Expensive and rare: exclusive cat breeds
Every cat lover loves their four-legged friends. But the rarer the breed, the higher the price for the breeder's velvet paws. We introduce you to ten of the most expensive cat breeds.
Savannah The Savannah is the largest recognized breed of cat with a length of up to four feet. It is a wild cat hybrid that was created by crossing the African wild cat Serval with domestic cats. Due to its imposing stature and eye-catching fur, the Savannah looks like a small cheetah for the living room. However, the first generations of crossbreeding brought much pristine wildcat behavior with them. In many countries, you, therefore, need a special official permit for keeping wild animals.
The direct descendants of the serval and house cat are very expensive in the first generations. But also oneF3 or F4 generation Savannahs can cost a few thousand euros if they come from a reputable source. This wild beauty does not feel at home in a small apartment. She needs a secure garden where she can let off steam.
- Bengal cat
In the 1960s, Asian leopard cats were crossed with domestic cats for the first time. To achieve today's Bengal type with the typical wild look, Egyptian Mau, American Shorthair, and Oriental Shorthair joined the Bengal gene pool over the decades.
Makeup today Bengal cats are a separate breed. They need a lot of activity and are a little wilder than other velvet paws. Nevertheless, most Bengali love to spend time cuddling with their owner. Even laypeople are enthusiastic about the extraordinary fur in the big cat look. This exclusivity has its price: Bengal animals cost an average of 1,000 euros and up.
- Safari cat
Anyone who thinks "Safari cat - never heard of" is probably in good company. The safari cat is extremely rare and therefore expensive. From a price of 4,000 euros, friends of exotic fur noses can purchase such a beauty. There are said to be fewer than 100 safari cats worldwide.
This breed is also a hybrid cat: For this purpose, researchers mated the small spotted cat with common domestic cats. It is not only the appearance that is extraordinary but also the genetic background. Because the small spotted cat has one more pair of chromosomes than the domestic cat. Breeding is therefore very difficult. Interested parties should inform themselves well about keeping hybrid cats and the origin of the respective animals.
- Carat
The Caracas is a wildcat hybrid that emerges from the caracal and a domesticated cat. The first Caracas happened by chance in a Moscow zoo, where a feral tomcat mated with a caracal cat in 1998. Around ten years later, American breeders tried to breed the Caracas specifically and crossed the Caracal Abyssinian cats. In Germany Maine Coon become the matching counterpart of the caracal. All of these efforts at targeted breeding fizzled out.
Individual caracals cost several thousand euros. Caracas is one of the most expensive cat breeds. But the animals can hardly be found seriously today.
- Sphynx cat
Lovers of almost hairless cats like the Canadian Sphynx or the Don Sphynx from Russia reach deep into their pockets for individual velvet paws. Because the naked cats are something very special and are therefore among the most expensive cat breeds.
Prices for both Sphynx breeds start at a reputable breeder from 800 euros and are thus slightly higher than for most other breeds. Many breeders only give their protégés to enthusiasts from 1,000 euros - breeding animals are even more expensive.
Warning: if you are looking for a Sphynx decides should watch out for whiskers. In Germany, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that cats without whiskers fall under the torture breeding paragraph.
- Peterbald
She is also furless Peterbald from Russia. They are the descendants of Russian Don Sphynx who were crossed with oriental cat breeds. The Peterbald has a long snout and large, widely spaced ears. In addition to the nude version, the Peterbald is also available with a velour-like or slightly curled fur.
The prices are a little higher than the Sphynx breeds. Since there are very few breeders outside of Russia, a Peterbald is difficult to come by in Europe.
- Ceylon cat
Neither nude nor hybrid: Ceylon is a natural beauty. The cat breed originated on the island of Sri Lanka - formerly Ceylon. In the 1960s she came to Italy with cat friends and from here spread throughout Europe. Today it is popular in Italy, with a few specimens in other countries. That is why a pure-bred Ceylon is rare in Europe.
The agouti basic color with stripes on the legs, tail, and face is characteristic. The Ceylon cat has a clear “M” on its forehead. An animal from reputable breeding is to have from 1,000 euros.
- Sokoke cat
The Sokoke is a real exotic because it comes from the Sokoke Arabuke rainforest in East Africa. From here, a litter came to Denmark in the 1980s, where breeders took care of the pretty cat. In 1993 the Fédération International Feline recognized the breed.
Today, most of the Sokoke cats in Europe live in Denmark. The English name is "African Shorthair". If you want to move a Sokoke from a reputable breed into your home, you have to pay at least 1,500 euros for this expensive cat breed.
- Balinese cat
Contrary to what the name suggests, it comes from a Balinese cat, not from Bali. This breed is a variant of the Siamese cat with a semi-long coat that has been bred since the 1920s. Since the Balinese cat, recognized as a separate breed, is rare, it is on average more expensive than more common breeds. The prices start at around 900 euros per young animal.
- Korat cat
The Korat is originally from Thailand but has captured the hearts of cat connoisseurs from all over the world for several decades. In Thailand, it is also called "Maeo Dock-Lao". This translates as "cat of the color of the clouds before the rain shower" and describes the noble gray fur of the Korat.
In their home region, the Korat was considered a lucky charm that was not sold but given away. Purebred Korat is rare in Europe and cost from 800 euros and up. Serious breeders have the breeding animals tested for the hereditary disease, which occurs at Korat.