It amazes me that people think breeders of prize winning cats make money....
BYB's make money for some of the following reasons:
1. Lack of veterinary care
2. Breeding the females more than 2x a year without respite until "old" age (I've met a BYB with a 9 year old female Persian, and she's still breeding 2x a year)
3. Low quality food and litter
4. Lack of human attention
5. Sheer numbers
I will admit that perhaps some of the top catteries in the world can more than cover costs because they can command a high price for their cats - and well deserved too!
You don't become one of the best catteries in the world by sheer luck! It takes passion, time, energy and a whole lot of love to become say Bastis for Abyssinians, Tsar Blu for Russian Blues, D'Eden Lover for Persians and Exotics, Shubacoons for Maine Coons to name a few. These names are world renowned in their chosen breeds and everyone who wants to breed these breeds wants one of their cats to be in their lines...
And yet, these world renowned catteries don't really charge all that much for their cats considering...
BYB's are all about demand and supply. You demand, they supply. Sad but true. For the top catteries, you can demand all you like but usually they produce at most 2 litters a year which means their waiting list is at least 3 years long (I should know, I'm still on the wait list for a Bastis Aby!)....
1. Lack of veterinary care
2. Breeding the females more than 2x a year without respite until "old" age (I've met a BYB with a 9 year old female Persian, and she's still breeding 2x a year)
3. Low quality food and litter
4. Lack of human attention
5. Sheer numbers
I will admit that perhaps some of the top catteries in the world can more than cover costs because they can command a high price for their cats - and well deserved too!
You don't become one of the best catteries in the world by sheer luck! It takes passion, time, energy and a whole lot of love to become say Bastis for Abyssinians, Tsar Blu for Russian Blues, D'Eden Lover for Persians and Exotics, Shubacoons for Maine Coons to name a few. These names are world renowned in their chosen breeds and everyone who wants to breed these breeds wants one of their cats to be in their lines...
And yet, these world renowned catteries don't really charge all that much for their cats considering...
BYB's are all about demand and supply. You demand, they supply. Sad but true. For the top catteries, you can demand all you like but usually they produce at most 2 litters a year which means their waiting list is at least 3 years long (I should know, I'm still on the wait list for a Bastis Aby!)....