How to Sell Scottish Fold Kittens in the United States

Is it legal to sell Scottish Fold kittens in the US?

Selling kittens is regulated mainly by states and cities, with a federal licensing rule for larger breeders, so the rules depend on where you live. Check all three levels before you advertise.

• Federal: the USDA's Animal Welfare Act rules exempt people with four or fewer breeding females. Above that, selling kittens that buyers do not see in person before buying generally needs a USDA license; face-to-face sales fall under the retail exemption.
• State: Massachusetts bars selling or transferring a cat under 8 weeks, and Maryland bars selling one under 8 weeks unless it is with its mother. New York's pet lemon law gives buyers rights against commercial sellers.
• City or county: some require a breeding permit; the City of Los Angeles, for example, requires one for cats bred in the city.

What must Scottish Fold buyers know about the fold gene?

The folded ear comes from a dominant gene, a variant of TRPV4, that affects cartilage and bone throughout the body. Science for Animal Welfare states that every cat with one copy is affected to some degree, from mild stiffness to painful arthritis, and that cats with two copies, from two folded parents, are severely affected early in life. Straight-eared kittens do not have the gene or its joint disease. Ears begin to fold at three or four weeks (CFA), so by selling age you know which is which.

Honesty protects you as well as the cat. A buyer who knows the facts at the start is far less likely to come back with a sick cat and a grievance, and the right buyer will plan for vet care rather than be surprised by it.

How do you prepare Scottish Fold kittens for their new homes?

1. Keep kittens with their mother and littermates. Vetstreet notes many Scottish Fold breeders release kittens at 12 to 16 weeks.
2. Book vet checks: the core FVRCP vaccines, deworming and flea treatment, and ask the vet to examine each kitten's legs, paws and tail and write it down.
3. Test for FeLV and FIV. The AAFP recommends knowing the status of cats at risk, and buyers with other cats will ask.
4. Microchip each kitten and register the chip so you can transfer it.
5. Spay or neuter, or write it into the contract. Veterinary groups including the AVMA and AAFP endorse spaying or neutering by 5 months of age.
6. If the litter is registered with CFA or TICA, register the kittens as pets, not for breeding.
7. Start gentle handling, combing and nail trims early, and note which kittens are bold or shy.

How should you price Scottish Fold kittens?

Look at current Scottish Fold kittens for sale near you. PetMD's vet-reviewed profile gives $1,000 to $5,000 for kittens from breeders. Vaccines, a vet check, a microchip and registration justify a price, so list exactly what is included.

Do not charge pedigree prices for kittens without papers; describe them honestly as Scottish Fold mixes. Do not mark down straight-eared littermates as second best either: they share the breed's looks apart from the ears and are free of the fold gene's joint disease. Avoid pricing far below the market, because the FTC lists unusually cheap purebred pets as a sign of a scam and careful buyers will hesitate.

How do you write an honest Scottish Fold kitten ad?

• Recent, original photos of each kitten and of the mother; buyers run reverse image searches.
• Date of birth, sex, color, coat length, ear type and the go-home date.
• Both parents' ear types and breeds, and any registration.
• One clear sentence on health, for example: folded kittens carry the fold gene and can develop joint pain; straight-eared kittens do not.
• What the price includes and that every kitten is sold as a pet, spayed or neutered or on a contract.
• That buyers are welcome to visit or to see the kittens on a live video call.

When it is ready, post your Scottish Fold kittens for sale. Buyers reply through PetzLover's messages, so you can ask your own questions before sharing your address. Keep your phone number out of the ad text.

How do you vet buyers and hand over a Scottish Fold kitten safely?

1. Ask about the home: other pets, children, landlord permission and whether the cat will live indoors.
2. Check they understand the breed's joint disease and are ready for vet costs; the ASPCA puts a cat's first year at about $1,904 before any extra care.
3. Invite a visit before you take a deposit, and give a written receipt for any deposit.
4. Sign a contract covering the price, the health facts you disclosed, spay or neuter, no breeding, and a promise to return the cat to you if the buyer cannot keep it.
5. Take cash or a payment you have confirmed has cleared. Never accept a check for more than the price and send back the difference; the FTC describes this as a fake check scam.
6. Hand over vet records, a care sheet and food, and transfer the microchip the same day.

Say no to buyers who ask mainly whether a kitten is folded and intact, want a courier to collect, or will not meet. Buyers may read how to buy a Scottish Fold kitten, so meeting its standards helps. If someone has posted a wanted ad, see how to respond to a Scottish Fold wanted ad; to place an adult cat instead, read how to list a Scottish Fold for adoption.