I'm new to all this fur business stuff. I'm looking at the western cats compared to eastern cats and I dot really see why western cats sell for so much more. We don't get hardly anything for our cats. Here are 3 that I may sell. The 2nd picture are 2 that I caught the day beforev season closed that I tanned. What is the difference between eastern and western cats.

Heaviness of the fur for one thing. Hard to show in a picture, which is two dimensional. But side by side, a good western cat would have substantially thicker/heavier fur.

The bellies in the first picture look narrow. A good western cat will have a much wider white belly. It is difficult to judge the 2 cats in the second picture because they haven’t been groomed. Fur combed, all grease removed, etc. Trappers with the nice western cats probably spend 15 minutes per cat grooming them, making them look their very best.

You should also keep in mind that all western cats are not the same. Folks always talk about the best of the best because that is where the “big bucks” are.

I have trapped a ton of cats over 40 inches and some of 50 how long is an average cat back east save Maine and northern tier states. I have also seen a lot of eastern and midwest cats and the hair is not as silky also very short.

To me the top three cats look flat. They do not have heavy fur. You may think they do only looking at cats from that section.

What do you think you get for them? I was looking for 100 on mine and got 40. West Va sale was 50 top cat better be ready sale or no sale.

Last year they went for 36 each for nine cats. I don't expect much more than that this year. I'll tan them for that

At the western fur sales, presentation is part of the price. If those first 3 cats were at a western sale and of western quality, they would bring a lower price due to the presentation. The back legs and lower belly look “scruffy and greasy”. Cleaning them up should improve the price.

Thanks guys I was just wondering what the difference was.

The cat to the far right has a very casty belly, the two on the left aren't a lot better. Not your fault.

If you ever attend a national trapping convention...visit the Fur Harvesters booth. They usually have some western/northern pelts there.

Your fingers will completely disappear when you run them thru a western bobcat or coyote. The hefty or heaviness of those pelts is INCREDIBLE!

I'm surprised southern (or even upper south) fur even sells.

Can someone explain what you mean by “casty” bellies? Do you mean not clear? Dirty looking? Or are you referring to the shape of the white, hour glass, or narrow? I hear “casty” a lot referring to bobcat bellies and just not sure exactly what is meant by it.

Thank you,
Russell

How are the backs of most western cats? Most are rabbit backed here but do catch some spotted ones. As for bellies, I think most of ours are rabbit bellied too.

Casty = cloudy white....more grayish or light brown instead of bright white. Black spots are usually not as clear and well defined on a cloudy cat belly.....which is not desirable for such a luxuary garment.

A casty belly is dirty looking, reddish, not clear white. Clear white bellies are the most desirable.

In the first picture, the cat in the middle has the best belly of the 3 but it still is not a good belly. As waggler said, the cat on the far right is very casty. Hardly any white at all.

Here is what would be considered top end western cats right on is 40 " wide white clear bellies with bingo blotter spots. Not quite true heavies but close enough for the check

These cats are all Heavy cats even though 1 and 3 are a "little Caste" they are still wide and plenty white

here 3&4 are getting a little narrow spots are getting muddled but the heavieness still prevails. But again 1 & 2 are wide white and clear.



Your prime eastern cats are have less fur than western cats do in July. Rarely do the eastern cats exhibit the bright white or the clear defined spots as westerns or the soft fluffy dense fur.
Another thing about Non-western cats is the hide is tougher, well handled western cats can be folded easily into thirds. I can fit 4 40" heavy western cats in a Large flat rate box.

Coats like this are were the westerns shine.

In a nutshell color is defined by
A Tidy Whitey white with bingo blotter spots
B Off white spots may have brown or greyish rings around them
C White looks like someone spilled coffee on it and wiped it off, spots will be brown dirty blotches
D No white Dark browns See beaver peelers post on coastal cats

Our NYS cats are like a woodchuck with poka dots!

Gotta love a nice cat coat!

wws

Average length is around 38 but will get a few 40. Weight any were 16 to 32 . Spike when you go to the convention watch the fur handling only reason I went.