The Cost of a Litter: A Financial Breakdown for Aspiring Breeders#

“I’ll buy a female for $2,000, she’ll have 6 kittens, I’ll sell them for $2,500 each. That’s $15,000 profit!”

I hear this “Napkin Math” all the time. It is a fantasy. Breeding Maine Coons is expensive. They are big cats who eat a lot, require large doses of medication, and have complex births.

Here is the real balance sheet of a single litter.

The “Startup” Costs (Per Queen)#

Purchase Price (Breeding Rights): $3,500 - $5,000.
Genetic Testing (Wisdom/UC Davis): $150.
Echocardiogram (Heart Scan): $400-$600 (Must be done yearly).
Hips X-Ray (OFA): $300.
Show Title (Travel/Entry Fees): $1,000+ (To prove she is worth breeding).

Total before she even gets pregnant: ~$6,000+.

The Litter Costs (Best Case Scenario)#

Let’s say she has 6 healthy kittens.

Stud Fee (if you don’t own a male): $2,000 or pick of litter.
Food (Pregnancy + Weaning): Maine Coon kittens eat pounds of raw meat. $1,500.
Litter: $300.
Vet (Vaccines/Spay/Neuter): $200 per kitten x 6 = $1,200.
Registration Papers: $100.

The Disaster Factor (Real Life)#

Maine Coons are large-headed cats. Dystocia (stuck kittens) is common.

Emergency C-Section (2 AM): $2,500 - $4,000.
Pyometra Spay (Loss of Queen): $1,500.
Fading Kitten Protocol (Incubator/Oxygen): $500 equipment cost.

Conclusion#

If you are lucky, you might break even or make a small profit to reinvest in better cages. If you are unlucky, one C-section can wipe out the profit of two years. Breed because you love the breed, not to pay your mortgage.

References#

Robinson, R. Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians.
Pedersen, N.C. Feline Husbandry.