Purchasing a kitten and caring for it
A Persian or Exotic Shorthair kitten from us costs $1,700 to $2,000. A $300 non refundable deposit reserves your kitten, and the balance is due when you collect at 12 to 14 weeks old. Kittens leave with two vaccinations, de-worming, litter training, a written contract and a health guarantee.
This page covers everything from price to the first week at home. If a question is not answered here, send us a message and ask. We would rather answer twenty questions now than have a kitten go to a home that turns out to be the wrong fit.
How much does a Persian kitten cost?
Our kittens are $1,700 to $2,000. Where a particular kitten sits in that range depends on color, coat density, eye shape and overall conformation against the breed standard. We publish the exact price on every kitten's card, so there is nothing to negotiate and no surprise at collection.
| Included in the price | Not included |
|---|---|
| First two vaccinations | Spay or neuter surgery |
| De-worming | Ongoing vaccinations and vet care |
| Litter training | Microchipping |
| Written kitten contract | Flight nanny or airport delivery fees |
| Written health guarantee | Carrier, food, litter and supplies |
| Care sheet and ongoing support | Pet insurance |
| Registration papers after spay or neuter | Grooming tools |
For context, purebred Persian kittens from registered breeders in the United States generally sell between about $1,300 and $3,500, with show quality kittens at the top of that range. A price far below that band is usually a sign of a kitten that is not what it is being described as.
How do you reserve a kitten?
Send us a message saying which kitten you want, then send a $300 deposit. That deposit takes the kitten off the market. It is non refundable, because reserving your kitten means turning other buyers away, but it is transferable to another kitten in a later litter if your plans change.
Contact us
Use the contact form and tell us which kitten interests you, whether you have other pets, and roughly when you would want to collect.
Meet the kitten
Local buyers are welcome to visit by appointment. Everyone else gets fresh photos and video. Ask us anything about the parents, the line or the kitten's temperament.
Place your $300 deposit
We accept Zelle, Venmo, CashApp, cash or a personal check for deposits. Once it clears, the kitten is reserved in your name and we send updates through to collection.
Collect at 12 to 14 weeks
Pay the balance by Zelle, cash, Venmo or CashApp. Collect in Vancouver, meet us at Portland International Airport, or arrange for us to fly your kitten to you.
How do you get your kitten home if you live in another state?
We do not ship kittens as cargo, ever. Your kitten flies in the aircraft cabin with a person, or you collect it yourself. We have sent kittens across the country this way and it is the normal route for our out of state buyers, not an exception we make reluctantly.
- Collect in person. Come to us in Vancouver, Washington, or meet us at Portland International Airport if you are flying in. Buyers regularly fly into PDX in the morning and out the same afternoon with the kitten in the cabin beside them.
- We fly the kitten ourselves. For an agreed fee, one of us flies with your kitten in the cabin to your nearest airport and hands the kitten to you at arrivals.
- A professional flight nanny. An independent carrier accompanies your kitten in the cabin. We have used PDX Flight Nanny, which flies out of Portland to any airport in the United States, carries cats only, and is registered with USDA APHIS as a Class T transporter. Its pricing is published on its own site.
Worth knowing before you book. Airlines cap how many animals travel in the cabin per flight, so a seat for the kitten has to be reserved separately, usually by phone. Some states require a certificate of veterinary inspection for a commercial transfer even when the airline does not. Ask us and we will tell you what applied the last time we flew that route.
What does the contract and health guarantee cover?
Every kitten leaves with a written contract and a health guarantee against serious congenital and life threatening conditions. If a licensed veterinarian diagnoses and certifies such a condition, we provide a replacement kitten. Ordinary issues such as allergies are not covered, and the guarantee requires a vet examination shortly after collection.
Kittens are sold as pets, without breeding rights. The contract requires you to have your kitten spayed or neutered, and once your veterinarian confirms it we send your TICA or CFA registration papers.
How do you pay?
| Method | Deposit | Final payment |
|---|---|---|
| Zelle | Yes | Yes |
| Venmo | Yes | Yes |
| CashApp | Yes | Yes |
| Cash | Yes | Yes |
| Personal check | Yes | No |
| Credit card | No | No |
How should you introduce a new kitten at home?
Keep the kitten in one closed room for the first four to seven days with its own litter tray, food, water and bed. Let it learn one small space before it takes on the whole house. If you have other pets, swap bedding between rooms so they learn each other by scent, then allow short supervised meetings.
A kitten that has just left its mother and littermates has lost everything familiar in one afternoon. A single quiet room is a kindness. Sit in there with it, read aloud, let it come to you. Within a week most kittens are scratching at the door asking to explore, which is your signal to open it.
The first week, day by day
- Day one. Show the kitten the litter tray, then leave it alone to sleep. Do not invite people over to see it.
- Days two and three. Short, calm play sessions. Start a daily comb through the coat so it becomes part of the routine early.
- Days four to seven. Scent swapping with other pets. Book the vet check if you have not already.
- Week two. Open the door and let the kitten explore at its own pace, with the safe room still available.
What supplies do you need before the kitten arrives?
Have all of this ready before collection day. Buying it in a rush with a crying kitten in the car is nobody's idea of a good first evening.
| Item | What we use and why |
|---|---|
| Dry food | Life's Abundance All Life Stage. Your kitten is already eating this when it leaves us, so it can carry straight on. If you switch to something else, change over gradually across a week or you will cause an upset stomach. |
| Wet food | Purina Fancy Feast, which is what our kittens are already on. Persians benefit from wet food for the extra moisture. |
| Litter | Scoop Away Complete Performance. A low sided tray is easier for a twelve week old kitten to climb into. |
| Probiotic | Purina FortiFlora, four to seven times a week. We use it for digestion and general immune support, and the settling in period is when stress upsets a kitten's stomach. |
| Eye wash | Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial. Flat faced breeds tear more than most. Wipe the eyes daily. |
| Water | An ordinary bowl is fine. We use a fountain and our cats prefer to drink from it. |
| Steel comb | A metal greyhound comb is the only tool that reliably reaches the undercoat. A slicker brush alone will not. |
| Carrier | Hard sided for car travel, soft sided if the kitten is flying in the cabin. |
| Nail clippers | Trim every two weeks from the start so the kitten grows up expecting it. |
Our full grooming routine, including how to deal with mats and tear staining, is on the Persian grooming guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Persian kitten cost?
A Persian or Exotic Shorthair kitten from Exotic Stars Cattery costs $1,700 to $2,000. Price varies with color, coat quality and conformation. Nationally, purebred Persian kittens from registered breeders typically run from about $1,300 to $3,500, so our range sits in the middle of the market.
How do I reserve a kitten?
Message us to say which kitten you want, then send a $300 deposit. The kitten is yours from the moment the deposit clears. Kittens are reserved strictly in the order deposits arrive, not in the order inquiries arrive.
Is the deposit refundable?
The $300 deposit is non refundable, but it is transferable. If your circumstances change you can move it to another kitten in a later litter. The deposit exists because reserving a kitten means turning other buyers away.
When can my kitten come home?
Kittens go home at 12 to 14 weeks of age. By that point they have had their first two vaccinations, have been de-wormed and are fully litter trained. We do not release kittens earlier, whatever the reason.
How do I pay the balance?
The balance is due when you collect your kitten. We accept Zelle, cash, Venmo and CashApp for the final payment. For the deposit we also accept a personal check. We do not take credit cards.
Can you ship a kitten to me?
We do not ship kittens in cargo. Out of state buyers either collect in Vancouver or at Portland International Airport, or the kitten flies to their nearest airport in the cabin, with us or with a flight nanny we have used, PDX Flight Nanny. Flying in the cabin with a person is far less stressful for a kitten than cargo.
What does the health guarantee cover?
Our written guarantee covers serious congenital and life threatening conditions. If a licensed veterinarian diagnoses and certifies such a condition, we provide a replacement kitten. Conditions outside the guarantee include allergies, parasites acquired after collection, and problems caused by neglect or injury.
Do I need to take my kitten to a vet straight away?
Yes. Have your own veterinarian look the kitten over after you collect it. It confirms the kitten arrived healthy, and the health guarantee runs on a licensed vet's diagnosis, so that examination is what it rests on.
Are your kittens spayed or neutered before they leave?
Not at present. Kittens leave intact and the contract requires you to have your kitten spayed or neutered. We can talk you through timing with your vet, which for a Persian is usually between five and seven months.
What if I have other cats at home?
Keep the new kitten in one closed room for the first four to seven days with its own litter tray, food and water. Swap bedding between the rooms so the animals learn each other by scent before they meet. Then allow short supervised meetings. Rushing this is the single most common cause of a bad first month.
Page last reviewed and updated on by Exotic Stars Cattery.
Still have a question?
We would rather answer twenty questions now than have a kitten go to a home that is not ready for it.
