The short version
- Pet kittens: $1,200–$2,200. Breeding rights or rare colors: $2,200–$3,500.
- On KittensNest today the median asking price is about $1,500.
- Cinnamon, chocolate and colorpoint cost the most; golden, silver and tabby, the most common colors, cost least.
- A fair price includes vaccines, a microchip, spay or neuter and a written health guarantee.
- The first year usually costs $2,000–$5,500 in total, kitten included.
British Shorthair prices at a glance
The breed is the same in all three rows below; what you buy is different. A pet kitten comes altered and without breeding rights, which is what almost every family wants. Breeders charge more for kittens they expect to be shown or bred, and less for adults retiring from their program.
Adoption or retired adult
$150 – $600
Rescues rarely have a purebred BSH; adults retiring from a breeding program are the usual route.
Pet kitten
$1,200 – $2,200
Spayed or neutered before going home, no breeding rights. This is what most families buy.
Show or breeding rights
$2,200 – $3,500
Full registration, often champion lines. Breeders sell these mostly to other catteries.
What British Shorthair kittens actually sell for on KittensNest
Most price guides repeat ranges from other price guides. This chart is something else: every British Shorthair kitten listed for sale on KittensNest, placed at the price its breeder is asking.
Two things stand out. Pet kittens cluster between $1,300 and $2,300, even from the same cattery, and the color of the coat, not show quality, accounts for most of the spread. And the cheapest listing is not always a pet kitten: an older show-quality kitten can be priced below a young pet one. Exceptions like that are worth a phone call, not a price to plan around.
- Lowest
- $600
- Median
- $1,500
- Highest
- $3,500
British Shorthair prices on other US sites
The same breed on 3 marketplaces. A price given as a range is counted at its midpoint; a deposit-plus-balance price at its total.
KittensNest
16 kittens for sale
- Median
- $1,500
- Average
- $1,850
- Middle half
- $1,313–$2,500
Counted October 15, 2026
GoKitty
95 kittens for sale
- Median
- $2,000
- Average
- $2,111
- Middle half
- $1,400–$3,000
Counted October 15, 2026
Purebred Kitties
93 kittens for sale
- Median
- $3,400
- Average
- $3,565
- Middle half
- $3,300–$3,600
Counted October 15, 2026
The most expensive British Shorthair colors
Median asking price by coat color across 188 British Shorthair kittens for sale on GoKitty and Purebred Kitties, counted on October 15, 2026. Each mark is one site's median for that color; colors with fewer than 2 kittens on a site are left out for that site. The order compares each color with the same site's typical price, so a dearer site does not push its colors to the top.
- 1Chocolate$3,375–$4,1007 kittens
- 2Cinnamon$2,625–$4,70011 kittens
- 3Blue$3,000–$3,50014 kittens
- 4Lilac$2,075–$3,4007 kittens
- 5Colorpoint$4,1503 kittens
- 6Golden$1,500–$3,35093 kittens
- 7Fawn$1,150–$3,4009 kittens
- 8Silver$900–$2,90011 kittens
- 9Tabby / marble$1,4003 kittens
| Item | KittensNest | GoKitty | Purebred Kitties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | — | $3,375 | $4,100 |
| Cinnamon | — | $2,625 | $4,700 |
| Blue | — | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Lilac | $2,500 | $2,075 | $3,400 |
| Colorpoint | — | — | $4,150 |
| Golden | $1,500 | $1,975 | $3,350 |
| Fawn | $2,000 | $1,150 | $3,400 |
| Silver | $900 | $1,463 | $2,900 |
| Tabby / marble | — | $1,400 | — |
British Shorthair price by color
Breeders price by color more than by anything else. Golden and silver shaded kittens are now the most common British Shorthairs on US sites, and they sit at the lower end. Colors that need a recessive gene from both parents, such as cinnamon, chocolate and fawn, take longer to breed and cost more. Classic blue, once the default, is now rarer than golden and is no longer the bargain it used to be.
These are real kittens from KittensNest listings. One kitten per color is an example, not a price list, but the order matches what breeders publish.
Chocolate
$2,900
Deep, even brown. Rare, and priced like it.
Earlier listingPhoto: Northern Bears USA
Cinnamon
$2,250
Warmer and lighter than chocolate, with copper eyes.
Available nowPhoto: KITTENS -VIP
Fawn
$2,000
The dilute of cinnamon: a soft, pinkish beige.
Available nowPhoto: Northern Bears USA
Golden
$1,500
Golden shaded or ticked, with green eyes as adults.
Available nowPhoto: Northern Bears USA
Lilac golden
$1,400
A pale golden coat on a lilac base.
Available nowPhoto: Northern Bears USA
Marble (tabby)
$1,350
Classic blotched tabby on silver or black.
Available nowPhoto: Northern Bears USA
Silver point
$1,200
Pale body, darker points, blue eyes.
Available nowPhoto: Northern Bears USA
What raises or lowers the price
Two kittens from the same litter can differ by a thousand dollars. These are the reasons, roughly in order of how much they move the price.
Coat color
Golden, silver and tabby kittens are the most common and usually the cheapest. Cinnamon, chocolate and colorpoint often add $500 to $1,500.
Breeding rights
A kitten sold with breeding rights can cost twice the pet price. Pet kittens are usually altered before they leave.
Health testing of the parents
Heart scans for HCM and a DNA test for PKD cost the breeder money and show up in the price. Untested parents are not a saving.
Registration
TICA or CFA papers cost little in themselves, but they mark a breeder who works to a standard and can show you the pedigree.
Age
Kittens over five or six months, and retired adults, are often reduced. Their temperament is also easier to judge.
Where you live
Breeders near big cities charge more. A flight nanny or ground transport adds $300 to $700 if the breeder is far away.
Is the price you were quoted fair?
A low price that leaves out the vaccines and the spay is not a low price. Enter the price you were quoted, tick what the breeder includes, and see what the kitten will really cost you once it has had everything a well-bred kitten comes with.
Real cost of this kitten
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Work out your first-year budget
The kitten is the biggest single cost, but by the second year food, litter and insurance have overtaken it. Move the sliders to match the kitten you are looking at and the way you will keep it. Nothing is sent anywhere; the numbers stay on this page.
First year
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Every year after
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Over a 15-year life
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Where the first-year money goes
- Kitten—
- Supplies—
- Vet—
- Food—
- Litter—
- Insurance—
- Grooming—
- Toys & extras—
Running costs, line by line
The calculator above uses the middle of these ranges. British Shorthairs are sturdy, short-coated and not fussy, so their running costs are close to an average cat's. The one thing to watch is weight: the breed puts it on easily, and obesity is behind many of its later vet bills.
One-time supplies
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Litter box and scoop | $30 – $70 |
| Scratching post or cat treeA heavy cat needs a stable base. | $60 – $250 |
| Carrier | $35 – $80 |
| Bowls or a water fountain | $20 – $60 |
| Bed, toys and a brush | $40 – $120 |
| Total | $185 – $580 |
Monthly costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| FoodMeasured meals matter more than the brand. | $30 – $80 |
| Litter | $15 – $30 |
| Pet insurance | $25 – $55 |
| Toys, treats, extras | $10 – $25 |
| Total | $80 – $190 |
Health costs to plan for
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Kitten vaccines, exams, microchip | $200 – $450 |
| Spay or neuter, if not done | $150 – $500 |
| Annual wellness visit | $150 – $300 |
| Heart scan (echocardiogram)Worth doing if a murmur is heard; HCM is the breed's main heart risk. | $300 – $600 |
| Dental cleaningEvery few years from middle age. | $300 – $800 |
How British Shorthair prices compare
British Shorthairs sit in the middle of the pedigree market: well below Maine Coons and Bengals at the top end, well above the cost of adopting a domestic cat.
Typical kitten price from a breeder, by breed. Tap a breed to see its kittens.
- Maine Coon$800 – $4,500
- Bengal$800 – $3,000
- Highlander$1,000 – $3,000
- Persian$400 – $2,500
- Siberian$1,000 – $2,500
- Sphynx$500 – $2,400
- British Shorthair$500 – $2,200
- Scottish Fold$600 – $2,100
- Ragdoll$100 – $2,000
- Exotic$500 – $2,000
- Devon Rex$700 – $2,000
- Siamese$400 – $1,500
- Himalayan$150 – $1,300
- American Shorthair$400 – $1,200
- Munchkin$300 – $1,200
- Snowshoe$300 – $900
Breeds people weigh it against
Scottish Fold$600 – $2,100The same round face and build, with folded ears. Similar price; ask about the breed's joint problems before you buy.
Exotic$500 – $2,000A short-coated Persian with a flatter face. Similar price, more eye and face care.
American Shorthair$400 – $1,200Lighter build, fewer colors, and usually cheaper.How to pay less without buying a problem
There are honest ways to pay less for a British Shorthair. Skipping health testing, papers or a contract is not one of them; it moves the cost from the price tag to the vet bill.
- 1Choose a common colorA golden, silver or tabby kitten often costs several hundred dollars less than a cinnamon or chocolate one.
- 2Take an older kittenKittens of five to seven months are often reduced, and you can already see the adult temperament.
- 3Ask about retired adultsBreeders rehome cats that have finished breeding, usually for a few hundred dollars, already altered and used to a home.
- 4Pick up in personA breeder within driving distance saves $300 to $700 of transport, and you see the cattery yourself.
When the price is a warning sign
- A "purebred" British Shorthair under $600 with no papers and no parents you can see on video.
- The seller wants a deposit by gift card, Zelle or crypto before a video call.
- No contract, no health guarantee, or the kitten is under 12 weeks old.
- The same photos turn up on other sites under other names. A reverse image search takes a minute.
Questions people ask
Why are British Shorthairs so expensive?
Litters are small, usually three to five kittens, and good breeders health-test the parents, register them and keep kittens until 12 to 14 weeks. Those costs are what you pay for; a much cheaper kitten usually skipped some of them.
Are blue British Shorthairs cheaper than other colors?
Not any more. On the US sites we counted, blue kittens had a higher median price than golden or silver ones, which are now far more common. Cinnamon and chocolate kittens cost the most.
Is a male or female British Shorthair more expensive?
As pets they are usually priced the same. Females with breeding rights cost more because other catteries want them.
How much does a British Shorthair cost per year?
After the first year, plan on roughly $1,000 to $2,000 a year for food, litter, insurance and a yearly vet visit, more if a health problem needs treatment.
Can I adopt a British Shorthair instead?
Sometimes. Breed rescues and breeders retiring adult cats are the best places to look, and the fee is usually a few hundred dollars.
Is it safe to pay a deposit?
A deposit is normal once you have seen the kitten on a live video call and have a written contract. Pay by a method with buyer protection, never by gift card or crypto.
See British Shorthair kittens for sale
Photos, prices and the breeder's own words, with a message button on every listing.
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