Most Expensive Cat Breeds | 5 of the Most Expensive

These cats are ready to pounce into your heart and your wallet. Five breeds money can buy, but at what price? People pay thousands of dollars for purebred designer cats and their beauty. Here are the most expensive cat breeds

1. The Most Expensive Cat: Ashera $17,000 – $96,000 USD

It’s not surprising that one of the most modern cats, created in the 21^st century, is a popular choice and the most expensive cat breed. What makes them such a luxury breed is their origins: Asheras are a combination of the Asian Leopard, the African serval, and–surprise–the common house cat. After some tweaking of their genetics, the established Ashera was born–a hybrid.

There are multiple subsets of the breed: the common Ashera, the hypoallergenic Ashera (for those who love cats but hate Benadryl), the snow Ashera, and the Royal Ashera. I’ll let you guess which is the most expensive.

These high-end cats can’t reproduce either; being sterile, they are created in laboratories. They are designer cats, truly. With a full life expectancy of 10 years and their price tag sitting at $96,000, these cats are an investment of $10,000 per year of life.

In another twist though, they are calm and shy animals with intelligence and curiosity. That means they won’t be flinging their 4.9-foot and up to 33-pound body at you anytime soon.

2. Savannah Cats $12,000 – $20,000 USD

If you are looking for the tallest domestic cat, holding the Guinness World Record, then the Savannah cat is right for you. Standing at 14”- 17”, this breed can also claim a relation to the African serval, developed in the 1980s to specifically mimic its ancestors. They are still expensive cats, and their life expectancy is 12 to 20 years, which can be translated into an investment of $1,000 a year.

If you’re a dog lover, you’ll also love the Savannah, as they are dog-like felines: loyal to close family members, wary of strangers, actively seeking attention, and you can even walk them. They also need exercise like a dog and should have an active owner.

Luckily, they only grow to 25 lbs, so they can’t pull you around on a leash. To further exhaust them, it is recommended for them to have a large territory and places to climb, one of their favorite activities. These cats look exotic for a specific reason, to make a suitable alternative to an exotic pet.

3. Bengal $1,000 – $15,000 USD

Bengals are an excellent choice if the Savannah has too high of a price tag, as these two breeds get confused for one another. Bengals were the original, created by Jean Mill in the 1960s, using the African leopard cats and domestic cats. They are the only domestic cat that has rosettes that resemble the markings of leopards, jaguars, and ocelots. Some even call them “Miniature Leopards.”

They are active cats who would also love to go on a walk with you–leashed up, that is. This energy, though, can sometimes turn to mischief if not appropriately diverted; Bengals are intelligent and take delight in learning new things, even things you wish they hadn’t.

Unlike other house cats, they love water, a trait they acquired from the leopard. If you have an open aquarium, you should get a top for it.

They can live up to 16 years, making them a cool investment of $450 a year. They only weigh up to 15 lbs and stand just 8″ to 10″, making them the smallest of the three domesticated, yet exotic-looking breeds.                                                  

4. Persian $1,300 – $3000 USD

Furniture-with-fur they have been coined, the Persian cat is placid and sweet-tempered. Regal, they are selective in their love and trust, and it must be earned and honored. So, it makes sense that they are one of the most expensive cat breeds.

Pietro Della Valle, an Italian traveler, voyaged their ancestors in the 1600s to Europe and described them as coming from Persia. They dispersed into France, where they were called “French Cats” for a number of years. They were even a favorite of Queen Victoria; thus began their reign as one of the most popular cat breeds since 1871.

At 18” and 12 lbs, they can complement your décor for $367 as an annual investment; that’s 15 years of luxurious fur wafting around your home. On top of that, though, this breed is high maintenance when it comes to grooming. Their beautiful long fur doesn’t brush itself; as an owner, you’ll need to brush them every day as well as give them a bath twice a month. Some may need professional groomers. So, add that to the price tag.

Persians should only be indoor cats, as they are not suitable for cat-on-cat combat or the dirt and leaves that their fur will attract. Boisterous children and dogs need not apply; they will only enjoy the affection of a gentle furry housemate or child.

5. The Least Expensive of the Expensive Cat Breeds: Russian Blue $1,000 – $17,000 USD

The least expensive cat is the Russian Blue. Generally, everyone at some time in their life, whether they knew it or not, has seen a Russian Blue. This breed has one color: plush, dark grey fur with contrasting bright green eyes, giving the rare breed a photogenic and an undoubtedly recognizable face.

Their origination is believed to be the Archangel Isles in Northern Russia, but there is no mention of them till the 19^th century. Reserved with strangers, they are playful and affectionate with trusted humans. Polite and cooperative, they can be taught to stay away from off-limit areas.

Living up to 20 years it is an investment of $150 a year. Smaller than the previously named cats, they weigh up to 12 lbs. They are moderately sized and tend to have little grooming or genetic health issues. If they are overly fed, though, their moderate size can grow in mass because Russian Blues love to eat. So, feeding must be regulated.

Being strongly attached to their people, these cats may become anxious or depressed when not receiving enough attention from their owners, so make sure they feel loved. Don’t worry–the cat will return the favor, as they are sensitive to human emotions. Russian Blues won’t give you the sniffles, either, while they comfort you, as they are more hypoallergenic than other cats.

So, which will it be? Are these expensive cat breeds worth all that dough?