Turning hobby into income source

Breeding of cats has become a source of income in Bangladesh. It's a different sector of business centring around breeding, grooming and selling of cats, one of the most popular pets among urban residents.
The first documented ancestors of the Persian cat were imported from Khorasan, Persia, to Italy in 1620 by Pietro della Valle. Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc imported the animals from Angora (now Ankara), Turkey, to France around the same time. The cats from Khorasan have grey coats, while those from Angora are white. Long-haired cats were also imported to Europe from Afghanistan, Burma, China, and Russia. Inbreeding of cats, especially between Angoras and Persians, was common.
The Persian cat is a long-haired breed characterised by a round face and short muzzle. In Britain, it is called the Longhair or the Persian Longhair, and is very popular among cat lovers.
It has become popular business to sell cats online. The largest online site, Bikroy.com, has a separate category for buying and selling cats, and all kinds of information on how to raise and groom the feline is posted on this site. Hundreds of advertisements for selling cats are posted every month. For the first time, a cat show was organised in the country in 2014. It received huge response from cat lovers.
More than a thousand people are involved in the importing,
selling, adoption, and welfare of the animal through the social media like Facebook and Twitter, Nazia Zareen, director of Cat Welfare BD, said.
“Although we don’t have an exact number, all the people who are linked with us on Facebook have one or more cats,” she added.
Zareen is trying to make
necessary items like cat food and medicine affordable. She also intends to set up a shelter for homeless cats.
The tradition of having cats as pets is ancient. Earlier, cats were fed leftover bones and rice. But Arshad Anik, director of Animal Concern of Bangladesh, says this custom should not be followed. According to him, cats should be provided with wholesome food, healthy environment and healthcare. Hygiene is also very important, he added.    
Anik, a law student, sells cat food and supplies kittens. His business partner, Nazia Zareen, is a teacher of a well-known English medium school in the capital.
The price of a cat ranges from Tk 500 to Tk 3.5 lakh. Domestic cats as well as foreign ones are available for sale.
At Katabon, an animal and
bird market in the capital, local and foreign breeds are sold. The price of a local breed is around Tk 500, while and lowest price for a foreign breed is around Tk 40,000. The most exclusive breeds could cost Tk 3.5 lakh or more, said Zareen. Locally raised foreign breeds cost less.
Cats are mostly imported
from Thailand. They also come from India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Europe.
Cat food and grooming items are mostly imported. There is no large cat food company in the country.
“About Tk 6,000 to Tk 8,000 is needed for a month's supply of cat food,” Zareen said.
“People raise cats as their children, so money is not a factor. However, we are trying to lower the cost of cat food to an affordable limit. We have launched our own brand of cat food — Lady Cat — in the market. It is less expensive than foreign brands,” she said. A pack 12.5kg of Lady Cat is sold at Tk 4,000. A 7kg pack costs Tk 3,000.
Among the foreign breeds of cats, Persian Van Cat costs more than Tk 3 lakh, Extreme Punched Persian is priced above Tk 1 lakh, and the Punch Face Green Eye is around Tk 40,000. Other breeds available in the market are the Himalayan Persian, Turkish Bun, Persian Bun, Rug Doll, Sabana, and the American Shot Pull.
Smart Heart cat food is another popular brand. Its sea food variety retails at Tk 1,400 for a 3.2kg pack, chicken and tuna costs Tk 800, and tuna and shrimp is priced at Tk 699.
The price of one kg ground
beef from Bengal Food is Tk 160. A pack of 480gm of Whiskas cat food is Tk 300.
Nazia Zareen says it is possible to earn money by having a cat. “One can earn between Tk 50,000 and Tk 60,000 by breeding foreign cats,” she said.
The Facebook group post is
a good place for selling cats.
Online market places are popular too, she added.
There are many pet clinics in Dhaka where vaccines for cats are available. Once the cat is three months old, they are administered with a vaccine that, depending on the brand, lasts for one year. At present, three vaccines are used. Nobivac protects cats from feline calcivirus (cat flu), feline rhinotracheitis (pneumonia and influenza), feline panleukopenia (FPV), and Chlamydophila. Rabisin provides protection from rabies. This rabies medication is administered in three years, one year and six months. Quadricat vaccine protects from calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and rabies. Nobivac costs between Tk. 1,000 and Tk. 2,000, Rabisin ranges from Tk. 300 to Tk. 700, and Quadricat retails between Tk. 1,000 and Tk. 2,000.
Cat food should be rich in protein. Beef, chicken and fish provide optimal nutrition. These have to be boiled because raw meat may contain bacteria.
Dry food is not harmful for cats if it is nutritious. Some 35 to 40 per cent carbohydrates is found in dry food.  
The amount and frequency of meals depends on a cat's age and weight. It also depends on whether the cat lives indoors or outdoors, and if it is spayed or neutered. According to New York's Animal Medical Center, a healthy adult cat needs 240 calories per day.     
One cup of dry cat food contains 300 calories (might vary from brand to brand), and an 85gm of canned food has 250 calories.
Two cups of dry food is usually mixed with one 85gm canned food. This quantity varies as per requirement.

Turning hobby into income source

Breeding of cats has become a source of income in Bangladesh. Its a different sector of business centring around breeding, grooming and selling of cats, one of the most popular pets among urban residents. The first documented ancestors of the Persian cat were imported from Khorasan, Persia, to Italy in 1620 by Pietro della Valle. Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc imported the animals from Angora (now Ankara), Turkey, to France around the same time. The cats from Khorasan have grey coats, while those from Angora are white. Long-haired cats were also imported to Europe from Afghanistan, Burma, China, and Russia. Inbreeding of cats, especially between Angoras and Persians, was common. The Persian cat is a long-haired breed characterised by a round face and short muzzle. In Britain, it is called the Longhair or the Persian Longhair, and is very popular among cat lovers. It has become popular business to sell cats online. The largest online site, Bikroy.com, has a separate category for buying and selling cats, and all kinds of information on how to raise and groom the feline is posted on this site. Hundreds of advertisements for selling cats are posted every month. For the first time, a cat show was organised in the country in 2014. It received huge response from cat lovers. More than a thousand people are involved in the importing, selling, adoption, and welfare of the animal through the social media like Facebook and Twitter, Nazia Zareen, director of Cat Welfare BD, said. Although we dont have an exact number, all the people who are linked with us on Facebook have one or more cats, she added. Zareen is trying to make necessary items like cat food and medicine affordable. She also intends to set up a shelter for homeless cats. The tradition of having cats as pets is ancient. Earlier, cats were fed leftover bones and rice. But Arshad Anik, director of Animal Concern of Bangladesh, says this custom should not be followed. According to him, cats should be provided with wholesome food, healthy environment and healthcare. Hygiene is also very important, he added. Anik, a law student, sells cat food and supplies kittens. His business partner, Nazia Zareen, is a teacher of a well-known English medium school in the capital. The price of a cat ranges from Tk 500 to Tk 3.5 lakh. Domestic cats as well as foreign ones are available for sale. At Katabon, an animal and bird market in the capital, local and foreign breeds are sold. The price of a local breed is around Tk 500, while and lowest price for a foreign breed is around Tk 40,000. The most exclusive breeds could cost Tk 3.5 lakh or more, said Zareen. Locally raised foreign breeds cost less. Cats are mostly imported from Thailand. They also come from India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Europe. Cat food and grooming items are mostly imported. There is no large cat food company in the country. About Tk 6,000 to Tk 8,000 is needed for a months supply of cat food, Zareen said. People raise cats as their children, so money is not a factor. However, we are trying to lower the cost of cat food to an affordable limit. We have launched our own brand of cat food Lady Cat in the market. It is less expensive than foreign brands, she said. A pack 12.5kg of Lady Cat is sold at Tk 4,000. A 7kg pack costs Tk 3,000. Among the foreign breeds of cats, Persian Van Cat costs more than Tk 3 lakh, Extreme Punched Persian is priced above Tk 1 lakh, and the Punch Face Green Eye is around Tk 40,000. Other breeds available in the market are the Himalayan Persian, Turkish Bun, Persian Bun, Rug Doll, Sabana, and the American Shot Pull. Smart Heart cat food is another popular brand. Its sea food variety retails at Tk 1,400 for a 3.2kg pack, chicken and tuna costs Tk 800, and tuna and shrimp is priced at Tk 699. The price of one kg ground beef from Bengal Food is Tk 160. A pack of 480gm of Whiskas cat food is Tk 300. Nazia Zareen says it is possible to earn money by having a cat. One can earn between Tk 50,000 and Tk 60,000 by breeding foreign cats, she said. The Facebook group post is a good place for selling cats. Online market places are popular too, she added. There are many pet clinics in Dhaka where vaccines for cats are available. Once the cat is three months old, they are administered with a vaccine that, depending on the brand, lasts for one year. At present, three vaccines are used. Nobivac protects cats from feline calcivirus (cat flu), feline rhinotracheitis (pneumonia and influenza), feline panleukopenia (FPV), and Chlamydophila. Rabisin provides protection from rabies. This rabies medication is administered in three years, one year and six months. Quadricat vaccine protects from calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and rabies. Nobivac costs between Tk. 1,000 and Tk. 2,000, Rabisin ranges from Tk. 300 to Tk. 700, and Quadricat retails between Tk. 1,000 and Tk. 2,000. Cat food should be rich in protein. Beef, chicken and fish provide optimal nutrition. These have to be boiled because raw meat may contain bacteria. Dry food is not harmful for cats if it is nutritious. Some 35 to 40 per cent carbohydrates is found in dry food. The amount and frequency of meals depends on a cats age and weight. It also depends on whether the cat lives indoors or outdoors, and if it is spayed or neutered. According to New Yorks Animal Medical Center, a healthy adult cat needs 240 calories per day. One cup of dry cat food contains 300 calories (might vary from brand to brand), and an 85gm of canned food has 250 calories. Two cups of dry food is usually mixed with one 85gm canned food. This quantity varies as per requirement.