- Joined
- May 27, 2006
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Hey there,
So I have started interviewing potential breeders for my Sphynx that I hope to join my family. I sent out a survery of 15 questions going from anywhere from price, health, ethics, references, HCM scanning and their future hope for the sphynx. I found it interesting that a few breeders who were quick to tell me they had kittens and were ready for deposit did not response at all! But this is what I am trying to do - find out who really cares about their sphynxes and wants the best for them.
So the other various breeders who contacted me back with their answers had mentioned several things that made me cringe. I just want your input with this..
Breeder 1
1. One breeder told me that she kept her baby kittens in a bunny cage till they were able to walk! I felt somewhat confused by this... because how can the mother nurse her kittens in a bunny cage?! Also, I found it odd that it was a bunny cage! Would this sound an alarm in your head? She also told me that I was the first person in all her years of breeding who asked that many questions!?
Other then that she was nice and answered things professionally. It was just the bunny cage and the fact that no one ever asked her those kinda things before.
Breeder 2
2. Another breeder told me that they would cover health for the entire life of your sphynx due to genetic reasons BUT I would have to have an autopsy performed to confirm that my cat died due to genetic reasons!! I understand that is somewhat standard but the thought of me having to wait until an autopsy made me sick. She also was unable to tell me if she scanned her cats yearly for HCM nor provide me references nor her future hope for the sphynx. I felt this was someone lacked time and effort and if you are not scanning your cats yearly for HCM then who knows what they have or don't. Plus your cats should be seeing the vet at least once a year IMHO for check-ups and etc. Also, she lacked the time to place capitols in her sentences! Call me picky but this showed me someone who was somewhat lazy! She couldn't provide me with CFA registeration nor any other group. Also, I told her I want a female sphynx and am willing to wait...BUT she kept pushing her male kitten sphynxes on me (obvioulsy she is in it for the WRONG reasons). *shudder*
Breeder 3
She was very professional but I found that she seemed quick to tell me that she could gurantee the her cats do NOT have HCM. I read somewhere to be leary on breeders who can gurantee their cats don't have HCM because obviously this disease still needs further research and evaluation and also polygenetics may play a roll in this horrific disease. So this immediately turned me off because she herself as a breeder has not taken the time to read up on the fact that they still do not understand the complete facts on the gene(s) responsible.
Breeder 4
She has won my heart over.. not only is she quick to reply to me but she is an active member in the CFA (she is also on the board) and actively shows her cats. She told me she gurantees health for two years (understandable) and she was FULL of information about the sphynx and HCM. She referred me to the FINN foundation and had various links on her site to sites that raise money for awareness by selling sphynx calendars. She is open to me calling her and has made some remarks that I agree with. She told me her future wish for the sphynx was to finding a way to eliminate HCM entirely or a cure/treatment (she worded it better) and also she looks for more then just looks when breeding but also temperment.
-I asked her about placing a deposit for a kitten and she told me that she never takes deposits because who knows what will happen in those 12-14 weeks.
-She offered to give me advice about showing my future kitten.
-She was quick to give me her vet's reference.
-She informed me about the procedure with registering your cat with the CFA and how it works and what it costs (she gave me the option to register it myself IF I wanted to have my kitten's name as her CFA name).
-She cats have won various awards.
The only downside is that she lives in the states and is somewhat far from the Canadian border (I live near the border and would be willing to drive to the states) so I can't go visit her cattery.
But overall I am
her.
What do you guys think?
So I have started interviewing potential breeders for my Sphynx that I hope to join my family. I sent out a survery of 15 questions going from anywhere from price, health, ethics, references, HCM scanning and their future hope for the sphynx. I found it interesting that a few breeders who were quick to tell me they had kittens and were ready for deposit did not response at all! But this is what I am trying to do - find out who really cares about their sphynxes and wants the best for them.
So the other various breeders who contacted me back with their answers had mentioned several things that made me cringe. I just want your input with this..
Breeder 1
1. One breeder told me that she kept her baby kittens in a bunny cage till they were able to walk! I felt somewhat confused by this... because how can the mother nurse her kittens in a bunny cage?! Also, I found it odd that it was a bunny cage! Would this sound an alarm in your head? She also told me that I was the first person in all her years of breeding who asked that many questions!?
Other then that she was nice and answered things professionally. It was just the bunny cage and the fact that no one ever asked her those kinda things before.
Breeder 2
2. Another breeder told me that they would cover health for the entire life of your sphynx due to genetic reasons BUT I would have to have an autopsy performed to confirm that my cat died due to genetic reasons!! I understand that is somewhat standard but the thought of me having to wait until an autopsy made me sick. She also was unable to tell me if she scanned her cats yearly for HCM nor provide me references nor her future hope for the sphynx. I felt this was someone lacked time and effort and if you are not scanning your cats yearly for HCM then who knows what they have or don't. Plus your cats should be seeing the vet at least once a year IMHO for check-ups and etc. Also, she lacked the time to place capitols in her sentences! Call me picky but this showed me someone who was somewhat lazy! She couldn't provide me with CFA registeration nor any other group. Also, I told her I want a female sphynx and am willing to wait...BUT she kept pushing her male kitten sphynxes on me (obvioulsy she is in it for the WRONG reasons). *shudder*
Breeder 3
She was very professional but I found that she seemed quick to tell me that she could gurantee the her cats do NOT have HCM. I read somewhere to be leary on breeders who can gurantee their cats don't have HCM because obviously this disease still needs further research and evaluation and also polygenetics may play a roll in this horrific disease. So this immediately turned me off because she herself as a breeder has not taken the time to read up on the fact that they still do not understand the complete facts on the gene(s) responsible.
Breeder 4
She has won my heart over.. not only is she quick to reply to me but she is an active member in the CFA (she is also on the board) and actively shows her cats. She told me she gurantees health for two years (understandable) and she was FULL of information about the sphynx and HCM. She referred me to the FINN foundation and had various links on her site to sites that raise money for awareness by selling sphynx calendars. She is open to me calling her and has made some remarks that I agree with. She told me her future wish for the sphynx was to finding a way to eliminate HCM entirely or a cure/treatment (she worded it better) and also she looks for more then just looks when breeding but also temperment.
-I asked her about placing a deposit for a kitten and she told me that she never takes deposits because who knows what will happen in those 12-14 weeks.
-She offered to give me advice about showing my future kitten.
-She was quick to give me her vet's reference.
-She informed me about the procedure with registering your cat with the CFA and how it works and what it costs (she gave me the option to register it myself IF I wanted to have my kitten's name as her CFA name).
-She cats have won various awards.
The only downside is that she lives in the states and is somewhat far from the Canadian border (I live near the border and would be willing to drive to the states) so I can't go visit her cattery.
But overall I am
What do you guys think?