Cats are some of the most popular pets anywhere, and they’re relatively easy to take care of, so it makes sense that a lot of people would want to get one.
If you’re thinking of getting a cat or kitten from Petco, you should read this article before you go looking so you know the options available!
Does Petco Sell Cats and Kittens In 2024?
Unfortunately, Petco doesn’t sell cats and kittens, either in its stores or online in 2024. However, you can adopt a cat or kitten from Petco, because it partners with animal shelters and other animal welfare organizations to provide homes to the ones that are already available.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about the cats at Petco, including how to get one, how much they cost, the breeds available, and more!
Why Doesn’t Petco Sell Cats Directly?
Petco has never sold cats at its locations, ever since it began operations, and this is because the company has opted to favor adoption over working with breeders.
Breeders have gained a negative reputation for having animals in bad conditions because it’s motivated by the need to have more of them to sell.
While Petco doesn’t sell cats directly, it works with several animal shelters and animal welfare organizations to allow customers to adopt through the company.
Petco does this through Petco Love, previously known as the Petco Foundation, which connects its customers to these organizations.
To ensure that these relationships are upheld, and that there is a steady supply of cats and kittens, Petco helps with funding through donations, with a function on its website that allows anyone to chip in.
How Much Are Cats at Petco?
Since you wouldn’t be buying a cat or kitten directly from Petco, you will be paying the adoption fee.
Getting a cat from Petco might cost you between $15 and 200, while a kitten might cost between $100 and 200.
In this estimate, a cat is considered one aged between 1 and 7 years, while a kitten is aged between 2 and 11 months.
If you’re getting an older cat beyond 7 years of age, the adoption fees might generally be lower.
How much you pay includes the standard adoption fees that go into running the shelter, as well as spaying or neutering costs, vaccinations, deworming, flea treatment, other medical costs, and microchipping.
Since most cats that make their way to shelters get neutered or spayed by default, it’s a little more difficult to get kittens from these locations, which is why they’re priced more expensively.
Which Cats Does Petco Have?
According to the Petco Love website, you can choose from the following breeds of cats:
- Housecat or domestic kitty
- Abyssinian
- American Bobtail
- American Curl
- American Shorthair
- American Wirehair
- Balinese
- Bengal
- Birman
- Bombay
- British Shorthair
- Burmese
- Calico
- Chartreux
- Colorpoint Shorthair
- Cornish Rex
- Cymric
- Devon Rex
- Domestic Longhair
- Domestic Mediumhair
- Egyptian Mau
- European Burmese
- Exotic
- Havana Brown
- Hemingway or Polydactyl
- Himalayan
- Japanese Bobtail
- Javanese
- Korat
- LaPerm
- Maine Coon
- Manx
- Munchkin
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Ocicat
- Oriental
- Persian
- Ragamuffin
- Ragdoll
- Russian Blue
- Scottish Fold
- Selkirk Rex
- Siamese
- Siberian
- Singapura
- Snowshoe
- Somali
- Sphynx
- Tonkinese
- Turkish Angora
- Turkish Van
These are the cat breeds that Petco has listed on its website, because it’s had them at one point or another, but the availability is not guaranteed.
It depends heavily on how common the breed is, where you are, and the shelters you would be dealing with.
For example, it would be a lot easier to find an American shorthair, or even a ragdoll cat at Petco than a Turkish van.
When making the search, you should also be aware of the fact that certain breeds of cats do not come in certain colors, so that might limit the results you get back.
For example, calico cats do not come in anything but a mixture of white, black, and orange.
How Do You Adopt a Cat From Petco?
To adopt a cat from Petco, you can visit one of its locations to see the options it has in the store.
Sometimes, Petco keeps a small handful of animals for adoption inside its stores so that people at least know they’re available.
If you want to have a wider selection to choose from, you can wait for one of its adoption events where the shelters the company works with bring out all the cats it has for adoption.
Shelters usually bring out more animals on the weekends, but you can find out when the next adoption event is by contacting your local Petco, or by looking through the Petco Love website.
This site is also helpful for online adoptions, because it allows you to search for the animal you want.
You can enter your zip code to find the location that’s closest to you, then refine your search by entering the cat’s breed, age, and other features to find the one that’s right for you.
Whether you go with the online or in-person adoption option, you can pick up supplies for the cat at the same time, including harnesses, food, toys, and more.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Petco sells dogs & puppies, if Petco sells bunnies, and if Petco microchip dogs & cats.
Conclusion
Petco doesn’t sell cats or kittens directly, but allows you to adopt through the company, both at Petco stores and online.
The company facilitates this by working with animal shelters and other animal welfare organizations that collect strays and other cats without owners, and helps them find a home.