Sphynx breeding

Hello and welcome to TCS. There are not many Sphynx owners here, but maybe one of them will be along to welcome you too.

I would think that if you bought breeding rights for your little girl (presumably from a registered breeder), then the best place to start would be the breeder you bought her from. They will know her pedigree lines and may be able to help you, maybe even use her in their own breeding program. This would also help with finding homes for kittens. Perhaps also contact a Sphynx Breed Society and let them know your situation. You could also visit local cat shows and speak to breeders there.

As you are aware, breeding is not for the faint-hearted, and should only be undertaken with a full awareness of the breed and a desire to continue and improve it. This requires knowledge and research, and often money and much heart-ache along the way. Good luck in your quest. But I would think very hard about why you want to breed her - she is a lovely little girl and I am sure you enjoy her as a companion and pet, and she will never miss being a mother if she is never bred. If after doing some research (or if you discover that she was not part of a registered breeding program - it does happen) , and you decide not to breed her then do get her spayed, for her own health and comfort.

I am curious as to why you want her to have just one litter of kittens.  If she is a good-quality, well bred cat and you do indeed have breeding rights, why just the one litter?  (assuming all goes well of course)

 

Agree absolutely that her breeder is the best place for advice, about which stud to use and so on.

 

If her pedigree is indifferent and/or she isn't anywhere near show standard, my advice would be 'don't breed her'.

I am sure others that work in shelters and rescues will come on here and say the last thing the world needs right now is another "we should breed her just once" litters.  A lot of animals in shelters are the results of that type of thinking.  So many people who were not prepared for the responsibility of breeding and finding kittens good and loving homes with people who know the breed and what they are getting themselves into.  I would suggest contacting her breeder and hearing what she has to say first.  Maybe she can put you in touch with people who can help if you decide to proceed?  But, I would strongly recommend against it, breeding at all, I mean. 

 

I don't think anyone is being derogatory.  They just know what it's like out there for cats and how they are treated by careless people who acquire them.  I too volunteer at shelters and I am currently studying to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  I have 2 Persians, 1 Birman, & 2 Maine Coons... I know the temptations to breed them.  But, I chose to have them fixed, not only for their health and sake but because I didn't want to add to the animal overpopulation problem that is everywhere.  People may promise they will have them fixed or care for them... Most of the time, I am sure it is the intention.  But things happen and time goes by and they may not live up to it and that could lead to more cats.  If you do go through with this, I hope you at least have the kittens fixed BEFORE they leave your home. 

 

And I agree the best thing to do is contact her breeder for info and possibilities on a stud.  A lot of breeders to not stud out.  They are closed catteries so you may have to purchase a stud yourself. 

I agree if you have such a lovely princess eager to be queen, and if you get proper mentoring, there is no point of just one litter. Be a breeder for real. Or at last, a co - breeder cooperating with your mentor.
 

I, being a part of the pedigree world (my residents are two russian blue studs - now retired), AND burning for the homeless and ferales, I had many times met these discussions - and worked out an opinion.

In short.

 

1.  Many people are afraid / dont want ex homeless.  They are inexperienced, they may have prejudications, etc...  You can discuss with them at lenghts. Some you can convince, many not.

 

So these people after all wanting a cat, will buy either a pedigree cat, or some sort of a home raised moggie.   Hopefully they wont buy from a kitten mill...  Which sorrowfully happens.

 

But they will NOT buy a ex homeless, and definitely not a ex ferale.   They are in short non existing

possiblilities for homeless hoping for adoption.

 

2.  Being entirely new at cat world, it is perhaps not always to recommend to adopt an ex ferale as your first cat.  You CAN manage if you do burn for it and have a big heart, but no good if you arent...

 

3. It is easier to adopt an ex ferale, if you already have some cat experience.  It is also easier to foster said ex-ferale if you have help of an friendly resident or two.

 

4. Most cats do like company, a cat pal.

 

5.  Having already your desired and dreamed off pedigreed cat for the 1000 dollars, many will consider to have their second or third cat, this companion cat, a more common, lovely moggie.

I know for a fact lotsa of pedigree cat owners do also have at least one moggie.

 

6.  Voilá!  HERE and NOW there is suddenly a place for our ex homeless, perhaps even a ex ferale...

 

Two years ago there was a frank and big NO NO never ever - and now - there is at least a perhaps - maybe even - a big wish, from exactly the same people.

It is nice to have your wishes fullfilled. It is also nice to have a clean conscience.   :)

 

Thus, it is my belief, it doesnt need to be a conflict, a competition.  It is the other way around.

More homes in total for cats means also more possible homes for ex homeless, and also more homes for ex-ferales.

 

 

I will surely make an own tread about this, but such are my experiences.

Jason, welcome to the TCS site and our Forums!

 

You are double welcome also to this forum, the Pregnant forum, and the Ferale forum, as you do have invaluable knowledge in all the tree fields!

 

 

Good luck!

Don't worry about getting rich from breeding, no one does lol

What is the point if breeding one litter? Your intentions are..?

Generally we breed to improve, not just produce 1 litter of pets and that's it.

Have you got a prefix to register the kittens? A mentor? Experience in whether your girl is show quality (has she been shown?), stud service from an appropriate breeder?
Edited by missymotus - 2/6/12 at 1:59pm

I can't give much advise, but you have a stunning baby girl.

I have to say.. I do not personally know anyone who would have gotten a moggie after they've gotten a pedigreed cat. Usually people fall in love with the breed and get addicted... and they get more pedigreed cats. (Happened to me too). They might have a moggie as their first cat, but once they get a purebred they have crossed the certain line which has kept them from getting more cats before. It's weird but I see it happen all the time.

I actually see the opposite all of the time.  True, they fall in love with a breed or certain "style" if you will of cat... But most people I know with purebreeds, myself included, have taken in moggies after, too and still love them just as much as the purebreeds.  I had my Persians and I had a himi style for a couple of years along with Piper and Phoebe named Prudence.  Prudence was killed. On Halloween night.  I don't like to talk about it.  Anyway, my breeder knew of it and for Christmas, she gave me Paige... A Birman.  She thought I might be too heartbroken and compare a himi to Prue too much so a Birman was a close fit without being too close.  Never heard of Birmans but I grew to love Paige.  She healed all of our broken hearts... Piper and Phoebe's, too!!  And I researched the breed and it said "Angel of cats!" for Birmans... Paige is a purrfect example of the breed, then.... Anyway, I am getting off track.  My dear boy, King Arthur and his sis, Morgan La Fay are officially considered moggies eventhough their daddy is a pedigree Maine Coon.  I love them just as much as I do my purebreed girls, too.  And they came into my life later. 
 

 

I have enjoyed reading the comments, and strongly agree with the various comments re contacting your breeder, working with a mentor, learning all you can about her pedigree, etc., etc.,  and never lose site of the goal in breeding - to produce a better offspring than either parent. If you do not think you can do that, then don't breed.

 

As a vet tech, I am surprised you would want to breed, knowing how many cats die every day due to lack of good homes. Your baby doesn't need to have kittens. It is not a requirement that she must fulfill. I'm sorry to be negative, but I have seen too many cats and kittens euthanized because of a lack of homes.

Jason, I maybe able to help you with this.  I also have a male & female with breeding rights.  I was unable to breed them do to my female ended up not being able to have babies so I got her fixed.  My 2 year old, white, blue eyed male is still intact.

An interesting proposal, as it is often very difficult to find a good stud if you arent one of the wellknown breeders. Either with own stud or with connections.

In Sweden it is easier, but we arent talking Sweden now....  :)

 

But still, Jason should have contact with a good mentor, or at last a knowleable well wishing expert on Sphynx lineages. Using Sphynx2 proposal only if approved.

 

Sphynx2, YOU got breeding rights. Can you or Jason use your breeder as such a advisor or perhaps even mentor?

 

True.  Especielly for moggies. Although pedigree breeders usually do find good homes for their kittens.

But your advice is good: if in any doubt at all, look out if you can get homes for your kittens, before you start planning on anything.   If you cant sell them for the full price, so at least sell them for half price but  into good homes.

 

Welcome to the TCS Site and our Forums, here on your very first post!

 

Yes I have breeding rights and all the paperwork.  I have constant communication with my breeder as well.  I agree with you that we should diffinitely use our breeders as mentors.  I live in IL which is close to MI which I believe is where Jason lives.

 

 

Not always.  I know several breeders of different breeds that have had to basically shut down the breeding process and really don't have any planned for now because they have so many older kittens that they were unable to find homes for.  It's a sad situation everywhere.  So please think about this, as well.