How to Start a Himalayan Breeding Business
If you are Himalayan cat lover, you may consider starting your own breeding business. Pet breeding businesses rarely produce a great deal of revenue, but they can offset the costs of showing and caring for your animals. And if managed properly, a breeding business may provide an additional income stream that lets you profit from your passion. A savvy business person may establish a well-regarded brand and branch out into additional cat-related profitable activities.
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Instructions
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Set up your space. You need enough space for each animal to ensure its health and cleanliness. Whether you use kennels or let your cats roam freely throughout your home, they still need space to be by themselves and in which females can give birth to kittens. Males may need dedicated space in which to be introduced to potential mates. Ensure that the space is clean and attractive enough to show to customers who will be purchasing your kittens or using your Himalayan male stud services.
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Determine what services to offer. You might only sell kittens from a male and female pair you own. Or you can keep only female breeding stock and select stud services from other Himalayan breeding businesses to produce kittens. You may prefer to keep males only and rent out their stud services. Take time to evaluate the finances and decide what service best suits your environment.
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Select your breeding stock. The more closely your animals conform to showing association standards, the longer and more well documented their pedigree. The more show ribbons they have won, the more valuable their offspring will be. Breed standardization groups such as Cat Fanciers' Association and The International Cat Association have specific requirements for Himalayan cats. Select the healthiest, highest-quality animals you can afford for your initial breeding stock.
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Consider health insurance. Pet health insurance policies are becoming more economical and can save you money if you intend to care for multiple animals. Since the Himalayan can suffer from joint problems and sinus difficulties due to their compressed noses, you should be aware of the potential expenses and able to commit to a cat's care throughout its life.
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Show your animals. The more highly decorated the animal, the more valuable the offspring or stud services. Carefully choose the shows you will attend to ensure the most prestige from the results, with the least amount of cost.
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Breed your animals. Depending upon your business model, you may wait until your breeding pair are in heat and mate with each other. Or you can carefully select a male or female counterpart to your animal. Choose your animal's mate based on lineage and prestige, and on the likelihood that its features combined with your animal's features will produce offspring closer to the association standard.
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Select your new breeding stock. Once offspring have been produced from the first mating, choose the best members of that generation to add to your future breeding and showing stock. A combination of features, health and personality should factor into your decision.
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Sell your kittens. Any animals you will not be keeping should be sold to good homes. Prices may range from $450 to $1,500 and up. Animals that will not be bred for show purposes should be spayed or neutered as soon as possible.
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