It is vitally important that you ask your Sphynx Cat Breeder a lot of questions to ensure that you know everything you need to know about your Sphynx kitten and how to best care for it. The most important questions that you should ask Sphynx breeder are listed below.
- Breeder’s Reputation and Business Practices
- How may litters be raised by the breeder yearly?
- Does the kitten be socialized?
- Have the breeder’s cats been tested for Feline Aids and Leukaemia?
- What cat association the breeder participate in?
- Does the kitten come with pedigree and registration papers?
- Is there a sale contract?
- Does the Sphynx Cat Breeder have references?
- Does the Sphynx Cat Breeder offer a guarantee?
- What is the cost of the kitten?
- Family History
- Kitten’s Health
- Caring for the Kitten
Breeder’s Reputation and Business Practices
How may litters be raised by the breeder yearly?
The number of sphynx kittens that a breeder is raising may be important for his ability to right care for each of them. If there are a lot of litters then it is possible that the kittens are not being raised in the best environment.
The kitten must have the chance to socialize with different cats and other people from associate degree early age. this is very important for kittens from six to sixteen weeks old. while not adequate socialization, the kitten might find yourself being nervous and insecure.
Have the breeder’s cats been tested for Feline Aids and Leukaemia?
Ask for proof of testing and clear results.
What cat association the breeder participate in?
Ask the breeder which association his member is and its bloodlines are registered with is only important if you have made the decision to take your Sphynx cat to cat shows. This is important because the cat associations have different standards and rules. Finding out whether the breeder is registered with a cat association is also a good indication of how seriously they take the business and whether or not they care about quality breeding. You can then call the cat association to check the credentials and reputation of the particular breeder.
Does the kitten come with pedigree and registration papers?
Most reputable and responsible Sphynx Cat Breeders will provide registration papers for the kittens that they sell. You should ask for these papers even if you are not intending to show your cat. The papers register you as the cat’s owner and give you the peace of mind that the cat has the bloodlines that the breeder has represented to you. If the Sphynx Cat Breeder doesn’t offer registration papers, then it generally means that the kitten’s parents are not registered or didn’t have breeding rights. It may be that the breeder is trying to sell a non-purebred kitten for purebred prices which is not fair to you.
Is there a sale contract?
Find out whether the Sphynx Cat Breeder has a sales contract and, if so, what the terms and conditions are. Some breeders will offer to take back the kitten within a certain time frame if you change your mind. Other breeders will offer health guarantees as part of the contract. Reading this document will help you to understand what your rights are if anything goes wrong with the transaction.
Does the Sphynx Cat Breeder have references?
You might be able to find references from satisfied past-customers on the breeder’s website. If not, ask the breeder if they have any references from people who have bought kittens from them recently. If you can, try to make contact with the kitten owners and find out how their experiences have been. Ask them if they were satisfied with their dealings with the breeder, whether they have had any health or behavioral problems with the kitten, and if so, whether the breeder offered them any assistance.
Does the Sphynx Cat Breeder offer a guarantee?
Find out if your Sphynx Breeder is prepared to guarantee the kitten against a serious illness or a shorter than normal life span. This is a difficult topic to think about and discuss, but it’s important that you know where you stand.
What is the cost of the kitten?
Given the rarity of the Sphynx cat breed, the costs can be quite high and are obviously an important consideration for many people. It’s a good idea not to start with this question, however, as doing so will possibly give the Sphynx Cat Breeder the impression that you are more interested in getting a good deal than the health and welfare of the kitten.
Family History
Tell me about the kitten’s family history?
Ask about the characteristics of the kitten’s breed line. If it is a pedigree, then find out whether the ancestors have achieved success at cat shows. Find out what the typical life span of the other cats in that breed line has been, what they have died from, and whether there have been any health problems with the breed line.
Is it possible to see the kitten’s parents?
It is a good idea to ask the Sphynx Cat Breeder if you can meet the kitten’s parents. This will give you an idea of the adult appearance of the kitten that you have chosen. You can also judge the health and temperament of the parent cats to see if the breeder is taking good care of their cats. Remember that a lot of breeders only keep the female cats for breeding and they send these to a stud male for servicing. In these cases, you will probably only be able to meet the kitten’s mother, but you can still ask to see a photo of the father.
Can I see the parents’ certificates?
Many of the larger scale reputable breeders will have their cats assessed by a veterinarian and tested for any diseases. The vet will then issues the cat with a certificate stating that they are free of hereditary diseases. Ask to see the certificates of the parents of your chosen kitten so that you can be sure that it doesn’t have any genetic health problems. You can also ask for a Health Guarantee. That way if your kitten does happen to have a genetic health problem you will be able to have it replaced free of charge.
Kitten’s Health
Has the kitten had all required vaccines?
Find out what vaccinations the kitten has already been given, what further ones will be given before the collection date, and what vaccinations you will be responsible for organizing for the kitten.
Has the kitten been de-wormed?
De-worming usually takes place early in the kitten’s life by the breeder’s vet. Still, this is something that you should have clarified.
Has the kitten (or any of its brothers or sisters) been sick?
Ask whether there has been any health problems with any of the kittens in the litter so far. If so, find out what the problems were and whether they have been satisfactorily resolved.
Can I have a copy of the kitten’s health certificate?
Find out if the kitten has been assessed and/or treated by a veterinarian. If so, ask for a copy of the kitten’s health certificate. This will give you the assurance that the kitten has a clean bill of health, as well as containing important information about its immunization history.
Does the Sphynx Cat Breeder intend on spaying/neutering the kitten before you pick it up?
In some cases, the kittens will be spayed or neutered at an early age (before they are sold) by the breeder. In other cases, you will be responsible for this process and it will need to be done before the cat reaches a set age. Find out the way that your breeder operates as if you are responsible for spaying/neutering it can be an expensive and difficult experience.
Caring for the Kitten
What does the Sphynx Cat Breeder feed its kittens and cats?
Learn what the breeder is currently feeding the kitten and try to stick to the same diet. This will minimize the disruption to the new kitten’s life and lessen the risk of any stomach problems. Also, find out what the breeder feeds the adult cats and when they would recommend changing from kitten to cat food. When it comes time to make this change, it is best to do it gradually to give the cat’s digestive system a chance to adapt.
What shampoo does the breeder use?
Try to stick to using the same shampoo as the breeder as this will minimize the risk of skin irritations.
What litter does the breeder use?
Also, try to continue using the same type of litter as the breeder has been using with the kitten. Changing to a different type of litter may confuse the kitten and lead to it failing to use the litter tray.
Visiting the Sphynx Breeder
Most of the questions outlined above you will be able to ask the Sphynx breeder over the phone or via email. You can ask the breeder to email you the relevant health certificates, photos and even see if you can Skype so that you can see the kittens at play. If you are happy with the responses and the other feedback that you have heard about that particular breeder, it is then time to visit the Sphynx breeder to see how they operate their cattery.
Visiting the cattery yourself is not essential, and if you are importing your Sphynx from overseas it may be very impractical. However, you really should make every effort to do so as this gives you the opportunity to see first-hand the conditions that the kitten has been born into and how the breeder operates its business. Getting to know the breeder well will enhance your confidence in the purchase and help guide you through making the right decisions. If the Sphynx breeder is unwilling to let you visit their cattery then it may suggest that their operation is not very reputable and this should cause you to think twice about dealing with them.
