Why does KSL Classifieds have a cat listing fee?

Some KSL Classifieds users may have noticed that when attempting to create a listing for a cat or kitten, they’re now being charged a $15 listing fee. Why does this fee exist? There are a lot of reasons (that will be explained in this article), but it all boils down to animal welfare. This fee is just one part of our commitment to making KSL Classifieds a place where responsible breeding and pet ownership practices thrive, and where local animals can find safe forever homes.

We realize that a $15 fee might seem annoying. But if there’s anyone who can handle a little annoyance, it’s cat lovers. After all, you put up with spilled water glasses, 5 a.m. wake-up scratches, scorned affection and sassy meows of all kinds. But you put up with all of it because you have a love for our feline friends. With this listing fee, we’re simply asking you to share that love with the greater cat community.

Still not sold? Here are the ways in which our cat listing fee will improve KSL Classifieds for both animals and users.

KSL Classifieds is striving to make our platform a safer place for pets. Photo credit: Александар Цветановић

Creating a better user experience

One of the problems people often encounter when searching for a cat or kitten on KSL Classifieds is a large amount of duplicate cat listings. And the more spam that occupies your screen, the more pages you’ll have to scroll through find your next kitty companion. Plus, cats don’t even like Spam. Tuna, sure. But Spam? No way. It’s our hope that this listing fee will disincentivize spammers from creating duplicate listings, and in turn improve your overall experience.

Facilitating faster feline finds

An easier user experience doesn’t just benefit those searching for cats, it also benefits the cats themselves. Because when you’re able to find a cat quicker, that cat is able to move into its forever home quicker, too. That means less time in limbo and more time in your lap. Or, ya know, like two seconds in your lap before running away to stare out the window.

Discouraging irresponsible breeding practices

Plenty of excellent people earn a living from cat breeding, and those folks are usually willing to accept the costs of doing business. But irresponsible breeders see pets as products, and are hell-bent on making a profit no matter what. From kitten mills to unsanitary and unwelcoming operations, plenty of unscrupulous breeders cut corners where animal welfare is concerned to maximize profit. 

We’re hoping that by reducing that profitability, we can reduce the presence of such operations on our site. Our goal is for KSL Classifieds to be a home to only responsible breeders, caring cat lovers and adoptable pets. (Animal shelters are exempt from this fee.)

KSL Classifieds discourages irresponsible breeding practices. Picture credit: Pixabay

Raising money for local shelters and animal rights groups

A portion of the money from these fees will go back into our community, supporting local shelters and animal rights groups. We’ve already consulted with local thought leaders and shelters to develop improvements to the Pets section on KSL Classifieds. Now we’re sending some funding back their way to help their incredible operations. That includes daily operations and adoptions, but also hairy happenings like the Utah Humane Society’s Free Adoption Week and Bark at the Moon events and Best Friend Society’s Strut Your Mutt event.

Where are the cat events, you ask? Well, you try getting hundreds of cats together and escaping without thousands of scratches. Rest assured, these incredible organizations are giving just as much love to the purr boys and girls as they are to the pooches. 

Making people more invested in their cats’ futures

It’s a simple fact of life — people care more about something when there’s a financial investment involved. Now, $15 might not always change things drastically, but if this small financial commitment makes users just a little bit more impassioned about putting their cats in safe, happy homes, we’d say it’s worth it.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and we hope you understand the benefits of this change. Along with our other efforts, like closer monitoring of pet listings, adoption encouragement and work with local shelters, it’s our hope that this fee will help make KSL Classifieds a purrfect place for local cats to find their new family.