The cost of buying a calico cat is usually between £300-£2000 (roughly $400-$3000).
The exact price is going to depend on several factors including the breed, age and sex of the cat and whether or not it is purebred.
The £300-£2000/$400-$3000 estimate is about the same price range as most pedigree cats.
If you are looking for a non-pedigree calico then you can expect the price to be at the lower end of this scale.
One important thing to remember is that calico is not a breed of cat. It instead refers to the cat’s tri-colour coat pattern with distinct patches of each colour.
This means the price of a calico cat is going to depend partly on the specific breed of cat you are looking for.
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Pedigree Or Non-Pedigree
Pedigree (a.k.a purebred) cats are going to cost more to buy than non-pedigree cats.
They are the cats at the more expensive end of the scale as they have been bred to look a certain way or to exhibit certain personality traits.
Pedigree cats are not as common as non-pedigree cats.
Pedigrees may be more expensive to buy but there’s a downside to them.
They tend to have been bred from a small gene pool which means they have an increased risk of health problems.
A purebred cat is more likely to experience health issues so you may be faced with large vet bills in the future.
An example of this is Scottish Fold cats experiencing arthritis due to a flaw that affects the development of their bone and cartilage.
You’ll generally be looking at spending £500+/$700+ for a pedigree calico cat and less for a non-pedigree.
You can expect to pay around the same amount for a female calico as most popular breeds.
However, the price of a male calico is going to be even higher.
Why Are Male Calicos More Expensive?
One of the interesting things about calico cats is that around 99% of them are female.
This is due to the genetics of what makes these cats have a calico pattern.
As only 1% of calico cats are males this makes them hard to come by and means they cost considerably more to buy.
A male calico can have a commercial value of over £1000/$1400 due to how rare they are in comparison to females.
Male calicos are not able to breed as they are born sterile but this does not seem to reduce their value or buying price.
This is likely because not being able to breed simply enhances their rarity.
Average Price For A Calico Cat
£500/$700 is quite a common price when buying a calico kitten.
Although, it’s difficult to put an exact figure on this because there are so many variables that need to be taken into account. This should only be used as a rough pricing guideline.
Why Are Calico Cats Expensive?
These cats have a distinctive and beautiful appearance with a unique tri-colour coat pattern.
They are sometimes considered expensive to buy but there are a few factors that are in their favour and may be able to justify the price.
- First of all, they are generally healthy cats with no specific health problems associated with them.
- Secondly, they have a lifespan of 12-16 years.
- Finally, in many countries, calico cats are believed to bring good fortune.
With all of this in mind, it makes sense that people are willing to pay a higher price to bring a calico cat into their family.
For many cat lovers, these quirky, energetic and social cats are worth the money.
Calico Cats Cannot Be Bred
Another factor that contributes to the rarity and cost of calico cats is that they cannot be bred.
The colouration is random and while a female calico can get pregnant, the colour variation cannot be reproduced by breeding.
As mentioned, male calicos are born sterile so they cannot be used for breeding either.
Can I Adopt A Calico Cat?
It is worth keeping an eye out in rescue centres as you may find a calico cat that is looking for a forever home.
Rescue centres often have many cats looking for homes so it is worth talking to them.
Adopting a cat rather than buying one will cost far less, you will usually only need to pay an adoption fee of around £50/$70 (this fee varies depending on the rescue centre).
When you adopt a cat they should also come with a full vet check, microchip, vaccinations, worming and they will likely have been neutered too.
Calico Breeds
If you are looking for a calico cat but you’re not sure exactly what breed you are looking for, this list may help.
These are a few of the cat breeds that commonly have individuals with calico coats:
- British Shorthair
- American Shorthair
- Persian
- Munchkin
- Japanese Bobtail
- Devon Rex
- Cornish Rex
- Scottish Fold
- Sphynx
- Turkish Van
Another factor you may want to consider is if you are looking for a standard calico or a dilute calico.
A standard calico will usually have white coats with large orange and black spots while a dilute calico usually has white coats with large spots of blue/ grey and cream.
Also Read: Sphynx Cat Price – Why Are They So Expensive?
The Average Cost Of Buying A Cat
The price guides listed above discuss the one-off cost of buying a calico cat. Remember there are many other costs of owning a cat to consider including food, bedding, toys & accessories, vet bills, insurance etc.
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