How to Sell Tortoiseshell Kittens in the United States

What rules apply when you sell tortoiseshell kittens?

Selling a home litter is legal in most places, but the rules are state and local. Massachusetts, for example, bars selling or transferring a cat younger than 8 weeks, and Florida also restricts the sale or transfer of kittens that young. Some cities regulate breeding: the City of Los Angeles requires a breeding permit for cats bred in the city. Rabies vaccination rules are set by states and cities, so ask your vet what applies.

A federal USDA license generally applies only to breeders with more than four breeding females who sell animals buyers have not seen in person, so a family with one litter is rarely affected. If you breed pedigreed torties as a business, check state consumer rules too; New York, for example, has a pet lemon law for purchases from commercial sellers.

Which coat name should you use in a tortoiseshell kitten ad?

Buyers who want a tortie often search for one exact look, so name each kitten's coat carefully. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) gives these definitions:

Never call a kitten a breed, or a breed mix, without a registered parent's papers. CFA writer Teresa Keiger notes that a cat not known to come from a breeder of pedigreed cats will almost certainly not be of a specific breed, and a tortie with Siamese-style points is, in CFA terms, a Colorpoint Shorthair only if registered.

How do you prepare tortie kittens for new homes?

1. Handle each kitten every day from a few weeks old, with gentle touching of paws, ears and mouth, and short spells in a carrier.
2. Book a vet exam at 6 to 8 weeks. CFA's summary of the AAHA/AAFP guidelines starts the FVRCP series then, with boosters every 2 to 4 weeks until 16 to 18 weeks, so buyers will finish it.
3. Deworm and treat for fleas, noting each product and date.
4. Test the mother for FeLV and FIV. The Cornell Feline Health Center says FeLV can pass from a mother to her kittens before birth or while nursing.
5. Ask the vet to confirm each kitten's sex. Torties in the litter will almost certainly be female; any that look male need checking before you write the ad.
6. Consider microchips, about $20 each by the ASPCA's estimate, and transfer them at handover.
7. Photograph each kitten from both sides in daylight. No two torties are patched alike, which helps buyers choose.

How should you price tortoiseshell kittens?

Buyers will compare you with shelters, where a tortie often comes vaccinated and spayed. A modest price that covers part of your vet bill is fair; a premium for the coat is not.

If you have a male tortie, price him like his sisters. CFA's guide to cat patterns says male torties are usually unable to reproduce, and Petful's guide tells buyers to distrust claims that a male is worth thousands; asking for that would cost you the trust of every careful buyer. Before you settle on a figure, compare current tortoiseshell kittens for sale near you.

What should your tortoiseshell kitten ad include?

Post your ad with recent photos of each kitten and one of the mother, then cover:

• Each kitten's coat name, sex, date of birth and coat length.
• House cat or registered breed; for a pedigreed litter, the registry and the parents' registered names and screening results.
• Vet work with dates, and the mother's FeLV/FIV result.
• A short, honest line on each kitten's personality.
• The price, what it includes and your spay agreement.
• Your town, not your street address; keep your phone number out of the ad text and answer messages first.

How do you screen buyers and take payment safely?

Ask every buyer the same questions by message: who lives at home, other pets, landlord permission, which vet they will use, indoor plans and when they will spay. Pause if someone wants an unspayed female to breed, or asks mainly about a male tortie's resale value.

• Meet at your home or a busy public place in daylight, with another adult present.
• Take payment in person at handover. A check for more than your price with a request to refund the difference is what the Federal Trade Commission calls a fake check scam.
• Never ship a kitten to a buyer you have not met.
• Sign a short agreement with both names, the kitten's description and microchip number, a spay date and a promise to contact you first if they cannot keep her.

Why should you spay the mother and the kittens?

A litter of torties is a litter of girls, and each could have kittens of her own within months. The ASPCA says kittens can be spayed safely from about eight weeks, advises booking the surgery before five months, and notes that unspayed females usually come into heat for four to five days every three weeks during the breeding season. Ask your vet when the mother can be spayed after weaning and keep her indoors until then.

If a kitten does not sell, read how to give away a tortoiseshell cat for free without risk or, for an older cat, how to rehome your tortoiseshell cat responsibly. To see what careful buyers will ask you, read how to buy a tortoiseshell kitten.