What are the formalities for selling my cat’s kittens?

There are specific rules – unless you give the kittens away – and it is possible to be fined if you fail to follow them. They were toughened at the start of last year, up until then it used to be possible to sell one litter of kittens or puppies a year with no particular formalities.

Anyone wanting to sell pets is supposed to register as a breeder with the local chamber of agriculture. This involves filling out and posting a form, and the issue of a Siren business number by Insee. You can find your regional chamber’s details by clicking on the map at: chambres-agriculture.fr

If you wish to advertise the pets for sale, whether in the press or on a website, you should give the Siren number (there is an exception for people selling a single litter per year of pedigree animals, as long as they are declared to the relevant body – LOF or LOOF – which will give a litter number).

If you want to advertise on the internet you will need to give the Siren, or the litter number for pedigree pets, the age (which must not be less than eight weeks) and identification number of the animal or that of the mother (obtained when you have a pet tattooed or chipped at the vet’s). You should also state whether the pet is pedigree, with the wording de race or n’appartient pas à une race as well as stating the number of animals in the litter.

You should give the buyer a document with information about the pet and its needs, a vet’s certificate of good health (which can be obtained at the same time as having the pet identified) and the pet’s identification document.

Income should be declared in your annual income declaration under bénéfices non commerciaux.

Note that there are extra rules for anyone wanting to sell more than one litter a year, including completing training sessions on breeding at a provider certified by the Agriculture Ministry.

In theory, if you have a litter of kittens at home without having prepared for these formalities you should give the kittens away.