular show cats, and unfortunately, there are very strict requirements for a cat to qualify as a show cat. This means that there has to be even more selective breeding to get the right traits that are favorable for a show. This will leave most show-quality ragdoll cats with a price that can branch past the thousands.
Finally, there are some breeder-specific costs that may be included in the price of your ragdoll cat. As mentioned earlier, some of the more reputable breeders will aim to try and have as few genetic conditions as possible (though it is impossible to eliminate the possibility due to the nature of creating purebred cats). The cost of genetic testing on kittens may be included in the price of the ragdoll cat itself.
Likewise, a breeder may include the price of routine kitten vaccines, kitten supplies, kitten milk replacers, and so on. Another factor that can affect the price of your new ragdoll cat is that some breeders, for the sake of their reputation, may have the kitten’s DNA tested so that there is verifiable proof that the kitten meets the breed standard for a ragdoll cat.
You can test a cat DNA. Just order a test online right here.
These are all of the factors that typically go into the price of just about any purebred cat that is popular amongst cat shows, and not just ragdolls in particular. Unfortunately, there are some aspects that do set ragdolls apart from the rest of the cats, making them even more expensive than they already are.
A good example of this is the fact that ragdoll cats are not as widely popular of a breed as some similar breeds, such as the Maine Coon or the Persian cat. This means that there isn’t as much of a demand for them available, so when a breeder chooses to specialize in breeding these cats, that breeder is going to charge a higher price so that he or she can stay in business. These are all of the different factors that go into determining the price of your ragdoll cat.
More questions about Ragdoll cats and price
What About Mixed Breeds?
One of the easiest ways to reduce the price of a ragdoll cat is to purchase a cat that is a mixed breed, but has a large portion of ragdoll in it. While this may mean that the cat doesn’t have the standard personality of a ragdoll cat, it may end up saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run.
How Can You Avoid Scams?
Because these cats are so expensive, some of the less reputable breeders may intentionally mix the breed of the cat while still charging the full price. This is especially problematic for people who are looking for show cats. The best way to avoid scams when purchasing ragdoll cats is to always run research and background checks on breeders you are interested in purchasing from.
Are Adults or Kittens More Expensive?
Kittens are always going to be a fair bit more than adult ragdoll cats. After all, it would be harder to train an adult ragdoll cat to have the needed behavior for a show cat, while kittens are young and easy to teach. You could even consider looking into purchasing retired show cats if you want to adopt and save money in the process.
