Kittenry
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A kitten contract worth signing.

Most contracts in this world are a photocopy of a photocopy — passed between breeders for a decade, half of it unenforceable, and none of it written by anyone who read it recently. This is a clean starting point in plain English, with a note under each clause explaining what it's actually for. Copy it, change anything you like, and have a lawyer in your state look at it before you rely on it.

This is a template, not legal advice.

We're a directory, not a law firm, and this hasn't been reviewed by a lawyer. Contract law and animal-sale law vary by state — some states regulate pet sales and health guarantees specifically. Use this to have a better conversation with a lawyer, not instead of one.

KITTEN SALE AGREEMENT

This agreement is made on between ("the Breeder"), of , and ("the Buyer"), of , for the sale of one kitten described below.

1. The kitten

Breed:   Sex:   Date of birth:
Colour / pattern:   Registration or litter number:
Sire:   Dam:
Generation (hybrid breeds only):

Why this is here. Naming the generation in writing protects both of you. Hybrid generation determines whether the cat is legal in some states and cities, and a dispute about what was sold is almost always a dispute about what was written down.

2. Price and deposit

  1. The total price is $.
  2. A deposit of $ is due to reserve the kitten. The deposit is (refundable / non-refundable).
  3. The balance of $ is due on or before , and before the kitten leaves the Breeder's care.
  4. If the Breeder cancels the sale for any reason, or the kitten dies or becomes unfit to place before collection, the deposit is returned in full.
Why this is here. Clause 4 is the one buyers look for and the one most templates leave out. A non-refundable deposit that is also non-refundable when you cancel reads as a trap, and it is the single most common reason a good buyer walks away. Say plainly which way it goes.

3. Health at the time of sale

  1. The kitten has been examined by a licensed veterinarian on and found to be in good health.
  2. Vaccinations given to date: . Deworming: .
  3. The Buyer may have the kitten examined by their own veterinarian within (commonly 72 hours) of collection. If that veterinarian finds a pre-existing condition that makes the kitten unfit, the Buyer may return the kitten for a full refund, on production of the written veterinary findings.
  4. Testing carried out on the parents: .
Why this is here. A short, specific examination window is fairer to both sides than a vague promise of "good health" or a five-year guarantee nobody intends to honour. It gives the buyer a real remedy and gives you a hard end date.

4. Genetic health guarantee

  1. The Breeder guarantees the kitten against life-threatening congenital or hereditary defects for from the date of birth.
  2. To claim, the Buyer must provide a written diagnosis from a licensed veterinarian, and where the condition is fatal, a necropsy report.
  3. If a claim is valid the Breeder will, at the Breeder's option: (replace the kitten from a future litter / refund the purchase price / refund a stated portion).
  4. This guarantee does not cover injury, neglect, infectious disease contracted after collection, or conditions caused by diet or husbandry after the kitten leaves the Breeder's care.
Why this is here. Guarantees that require the buyer to return a cat they've lived with for two years are, in practice, never claimed — which everyone involved knows. Offering a replacement or a partial refund without demanding the animal back is both more humane and more credible.

5. Spay and neuter

  1. This kitten is sold as (a pet / with breeding rights).
  2. If sold as a pet, the Buyer agrees to have the kitten spayed or neutered by , and to send written confirmation from the veterinarian.
  3. Registration papers will be released (on receipt of that confirmation / at collection).
  4. The Buyer agrees not to breed, sell, or transfer this cat to a breeding program, a broker, a pet shop, a laboratory, or a rescue.

6. Return clause

If at any point in this cat's life the Buyer can no longer keep it, the Buyer agrees to contact the Breeder first, and the Breeder agrees to take the cat back or help rehome it. The cat is never to be surrendered to a shelter or rehomed publicly without giving the Breeder that opportunity.

Why this is here. This clause is the clearest signal in the whole document that you're a breeder rather than a seller. Buyers notice it, and it is the reason a lot of them choose one cattery over another.

7. Living conditions

  1. The cat will live indoors, or with access outdoors only in a secure enclosure or on a harness.
  2. The cat will not be declawed.
  3. The Buyer will provide appropriate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care for the life of the cat.

8. Collection

The kitten will be ready to leave on or about , and not before weeks of age. If the Buyer has not collected the kitten within days of the agreed date without arrangement, the Breeder may treat the sale as cancelled and the deposit as forfeited.

9. What this agreement is not

Nothing in this agreement guarantees a show result, a breeding outcome, adult size, adult colour or pattern, temperament, or fertility. Cats are living animals and none of those can be promised by anyone.

10. Governing law

This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of . If any single clause is found unenforceable, the rest of the agreement stands.

Breeder

Signature

Printed name

Date

Buyer

Signature

Printed name

Date

Template from kittenry.com/kitten-contract — free to use and adapt. Not legal advice.

Pair this with the health testing checklist for your breed, and see how deposits should work from the buyer's side.

More like this

We're building a few of these.

A go-home pack checklist, a deposit-and-refund policy you can defend, and a stud service agreement. Leave an email and we'll send the next one. That's all we'll use it for, and one click gets you off the list.