Choosing a Sphynx Breeder.


How to find a good breeder
You’ve decided a Sphynx is for you, and want to find out as much as you can, and what better way than the Internet? You’ve seen glossy website after glossy website, all brimming with credentials, qualifications, and show results, and all sorts of cat speak which means little to you, the potential new Sphynx slave. Just how do you tell who is a good breeder and who isn’t?

Choosing the right breeder is crucial, as this ensures your Sphynx kitten will be healthy and well adjusted. Get it wrong, and you could have a lifetime of problems. If you are feeling confused, don‘t know which way to turn, or how to make that all important decision of which breeder to contact, here are a few cat terms explained, together with the questions you need to ask to help you determine just who is a good breeder and who isn’t.

Cattery Registrations

Nearly all Sphynx cattery websites start by saying which Registering bodies their catteries are registered with. Usually this will be one of three - GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy) Felis Britannica (FB) and TICA (The International Cat Association. In reality, it is not the catteries which are registered with these bodies, but the breeding prefix, which entitles a breeder to use a certain chosen word either at the start (prefix) or at the end (affix) of the names of kittens bred by their cattery.

Anyone can claim to be registered with these organisations, the only way to be sure of an individual’s claims is to contact the Registering body direct (contact numbers and email addresses are given at the end of this article). Don’t just ask if such and such a breeder registers kittens with them, ask if the breeder is in good standing with them, and if there are currently any outstanding complaints or disciplinary actions against the breeder. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if this is the sort of person you want to buy a Sphynx kitten from.

Cat Clubs

Similarly, if someone claims to be an officer, committee member, or rescue coordinator of a cat club, then check with the club(s) concerned, and if they are no longer in positions of responsibility or members, ask why. None of the UK Sphynx clubs will mind you enquiring, as they are here to protect and promote the Sphynx breed here in the UK, and will be happy to help you in any way they can. There are three Sphynx Clubs here in the UK, the oldest being the Sphynx Cat Club, and the newest being the Sphynx Cat Association and the Sphynx Breeders Association. A good breeder will be a member of at least one UK Sphynx breed club, sometimes more. (Club Contact details are given at the end of this article).

On Line Research

Another excellent way to research a breeder on-line is to put their name into one of the search engines, followed by “Sphynx” and see what information is displayed.

Finally, a good way to get a feel for a breeder is to check which other breeders they work with here in the UK. Take a look at their links page on their website. This will give you an idea, and if there are no links to other UK Sphynx breeders, ask yourself why. It may be that other breeders are reluctant to work with them, and it may be worth asking one or two for their reasons, although a far more positive approach would be to ask for recommendations instead.

Hopefully the above points will help you to make that all important first approach to the breeder of your choice. Once you have made up your mind which breeder to contact, be especially wary if they only have bad things to say about other breeders and their cats. Start your search again, and don’t stop until you find someone who is too busy concentrating on their own cattery and cats to find time to run anyone else down.

Start by asking the breeder how long they have been breeding and how many litters they have bred. Then ask how many of these litters were reared in their own homes - and if the answer is different, beware! Good Sphynx breeders always rear their own kittens in their own homes - after all, who would want to miss out on the fun of Sphynx babies? Check out mortality rates, and if someone claims never to have lost a Sphynx kitten, they are very probably not being honest. However, if they lose litter after litter, this could be a sign of an inherent health problem within the cattery.

Also check out the cattery’s fatality rate, and if you find several older kittens or young adults have died, ask why. It is far more unusual for older kittens and cats to die unexpectedly. If there seems to be a lot of accidental deaths, this may indicate a lack of basic care on the part of the cattery.

Good Sphynx breeder’s do not over breed their cats, however it should be remembered that all breeders have their own views on what constitutes over breeding and what doesn’t. Sometimes a breeder may have no option other than to breed a Queen quickly twice in succession, and usually this is done on the advice of a vet. However, more relevant is the number of litters a Queen has in her breeding career, as it is quite normal for a Queen to have two to three litters then retire at an early age. It is considered highly unethical to breed Queens at too young an age or too old an age. What could be sadder than a queen bred at just seven months of age, which means she will be rearing a litter of kittens at only nine months of age, when she is still just a kitten herself. Or even sadder, an older cat being induced into heat by means of injections, so that she can be bred at a time of her life when she should be enjoying the comforts of a warm lap, not rearing yet another litter of kittens.

To breed a Queen only once a year, a breeder must resort to artificially suppressing a Queen’s heats, which is done by introducing chemicals into the Queen’s system on a regular basis. For many people seeking a healthier and more natural lifestyle for themselves, this is not an option for themselves, let alone for their pets.

Don’t forget, the Registering bodies will not mind you contacting them to ask how many litters the breeder has registered with them, and when.

Most good breeders own their own stud cats, which means that if you wish to see Mum and Dad, you will be able to. It is very rare that a Sphynx boy is placed at open stud in the UK, so most breeders make sure they have their own Sphynx stud, and several breeders have imported new lines to the UK, through the pet passport scheme, or via quarantine. The pet passport scheme has been designed especially to make it easier and less stressful for animals to travel both into and out of the UK, and to keep the UK rabies free.  To bypass these laws would place the whole of the UK and all of our animals, not just cats, at risk, and is a criminal offence, as was shown in the recent court case concerning cat smuggling right here in this country. 

Good breeders do not interbreed their cats e.g father/daughter or mother/son matings. You can check pedigrees on line at www.pawpeds.com Just type in the cattery name in the Pawpeds search box, and all of the pedigrees relating to the cat’s that cattery has bred will come up. Check through for any evidence of inbreeding. It is however a sad fact that most of the kittens from incestuous matings are never properly registered.

Check out what testing procedures the breeder may have in place. This may range from FeLV/FIV testing to HCM testing, and possibly even FHV/FCV testing. Ask to see copies of their test results, however bear in mind that it is impossible to test accurately for many feline diseases, so a negative result does not always mean a negative.

Always visit a breeder’s home yourself, never arrange to meet somewhere and collect your kitten. You need to see the environment in which the kitten has been reared first hand. A good breeder would never sell a cat from the boot of their car at a motorway service station, but sadly you will always find one that will, no matter what they would have you believe. If you have arranged to purchase a kitten, and the breeder tries to arrange a collection point other than their own home, ask for your deposit back and find a reputable breeder instead.

If you have decided on a pet, there is little point in contacting a breeder who is obsessed with showing. Pet quality Sphynx are every bit as special as show quality Sphynx, and should be just as healthy. They usually have some type fault which precludes them from being shown, but they will still have the same wonderful temperament and characteristics of the Sphynx breed which makes them so special.

If you have decided to take the plunge and start attending cat shows with your Sphynx, try going to a few shows before you contact any breeders, and observe. Not only will you see lots of beautiful Sphynx, you will also have the opportunity to observe the behaviour and camaraderie of breeders out showing. Note which breeders are friendly and supportive of each other, and which ones cheer even when their own cats don’t win. You will be able to spot the bad losers straight away, and avoid them. Here in the UK Sphynx breeders are normally very supportive of each other, and look forward to shows as a social event as well as an opportunity to show off their Sphynx. If an exhibitor seems isolated in the show hall, there is normally a very good reason why.

Of course, if you want to show, you will need a good example of the breed, from a reputable breeder who is currently showing themselves. A show quality kitten will not only have excellent type, it will also be completely hairless, no fur on the tail, feet or flanks, or anywhere else. A good breeder will know which of their kittens are likely to develop hair as they grow older and which one’s aren’t.
Should you buy a show kitten only to find that it develops fur, it’s probably best if you don’t show him/her at all. Of course, if you really want to, you may still show your kitten but don‘t expect wonderful show results. It is not acceptable to remove any fur prior to showing as this is quite simply cheating, not to mention how embarrassing it would be for a Judge to spot it in front of other exhibitors - yes, it has been known!

Beware if a breeder seems overly immersed with showing, as even a top show cat spends relatively little time in a show hall, and should first and foremost be a pet. A good breeder can strike a happy balance, and will be keen to make sure that cat shows do not take their toll on their cats in the form of stress, which can be fatal to a cat.

Running a breeding cattery takes a lot of time and commitment, and if a breeder is constantly in the show hall, they will not be in a position to personally look after their cats or kittens at home. Pregnant Queens need to be watched 24 /7 when they near their due date, and this should be in their own homes, in familiar surroundings, not in a strange hotel room because the owner doesn’t want to miss a show day so decided to take mum-to-be with them. Bear in mind that good breeders generally stop showing whilst they are rearing kittens, due to the hard work involved and the need to be on hand 24/7, and also to avoid the risk of passing on possible infection from the show hall to small kittens, who are especially vulnerable. A good breeder would never, never show a pregnant cat at a cat show.  To subject a mum to be to all the stresses of a show hall etc just to satisfy the breeder's ego is not good practice, it's very bad practice, no matter what breed of cat is involved. Unfortunately there is always one who doesn't mind doing exactly this for another notch on their belt.  Check the TICA Show Results for the nine weeks prior to your kitten's birth to ascertain if mom was shown whilst pregnant.

If you have decided to start breeding, do your research and do it well. You will need to find a breeder you can trust 100%, so it is vital that they are honest and ethical, and of the highest moral standing. The first few pointers in this article should help you to wheedle out the ones that are lacking in these areas. Don’t be tempted to co own a breeding cat - this is where the cat is owned jointly by the breeder and the new owner. The cat will never belong to you, and whilst this arrangement may work whilst you are on friendly terms, what happens should the worst come to the worst and you have a disagreement? Would you pay £10,000 for a new car, and pay all the servicing and petrol costs, only to be told which motorways you can use and where to park your car? The common sense answer is of course “NO”!! Either the breeder trusts you enough to sell you a breeding cat, or they don’t.

When the day finally comes for you to collect your new addition, make sure that you are given all the necessary paperwork. This is where your enquiries to the registering bodies will pay off dividends, because a breeder who is not in good standing will not be able to provide the necessary paperwork.  Bear in mind that you may not get your paperwork from a breeder who is currently being investigated, is this a risk you want to take? 

You may be asked to sign a contract, read it carefully. A good contract protects the seller, the buyer and the kitten. You should be aware that if you break a contract with a breeder, they can seek redress through civil (not criminal) law . However, should the breeder break the contract, you, the purchaser, can also seek redress through the county courts. A contract, once agreed can only be changed by both parties.  It would therefore not be acceptable for a breeder to agree to let a cat in for stud service, agree that a breeding cat may be kept, and then sometime later refuse to sign the necessary paperwork, no matter what their reasons may be.  Similary it would not be acceptable for a breeder to sell a breeding cat, then change her mind after the kitten has gone to it's new home, and refuse to supply the relevant paperwork.  Any breeder acting in this manner would soon fall foul of the registering bodies, as well as losing all credibility with other breeders.

You should receive your kitten’s registration documents, a signed pedigree, care sheet, diet sheet and also a copy of the contract for you to keep. Some breeders offer a health guarantee too - usually against genetic defects for a varying length of time, usually from one year to a lifetime. Make sure it is worth the paper it is written on.

Check carefully that you have all of these documents. Should a breeder withold any of these documents, they will be in contravention of the rules of the Registering bodies, and will be liable to disciplinary action.

Hopefully you will now be able to manoeuvre with ease through the new kitten buyer’s minefield. If you think this seems like a lot of effort just to buy a kitten, remember that breeders retain a lifelong interest in the babies they bring into this world, and should be there for you at any time of the day or night to help with any problems, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. Do your homework well, and you may end up with a new friend as well as a new kitten.

Good luck!
 

© 2007

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