Korat Price: What a Rare Silver-Blue Kitten Costs and Why Waiting Is Part of the Bill

How much is a Korat? A kitten costs about $400-$2,000, and PetBudget's model puts the first year at $1,869. The harder part is finding one, because the Cat Fanciers' Association says breeders are few and a kitten may mean a wait.

Korat price at a glance

The Korat price is $400-$2,000 for a kitten and $797 a year to keep. The table sets the published range beside PetBudget's yearly model.

Cost	Amount	Source
Kitten	$400-$2,000	Cats.com Korat breed profile
First-year total	$1,869	PetBudget model
Each year after year one	$797	PetBudget model
Monthly cost after year one	$66	PetBudget model
Lifetime cost (17-year life)	$14,621	PetBudget model

The Cats.com range is the only U.S. dollar figure we found for the breed, so treat it as a planning band. The model's $600 kitten price is a size-tier default and not a sourced Korat price.

Photo: Heikkisiltala, derivative work by Abujoy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Why a Korat is rare and what that does to price

Scarcity sets the real cost of a Korat, because supply is thin. The Cat Fanciers' Association Korat profile calls the breed "a rare cat even in Thailand." It adds that relatively few breeders exist, so you may need to wait for a kitten.

The history explains the small gene pool. The CFA dates the earliest record to a Thai poetry book from the Ayudhya period, 1350-1767, which shows 17 "good luck" cats. Jean Johnson imported the first two Korats into the United States in 1959. Daphne Negus brought nine more about ten years later.

Wikipedia's Korat article says the breed gained championship status in 1966. A breed built from so few imports leaves little room for outcrossing, which is why testing matters.

A waiting list has a cost of its own. You may pay a deposit months ahead, and you may travel to collect the kitten. Budget for both before comparing a Korat with an easier-to-find cat.

What a Korat costs in year one

Year one costs $1,869 in PetBudget's model, and $1,155 of it is one-time setup. Insurance is the largest recurring line at $282, ahead of vet care at $227.

Line item	First year
Kitten (model default)	$600
Insurance	$282
Initial vet visit and vaccinations	$276
Starter supplies	$239
Vet care	$227
Food	$181
Grooming	$24
Litter and behavior basics	$40
Total	$1,869

If the kitten costs $2,000 instead of $600, year one rises to $3,269. If it costs $400, year one falls to $1,669. The yearly model does not change.

Korat monthly and yearly cost

After year one the cat costs $797 a year, or $66 a month, in PetBudget's model. Insurance and vet care make up $509 of that.

Line item	Per year	Per month
Insurance	$282	$24
Vet care	$227	$19
Food	$181	$15
Supplies and toys	$83	$7
Grooming	$24	$2
Total	$797	$66

Monthly figures are rounded, so the lines add to $67.

Grooming is the reason the Korat is cheap to keep. The CFA says the single coat sheds lightly and weekly brushing is usually enough. The model prices grooming at $24 a year, against $96 for an Exotic Shorthair in our Exotic Shorthair cost guide.

The CFA also warns that the coat's texture "does not mean that Korats are a low-allergen breed." Do not buy one expecting to avoid allergies.

Korat health: gangliosidosis and what testing costs

Gangliosidosis is the one serious inherited risk, and it is avoidable. Wikipedia reports the Korat is one of the more commonly affected breeds for GM1 and GM2 gangliosidosis. Both are caused by autosomal recessive mutations, in the GBL1 and HEXB genes.

Wikipedia adds that full registration requires genetic testing for gangliosidosis. The University of California, Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists a Korat GM1 test, so carrier status can be checked before a pairing.

The practical step for a buyer is simple. Ask for both parents' test results in writing. A kitten from two clear parents cannot inherit the disease. A breeder who cannot show results is a breeder to skip.

Wikipedia also notes atherosclerosis in Korats, with a genetic predisposition assumed. We found no dollar cost for either condition, so the model does not price them. PetBudget's breed data flags dental disease as the common, cheaper concern. Our teeth cleaning cost guide shows what a cleaning runs.

Korat lifetime cost

The lifetime cost is $14,621 in PetBudget's model, and the first year is 13% of it. The total adds year one to 16 later years at $797.

Point in life	Total spent so far
Year 1	$1,869
Year 5	$5,057
Year 10	$9,042
Year 17 (lifetime)	$14,621

PetBudget's data gives a 15-20 year range. A 20-year cat would cost $17,012 at the baseline. That is the number to plan for, since a cat with a low yearly bill still accumulates cost across two decades.

Korat vs other cats on cost per year

The Korat's $860 per year of life is lower than every comparison cat in the table. Its long life spreads the setup cost thin, and its yearly cost is the lowest in the model.

Cat	Kitten price in model	Yearly cost	Lifetime	Cost per year of life
Korat	$600	$797	$14,621	$860
American Curl	$600	$824	$12,608	$901
Domestic shorthair	$800	$822	$13,640	$909
Russian Blue	$800	$916	$16,882	$993
Siamese	$800	$1,049	$14,947	$1,150

The closest rival is the Russian Blue, another silver-blue, short-coated cat. Our Russian Blue price guide covers it in detail, and the Siamese price guide covers a pricier option. Compare any pair on the compare page.

Is pet insurance worth it for a Korat?

Insurance is cheap to start and worth pricing for a kitten. The model budgets $282 a year, below NAPHIA's 2026 State of the Industry highlights figure of $435 for the 2025 U.S. average cat accident and illness premium. Only 2.29% of cats were insured in that report.

A healthy Korat may never file a large claim. The policy covers the exception, such as a swallowed object or a car accident. Read the waiting periods guide before you enroll.

What to ask a Korat breeder

Ask for test results before you pay a deposit, since a waiting list can lock in months of commitment. Use this list.

1. Gangliosidosis results for both parents. Ask for the lab report, not a verbal assurance.
2. Vaccination records. The CFA advises asking for health records confirming vaccinations.
3. The wait time. Ask how many litters a year and where you sit on the list.
4. What the price includes. Spay or neuter, microchip and registration papers vary.
5. A written contract. Look for a return clause if a hereditary problem appears.

How to lower the Korat cost

You lower the cost by paying for screening once and keeping the rest simple.

1. Pay for tested parents. A few hundred dollars more is small beside a fatal disease.
2. Ask about an adult. Some breeders place older cats, and the price may differ from a kitten's.
3. Brush weekly. The CFA says that is usually enough for the coat.
4. Insure young. Enroll before any diagnosis.
5. Keep a $1,500 reserve, the model's emergency figure for a small cat.

Replace these averages with your own by entering your city in the PetBudget calculator.