How to Sell Kittens and Cats in Canada | PetzLover
To sell kittens or cats in Canada, keep kittens with their mother until at least 8 weeks, have each one vet-checked, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped, and sell in person with a written agreement and the vet record. Check your province's and city's rules first: Quebec, for example, requires a vet exam before a cat's first breeding, and Toronto and Calgary allow no more than six cats in a home.
Careful buyers know the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's warnings about fake kitten ads, so a seller who shows the kittens live, shares records and invites questions stands out.
Key points
- Rules are mostly provincial and municipal: check breeding, licensing and cat-limit rules where you live before a litter is born.
- Kittens leave at 8 weeks at the earliest; Quebec prohibits separating them from their mother sooner, and pedigree kittens often go at about 13 weeks.
- Give every buyer a vet record, the microchip number and a signed agreement, and never sell or offer declawed kittens.
- Price against current local listings; a bargain price makes careful buyers suspicious.
- Take payment in person and refuse unseen out-of-town buyers, overpayments and pending-payment notices, which the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists as common frauds.
What rules apply when you sell kittens in Canada?
Selling a pet cat or a litter is legal, but rules sit at three levels and most depend on where you live.
- Federal: the Criminal Code makes it an offence to wilfully cause an animal unnecessary pain or suffering, or to fail to provide suitable and adequate food, water, shelter and care.
- Provincial: welfare laws set standards of care, for example Ontario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 and British Columbia's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Quebec's regulation on the welfare of pets, in force since February 10, 2024, requires a vet to examine a cat before its first breeding, including an owner who breeds a pet once to sell the kittens. Anyone in Quebec who keeps 15 or more cats and dogs needs a permit, not counting kittens under six months kept with their mother.
- Municipal: Toronto and Calgary each allow no more than six cats in a home, and the City of Toronto says breeding cats on a residential property violates its permitted use. Montreal requires cats over six months to be spayed or neutered and microchipped, although a cat registered with a breeding association the city recognizes may be exempt.
Should you breed your cat at all?
Think hard before a planned litter. Humane Canada's 2019 statistics show participating shelters took in more than 78,000 cats, nearly three times as many as dogs, so every kitten you sell competes with cats already waiting for homes.
- Breed only healthy adult cats with good temperaments, and ask your vet which tests matter for the breed.
- Avoid extreme features. International Cat Care says breeding for folded ears, very short legs, hairlessness and extreme flat faces should be actively discouraged.
- If a litter was an accident, spay the mother afterwards and price the kittens to cover vet costs rather than to profit.
How do you prepare kittens for sale?
- Keep kittens with their mother and littermates until at least 8 weeks; International Cat Care notes pedigree kittens often leave at about 13 weeks, after their first vaccines.
- Book vet checks: core vaccines, deworming, parasite treatment and a written record with next due dates.
- Test for FeLV and FIV if your vet advises it; buyers with other cats will ask.
- Microchip each kitten and record the numbers on the paperwork.
- Decide on spay or neuter with your vet, or write a spay or neuter clause into the agreement.
- Handle the kittens daily and get them used to a litter box, a carrier and household noise.
- For a pedigree litter, register it with the Canadian Cat Association (CCA-AFC), TICA or CFA, and decide which kittens are sold as pets.
What records should go with each kitten?
| Record | What it shows | Why buyers ask |
|---|---|---|
| Vet record | Exam, vaccines, deworming and next due dates | Proves the kitten has been seen and when boosters are due |
| Microchip number | The chip and its registry | Lets the buyer transfer it into their name on the day |
| Rabies certificate, older cats | Rabies vaccination date | Ontario, for example, requires it for cats over three months |
| FeLV/FIV result, if tested | Infection status | Matters to homes with other cats |
| Registration papers, pedigree only | Breed and parentage (CCA, TICA or CFA) | Proves pedigree, not health |
| Signed sales agreement | Price, health guarantee, spay or neuter and return terms | Protects both sides if there is a dispute |
Keep copies of everything. If a buyer later asks for proof, dated records answer the question quickly.
How should you price kittens for sale?
Look at current kittens and cats for sale near you and compare like with like: age, breed or mix, vaccines and papers. Vet work is a real cost; the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association's 2025 figures, as reported by Money.ca, put a kitten's first-year vaccines and exams at about C$642 and a microchip at about C$137. List what the price includes.
Avoid pricing far below the market. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says animal frauds often start with lower-priced or free animals, so a bargain looks suspicious. Do not charge pedigree prices for kittens without registration papers; describe them honestly as mixes.
How do you write a kitten for sale ad that attracts good buyers?
- Recent, original photos of each kitten and of the mother; careful buyers run reverse image searches.
- Date of birth, sex, colour, your city and the go-home date.
- Vaccines, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter status, and what the price includes.
- For pedigree kittens, the registry and whether each kitten is sold as a pet or with breeding rights.
- That buyers are welcome to visit, or to see the kittens on a live video call.
When it is ready, post your kittens for sale. Buyers reply through PetzLover's messages, so you can ask your own questions before you share your address; keep your phone number out of the ad text.
How do you screen buyers and hand over a kitten safely?
- Ask about the home: other pets, children, landlord permission, and whether the cat will live indoors.
- Invite a visit before you take a deposit, and give a written receipt for any deposit.
- Take cash or a payment you can see in your own account before the kitten leaves.
- Hand over at your home with the signed agreement, vet record, a care sheet and some food.
- Transfer the microchip on the day, and remind the buyer to license the kitten. In Calgary licences cannot be transferred, and Montreal requires a licence for every cat.
Buyers may read how to buy a kitten or cat, so meeting its standards helps. If an adult cat needs a new home later, how to rehome your cat responsibly and how to list a cat for adoption cover that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to sell kittens in Canada?
Yes, but provincial and municipal rules apply. Quebec, for example, requires a vet exam before a cat's first breeding and a permit for 15 or more cats and dogs, and some cities limit a home to six cats. Ask your municipality before a litter arrives.
What age can kittens go to new homes?
At 8 weeks at the earliest, and Quebec prohibits separating kittens from their mother before then. Many pedigree breeders wait until about 13 weeks, after the first vaccines.
Do kittens need a rabies shot before they are sold?
Rabies rules are provincial. Ontario, for example, requires cats over three months to be vaccinated, so a young kitten is often sold before its first rabies shot; tell the buyer when it is due.
How much should I sell kittens for in Canada?
Compare current local listings for kittens of the same age, breed or mix and paperwork. Include the vet work you paid for, and avoid bargain prices, which careful buyers now associate with scams.
Can I sell declawed kittens?
No. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association strongly opposes elective declawing, eight provinces prohibit it according to its 2022 statement, and Quebec banned it in 2024.
What payment is safe when selling a kitten?
Cash at the handover, or a payment you can see in your own account. Never refund an overpayment, never send a tracking number to release a pending payment, and never scan a QR code to receive money.
Helpful guides
Pet for SaleHow to Buy a Kitten or Cat in CanadaBuy a kitten or cat in Canada by meeting the seller and the kitten first, checking vet records and papers, and paying only after you see the animal; core first-year costs run about C$3,928 to C$4,114.
Pet for AdoptionHow to Adopt a Kitten or Cat in CanadaAdopt a kitten or cat in Canada through an SPCA, humane society, city shelter or rescue: apply, meet the cat, pay a fee that covers vet work, then license it and give it a quiet start.
Pet for AdoptionHow to List a Kitten or Cat for Adoption in CanadaList a cat for adoption in Canada with written criteria, a fee that reflects the vet work, an honest profile, careful screening and a contract with a return clause.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Kitten or Cat in CanadaTake in a rehomed cat in Canada by asking for its history and records, meeting it at home, paying only at handover, then licensing it and giving it a quiet room to adjust.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Kitten or Cat Responsibly in CanadaRehome your cat responsibly in Canada: check your contract, see your vet, disclose health and behaviour honestly, screen new owners and hand over with an agreement and microchip transfer.
Pet WantedHow to Respond to a "Cat Wanted" Ad in CanadaBefore you answer a cat wanted ad in Canada, check that the person is real, can keep a cat where they live and will meet in person, and refuse overpayments and shipping requests.
Pet WantedHow to Post a "Cat Wanted" Ad and Get Replies in CanadaPost a cat wanted ad in Canada that gets good replies: describe the cat and home, give a fair budget, check city rules, and never pay for a cat you have not met.
Lost PetHow to Help Find a Lost Cat in CanadaIf you see a lost cat in Canada, note where and when, message the owner of any matching ad, and have the cat scanned for a microchip by a vet or animal services.
Lost PetWhat to Do When Your Cat Is Lost in CanadaIf your cat is lost in Canada, search close to home first, report it to animal services and your microchip registry, and post posters and a lost ad the same day.