One of the questions I am asked most often, both as a web designer and as a Full GCCF Judge, is: what should actually be on a cattery website? Breeders know they need a web presence. They are less sure what that presence needs to include to do its job properly.
This is my checklist. It is not a wish list of nice-to-haves. Every item on it is there because its absence raises a question in a buyer’s mind — or leaves an opportunity unused. Work through it against your own site, and you will know exactly where to focus.
1. Your cattery name and GCCF prefix, front and centre
Your GCCF-registered prefix is your verifiable identity in the cat fancy. It should appear on your homepage, your About page, and in your cats’ names throughout the site. Buyers who know the cat fancy will look for it immediately. Those who do not know to look for it will still benefit from seeing a formal cattery name rather than just a first name and a phone number.
If you breed under more than one prefix — for example, if you breed more than one breed with separate prefixes registered — mention both and explain which applies to which breed. Clarity is always better than ambiguity.
2. Your breeding experience and credentials
An About page that says “we love cats and have been breeding for several years” is not an About page. It is a placeholder. Buyers comparing two breeders online will notice the difference between generic and specific immediately.
Your About page should include: how long you have been breeding, which prefix you hold, which breed or breeds you work with, what your breeding goals are (health, temperament, type — ideally all three), any judging qualifications or GCCF committee roles, and any show titles your cats have achieved. This is not a vanity exercise. It is the professional biography that serious buyers need in order to trust you.
3. Health testing information for each breeding cat
Health testing is the single most important differentiator between responsible breeders and the rest. If you test your breeding cats — cardiac ultrasound, DNA tests, eye examinations, or whatever is relevant to your breed — that information belongs on your website, presented clearly and with specifics.
For each breeding cat, list the tests they have had, the dates, and the outcomes. “HCM clear” with no date is less convincing than “HCM clear, cardiac ultrasound, November 2024.” The date matters because it shows the testing is current, not historical. A test done five years ago on a breeding cat who has since produced several litters is not the same as a current test.
If your breed has a breed-specific health scheme, make clear whether you participate in it. Buyers who research their breed will know what the scheme involves. Your participation signals that you are serious about it.
4. Individual pages or profiles for your breeding cats
A general “our cats” page that lists names and shows a photo or two does its job adequately. A page that gives each adult cat their own profile — pedigree name, prefix, title, health test history, show achievements, and a few good photographs — does considerably more.
Breeding cat profiles serve a practical purpose: they allow the buyer to research the lines before they enquire. A buyer who has read the pedigree of the queen they are hoping to buy a kitten from, checked the health test dates, and noted the show titles is a far better-prepared buyer than one who knows nothing. Better-prepared buyers ask better questions and make better decisions about whether the kitten is right for them.
5. A kitten page that actually informs
Your kitten page needs to answer the questions buyers are asking before they get in touch, not after. The questions vary slightly by breed but the core ones are consistent:
- What colours and patterns do you produce?
- How often do you have litters?
- How are kittens raised — with other cats, with children, with dogs?
- At what age do kittens go to their new homes?
- What does the kitten come with — vaccinations, microchip, pedigree, contract, feeding guide?
- What do you look for in a buyer — indoor home, experience level, other pets?
- Are breeding rights available, and if so under what conditions?
- What is your approximate price range?
A page that answers all of these is doing significant filtering work before any enquiry arrives. Buyers who are not aligned with your requirements will often not contact you. Buyers who are aligned will contact you already knowing the basics, which makes the initial conversation much more productive.
6. A current price range
I understand why some breeders are reluctant to publish prices. They worry about being undercut, or they prefer to discuss value in conversation rather than have the price be the first thing a buyer focuses on. I have some sympathy with both positions, but the evidence from buyer behaviour is clear: a website with no indication of price generates more low-quality enquiries than one with a range.
A simple statement — “Kittens are typically priced between £X and £Y depending on colour, sex, and whether breeding rights are included” — tells a buyer enough to know whether to proceed. It does not bind you to a fixed price. And it saves both of you time when there is a significant mismatch between expectations.
7. Genuine, current photographs
Good photographs of your actual cats in your actual home are worth more than any amount of text. They show the cats are real. They show the environment. They show the cats’ condition and type. They demonstrate confidence.
What to avoid: stock photos, photos from other breeders’ litters even with permission, photos that are years out of date, and blurry phone photos taken under artificial light. A few well-lit, clearly focused photographs of real cats in a real home are far more effective than many poor ones.
Show photos, if you have them, are particularly valuable. A photo of your cat being held up for inspection at a GCCF show, with a judge’s expression visible, is the kind of specific, unfakeable image that builds immediate credibility.
8. A waiting list or availability section
Buyers looking for kittens from a responsible breeder expect to wait. Most know this. What frustrates them is not knowing how long the wait is likely to be, whether a waiting list exists, and how to get on it.
A simple section explaining that you maintain a waiting list, how it works, and what a buyer needs to do to be added to it manages expectations clearly and creates a defined next step. Even if you have no kittens available now, a buyer who gets onto your waiting list is a buyer you have not lost to a less careful breeder.
9. Your contact details, clearly presented
A phone number. An email address. A location — at minimum, your county or region. A note about response times. These four things are the foundation of an accessible breeder. A contact form alone creates unnecessary friction and gives buyers no assurance that their message has been received.
If you attend regular shows, mentioning where and approximately when is a useful addition. Buyers who are themselves in the cat fancy, or who are curious about it, may be more confident approaching someone they can meet in person.
10. Something that reflects your voice and approach
The best cattery websites do not read like brochures. They read like the person behind them. A sentence or two about why you chose this breed, what you are trying to achieve in your breeding programme, and what matters most to you about the homes your kittens go to will do more to build trust than any amount of polished promotional copy.
Buyers are not just buying a kitten. They are choosing the breeder they will contact if there are problems, the person whose name goes on the pedigree, the face behind the prefix. A website that feels like a real person is more likely to attract the kind of buyer who will be a pleasure to deal with.
If you would like a cattery website built to this standard from the outset, you can find out more on the cat breeders websites page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important page on a cat breeder’s website?
The kitten page and the About page carry most of the persuasive work. The kitten page answers the practical questions buyers need answered before they will commit to an enquiry. The About page provides the personal credibility that makes buyers trust the person they are dealing with. Both need to be specific and current.
Should cat breeders publish health test results on their website?
Yes, with specifics. Stating that your cats are health tested is not enough — serious buyers will want to know which tests, on which cats, and when. Publishing dated results for each breeding cat is the most convincing form of evidence available, and the absence of this information will be noticed by buyers who have done their research.
How long should a cat breeder’s website be?
There is no correct length, but there is a minimum. At minimum, a cattery website needs an About page, a cats page, a kittens page, and a contact page. Beyond that, the depth of content on each page matters more than the number of pages. A well-written kitten page of 500 words is worth more than five thin pages of 100 words each.
Do I need to include my address on my cattery website?
You do not need to publish your full street address, but indicating your region — county or approximate location — is good practice. Buyers want to know roughly where you are. Many prefer a breeder within a reasonable drive, and a site with no location information at all is harder to trust than one that places the cattery in a real geography.
Is it worth including show results on a cattery website?
Yes, if you show. Show results are verifiable credentials that no competitor can fabricate on your behalf. A list of titles and awards with the shows and dates they were earned demonstrates that your cats have been assessed by independent judges and found to be of high quality. That is exactly the kind of third-party validation that converts a hesitant buyer into a confident enquirer.
Should I include a price on my cat breeder’s website?
At minimum, a price range. This reduces time-wasting enquiries significantly. Buyers who cannot afford the typical price for a kitten from a responsible breeder will often not contact you if they know roughly what to expect. That saves time for both of you and keeps your inbox focused on genuine prospects.
How often should I update my cattery website?
Whenever something changes: a new litter, a show result, a health test renewed, a cat retired from the breeding programme. A site that appears to have been last updated two years ago raises questions about whether it reflects the current reality of the cattery. Keeping it current is a form of ongoing trust-building that costs very little time.
