The future of KittyCats (or lack of?)

[Theodore Nacht]

When we get something new, we don't immediately know whether it's going to actually be particularly recessive. Sellers may put it for sale at an extraordinarily high price, and they may even get that huge amount. But then in a few weeks buyers will see what the true level of recessiveness is. If something is only about as recessive as a cocoa and white chateau, then no one will continue to pay high prices for it because they know that in just a few weeks, it'll be available cheap. It's just not that challenging to breed out. To me, frankly, expecting 20k+ for just a new fur that's pretty but not a game-changer and will prove to be passable against low-end furs most people own ten of is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Managing expectations helps a lot to keep people happy, and it avoids the market crash ideology. The market hasn't crashed because something is no longer selling for an insane amount. The market has settled. The true market value has been found. Market value is not rarity, it's not newness, it's what someone will pay for it.

What I foresee: kittycats will develop new challenges. They will keep their ear to the ground about what gets customers excited. The new furs will be interesting in a way that captures imagination. I've noticed very few people are into the silver and white or black and white 3 chateaus like they were into ocicats. I think when they solve how to have Manx tails, long-hair or hairless cats, and Persian smushed faces, we'll see a real revitalization. And hopefully those'll be tricky to breed so they'll hold value for a long while. New traits that are more meaningful to the average person than a cute whisker will go a long way towards getting new breeders interested and keeping long-time breeders on their toes.

What I hope: menagerie will start to offer more rewards. Initially we were told kitty bucks would get us rare things available no other way. Instead they moved to gems. I really hope kitty bucks will still be able to be used for special rewards. That would take a HUGE number of unwanted cats off the market without the breeders feeling gypped. It would create a baseline value for every low-traited cat that makes it worth it to menagerie even for those who are still squeamish about it. (I know, I know, it makes me sad too, but they're not dying; they're retiring.)