The beautiful coat pattern to the unique eye color Calico cat wins the heart of most people on the internet for being an extremely beautiful creature.
One misconception that people have with this cat is that Calico is a breed. This is not true at all, Calico is the result of a genetic sequence that switches off-color genes at random. This results in a different pattern of color such as red black and white that differs from one another.
Some colors will appear brighter and some will be more diluted. The color of the cat is what attracts people to this type of cat. If you ever spend time on the internet watching videos of cats, then you probably came across plenty of Calico cats. As they are a more polar type of cat in the market.
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How Much Does A Calico Cat Cost?
The purchasing price for a female Calico cat ranges from of $400 to somewhere around $3000. Several factors do weigh in deciding the asking price of this cat. As the heavy demand always jacks up the price in the market.
| Higher cost | $3000 |
| Average cost | $1000 |
| Lower cost | $200 |
There are several elements about exotic cat purchases that you should know to make a proper decision at the end. Knowing the factors about the price will make you change your buying tactic to save some more money on paying the initial price of the cat.
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High demand in the market for Calico cats
This unique creature is always in heavy demand in the market, hence you see a price tag upwards of $400 for a Calico cat, It doesn’t matter where you live in the world, you will end up paying somewhere closer to $400 or more for this cat. The demand for cats is high everywhere.
The internet has done a marvelous job in bringing this cat to millions of people. If you are planning to get a Calico cat, then there are things that you should know that will help you make an educated decision.
Calico is part of exotic cat
Exotic cats of all types come with their requirements. Here you need to make the decision whether to get a good quality exotic cat or settle for a bad one. In the market, you will see a variety of price tags for these exotic cats.
One of them will be in the average area while the other will fall under the price tag of $100 to $200. While the latter might seem appealing to most people, in general, they will not be healthy or have any type of social properties that will help them shine compared to the rest of the cats available in the market.
You want your cat to be healthy and receive all sorts of vaccinations that will protect it against future diseases. Proper caring will make them be more social around people. These sorts of traits will only come from proper maintenance. A reputable breeder will go through all that to make that a reality.
Why are Calico cats expensive?
There are countless facts about the Calico cat that you can read online. Each one of them will be more surprising than the last one on the list. But the important thing you should know about these Calico cats, and the one that will impact the price you pay for them is its demand type.
99% of Calico cats that get sold in the market are female. Only 1% of Calico cats are males which makes them more expensive than the average Calico cat in the market. It will not be easy to find a male Calico cat, since they only cover 1% of the market.
How much is a female calico cat worth?
The chances are high that you will find a female Calico cat for a price tag of $400 to $3000. If you are getting your eye set on a male Calico cat, then you can prepare to pay upwards of $1,400.
It is all about the demand for these cats. Male Calico cats are sterile, they will not be able to breed but this has not impacted the asking price of these cats more. The rarity of the cat is what appeals to most people who are looking for a Calico cat to have around the house.
If you are not fond of paying the amount of $400 for a Calico cat, then you can opt-out to rescue centers.
As you have a lower chance of finding the exact type of cat in these shelters but you can get lucky and grab a Calico cat for a price tag of $70 to $140.
The price will not be consistent, various elements such as the health of the cat will raise the asking price of Calico cat from the rescue shelters while there is a chance that they can give the cat out for free without any charge. If that happens, then you need to take the cat to the vet and go through the proper process to get the cat healthy.
Type of Breeder For Calico Cat And Its Cost
Out of all the factors that impact the asking price for these, the breeder type is the most effective in the field.
Calico cat from reputable breeder cost and advantages
Getting the cat from a reputable breeder will cost money but you will get perks that will make sure the cat stays healthy and lives for a long time without any major problems.
The cats will also be more social and able to handle social interaction from strangers without any sort of negative reaction.
This is always the case when you are getting the cat from a reputable breeder. If you are going to switch to a non-reputable one, then you need to do some paperwork on the breeder and the quality of life he or she is providing to the pets.
Calico cats from not-reputable breeders cost and disadvantages
Generally, cats from non-reputable breeders will not have the proper paperwork and receive less attention for them to stay healthy for a long time.
The initial investment for the breeder will be less than what it could be from a reputable one. The less initial investment will reflect the asking price of the cat.
That is why the listing price of some Calico cats in the market will be under $200. You need to stay out of these kinds of deals or you would get yourself a healthy cat that will raise your maintenance cost to an all-time high. Since they will be more prone to getting a disease that might result in surgery and other sorts of medical operation. That will jack up the cost to an upward of $1000.
Final consideration about Breeder
A reputable breeder will charge you the average price depending on what kind of Calico cat that you are looking to get for yourself.
There are different varieties of these cats that appeal to certain groups of people. Some breeders will be more likely to check on the customers if they are ready to handle the cat or not. If they find the future owners to be not ready, then they might not get the cat even if the cat is on supply.
Reasons behind the cat do matter in paying the initial money for them. Purebred cats will likely cost more than a non-pedigree cat. There are other things that will tip the price tag of a Calico cat to a positive or a negative number.
Cost Maintenance For a Calico cat
One of the things that fly-by over the head of people in the maintenance of the cats. When people are fascinated with the cats that they see on the internet or from their local shelters, the immediate thought that comes to the head is getting the cat.
The real cost of a cat lies in its maintenance. This can break the bank if you are not too careful with it.
The demand for exotic cats will also be high compared to your common cat breed.
The grooming, the food, the accessories all will easily raise the price of the maintenance annually.
Knowing about them will help you set up a proper budget plan for the cat before your initial purchase. If the cost of maintenance is much higher than the initial cost, then you will need to think about getting other cats or accepting the price of maintenance for these exotic cats.
Most of the time the maintenance cost for a Calico cat stays the same as average cats in the market.
Food cost for a Calico cat
Cats are lively and active creatures, they will need a big area to do all their fun activities to keep them engaged with life.
Providing them with essential food will help them stay active and keep the glowing freshness on their face.
Food will also impact the appearance of the cat, so providing them with pore food is more necessary than one might. Make sure to switch to some decent protein-based meal for your cat rather than staying under the radar of $8 to $10 food.
You will have to spend more than $20 if you want to give your cat all the proper nutrients they need to function better in the house without showing any signs of weakness.
Not getting enough protein will take a toll on their appearance, and they will be less active in the house.
The social traits will also take a hit if the cat doesn’t receive a proper amount of food for its health.
While common cats will be found with any type of meal, exotic cats will need some protein-based meal to keep the look that they are known for.
Normally people get these cats for their unique look, not providing them with essential food elements will deteriorate their appearance.
Creating the Environment – Cost for a Calico cat
You will need to create a friendly environment for the cat to feel comfortable in. You can ask the breeder to know what kind of environment to create for the cat you are buying from them.
Reputable breeders are known to create a perfect climate for the cats, as they spend upwards of thousands of dollars to maintain the cat and observe every aspect of these cats regularly.
If you’re getting a cat from a reputable breeder then you will need to spend somewhere in between $300 to $400 on beds, cat scratchers, food/water bowls, blankets, grooming supplies, and many others to keep the cat busy.
Vet costs For Calico Cats
Daily checkups are essential especially for cats that are known for their looks. To help a cat live a better life with all its looks still intact, you will need to perform daily checks to make sure the cat doesn’t have anything in them.
A routine check-up will cost somewhere between $50 to $75. The vet will deeply examine the cat and give you proper advice on how to take care of it. Avoiding routine checks up will raise the vet price by a significant amount.
Skipping the daily check-up might expand the problem to a much larger stage. This will go to a point, where the normal medication will not fix the problem.
This is where the vet will have to resort to performing surgical operations to keep the pet alive. This can cost upwards of $1000 or more depending on the severity of the disease.
Sometimes the cost of vet charges will go over the initial price of the cat. Paying $50 to $75 might sound a lot but it will keep the cat healthy and function better and most importantly, keep them from getting life-threatening diseases.
Conclusion
Calico cats are one of the most unique cats in the market. Getting the cat with your favorite color will not be easy since they are very high on demand. But make sure the breeder is a reputable breeder with all the essential paperwork.
So you will get the best deal and get the best type of cat with all proper health check-ups. After paying the initial price, comes the part of maintenance. Which never should be skipped, from creating a perfect environment to a regular vet visit all of them play a major role in maintaining the overall health of the cat to a stable level.
