HOW much???

Hi, I'm a first-time cat owner and an American currently living in Hong Kong. I've had lots of cat questions since I picked up my kitty from the SPCA a month ago and was lucky enough to find (in addition to this website, which has been great!) a pet supply store run by a local couple who breed and show British Shorthairs and also have some other show cats. They've been very helpful and have the most beautiful cats I've ever seen. The British Shorthairs are so gorgeous with their full faces and dense, plush fur! If I ever get another cat...oh well, I have a beautiful "one of a kind" stubby-tailed, long-earred, abundantly whiskered creature sitting beside me as I type...who could wish for more?

Anyway, the man was telling me more about the business in pedigree cats in Hong Kong. Some show quality cats from Australian and the US are bought by disreputable people and then resold in Hong Kong for about US $30,000!!! He also told me that they are originally bought from the breeders for something like US $12,000!!! Is that really what they cost? I don't have any intention of ever getting a show quality cat, but I'm a little curious!

Please be careful who you sell your lovely furbabies to! It's disgusting to think of living creatures being traded in such a manner, although of course much worse things happen to animals in Asia.

The most I have ever seen a pedigree cat sell for is around 2000.00. Generally they are under 500.00 though. That sounds like either a line of bull or they are crazy there.

Doesn't it depend on if the cat has received it's grand champion status? I remember when I bought Gizmo, his father, a bengal, had received his champion status's, and she told me that the breeder was asking for quite a lot of $$$$$ for him...... But, $30,000...... that is outrageos!

Doesn't it depend on if the cat has received it's grand champion status? I remember when I bought Gizmo, his father, a bengal, had received his champion status's, and she told me that the breeder was asking for quite a lot of $$$$$ for him...... But, $30,000...... that is outragous!

Sandie and Tigger,

Thanks for the information! It could just be a line of bull or maybe he really meant Hong Kong dollars. In which case, it would be about US$4000, which sounds more in the ballpark, especially if it included the cost of transportation. He did mention that a pet quality BSH would sell for around US$600 here and told me that if I was interested I should try to deal directly with a breeder.

In any case, I will definitely try to attend a cat show just to see more varieties. I'd love to see a Munchkin (after reading Sandie's posts) or a Siamese. Are you normally allowed to walk around and get close to the cages during the show? The only other purebred cats I've seen in real life were some very runny-eyed Persians.

Regina

I dont know if you would ever see a munchkin in Hong Kong, but they are very nice cats. If the shows are fairly similar to the ones here, then you can walk around the benching areas. Some breeders will let you get closer than others. There are so many different breeds, and its fun to learn a little about each.

Sandie,

Thanks for information! I guess I'll have to wait until I get back home to see a Munchkin then.

Regina

Just because I am curious, why are you living in Hong Kong?

Hi Sandie,

My husband is originally from Hong Kong. We met in graduate school and when we graduated four years ago we found that the jobs he was offered in Hong Kong were much better in terms of pay and promotion prospect than comparable jobs in the States so we moved over here. I was also able to find ESL teaching jobs and have been able to start my own tutorial business (with a local partner). It's quite a nice place to live if you like big cities and Asian food. The drawbacks are the hot humid climate and the crowded conditions.

Regina

WOW and I thought only people in the military were crazy enough to live outside the country. I do know that a lot of people who live in other countries decide to retire or live there. I have a friend who transferred to Austria and from what I understand she just ADORES it there. From what you describe though, it is a big city(bleck) and I dont do crowds very well. It also sounds very pricey You will have to keep us informed on the cat world there!!!

Hi Sandie,

Yes, the main areas of HK are pretty much a big city (some parts almost look like the opening scene in the movie "Bladerunner"), but I live out in the New Territories, which is the HK version of suburbia. Sadly, we have a lot of feral animals (cats and dogs) around where I live. There are at least three cats that frequent our back garden on a regular basis. I don't know too much about the cat world here yet, but hope to find out more. I'll keep you posted!

Regina

I have heard that they have meals made with cats / dogs in Asian countries. Is it also true in HK ?

Warning: Some stomach-turning details to follow.

In answer to dodo's question, it is actually illegal to eat dog meat in Hong Kong (which is not to say that it never happens but it is probably pretty rare) and I have never heard of Chinese eating cats. However, in Mainland China it is popular to eat dog meat in some places. It seems to be a regional thing.

I once asked a friend from Shanghai if he would be eating dog on a visit home. He looked offended and said that Shanghainese never eat dog but that Cantonese do. On the other hand, I know another woman from Chengdu who really looks forward to eating dog on visits home! The meat is believed to keep you warm in the winter.

I did try a dish of "mystery meat" in Shenzhen once only to be informed that it was some kind of fox or badger-like animal. Some restaurants in Guangzhou almost look like pet shops, with snakes, turtles, frogs, those badger-like animals, etc., in cages in front of the shop.

Once I was walking in front of one and a man came out and slaughtered an animal in the street with a knife. I thought it was a puppy and covered my eyes, but my husband told me that it was one of those badger-like animals.

I am actually more offended by the torture of animals for Chinese medicine (such as the extraction of bile from bears)or by repetitive, unnecessary animal testing and experimentation in the U.S. than I am by people eating animals. Afterall, we eat pigs, cows, etc.

I would also add that there are also many people here and in China are very kind to animals and there are quite a number of animal welfare organizations. Keeping dogs as pets is actually a new kind of luxury for many urban Mainland Chinese as up until recently most of them couldn't afford it and it was illegal in some places to prevent rabies.

Regina

Hi, I have never heard of a kiten that price around. 500.00 and some times 1000.00 for a top show cat maybe.
Debbie