Sphynx Info
HCM ISSUE
To better understand "HCM ISSUE ",AND YES WE AT BALDNMORE CATTERY - SCAN OUR BREEDERS - Does the breed have any health issues? We pretty much have a healthy breed as any other breed w/ few problems.But With the few problems ,a estimated 3 % Sphynx have HCM (also found in other breeds) -but more so w/ this breed.HCM stands for Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- a heart disease where areas of heart muscle enlarge and thicken -- is the most common heart disease in cats. Although it develops and progresses over time, its early signs may be subtle or nonexistent. A cat that seems healthy may appear to become very ill very quickly, or even die suddenly. At this present time ,many of us dedicated breeders sell no breeders -As there is so much to learn with much committment to HCM .In order to breed this breed ,you have to endure strength , patience,and a willingness w/ ups and downs for years to come of breeding generations to fully understand HCM condtion .This will take much time and a goal that I will committ myself to in order to one day stamp out this heart condtion w/ in our breed! Thru careful scanning of echocardigrams on our breeders each year, chances will go down on HCM affected kittens. - We will keep track and scan the generations and document this of who would say be scanning postive or negative.If we see postive HCM scan -We would alter that breeder.At this present time ,there is no test for kittens ,the scans are accurate at a year and older.We as committed breeders are improving and dedicated by supporting each other w/ open discussions and raising money for research to one day have a DNA marker.At This time -We know a few months ago our goal was met with raising money . Now researchers are working like busy bees to find this DNA marker.!! If we can achieve this-kittens/cats could be done w/ out scanning and waiting till their a year old. .The heartache of a grieving pet owner one day will not be so - At this time we offer 2 year congential contract but can not guarantee HCM never crops up in future kittens ( we have had none to this date),As all breeders -we are still working to improve our lines in this breed - AS a breeder I want to improve our program ,we want the PET OWNER to know we are concern and want to stand behind our cats.We want to be honest of what our practice is here ,this insures you will feel your not just buying a kitten and we foget about you and your pet.We want to be kept informed on the health in the future for our betterment of OUR program here.Thank you , Diana Johns "OUR DREAM AND GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE HEATH OF OUR BREED HERE AT BALDNMORE CATTERY ."
Sphynx Standard
TICA standard. CFA standard. One of the most wonderful things about Sphynx is that they come in all colors. Our cattery can produce nearly all colors (Black, blue, red, cream, tortie, calico, and bi-colors and pointeds and minks), including blue and aqua eyes. If you wish to wait for a certain color, please be patient and sometimes you might be surprised that there is another color that catches your eye. (It happened to me with Emme!) We believe that personality, health and type is more important than color.
Policy & Prices
Age: The kittens will go to their new homes are sold at the age of 14 weeks or older
Price: Pet price is currently $1200. We do not sell whole/breeder cats at this time.
Health and Guarantees: Your new kitten will be neutered/spayed and up-to-date will all vaccinations. Bald N More will also guarantee that your kitten is free of FIV and Feline Leukemia.
We will guarantee your kitten against any life-threatening genetic illnesses for one year.
We do the BEST we can to protect the cat to make sure it is healthy and without genetic illnesses, however, with all live animals there is nothing 100%.
Deposits: If you wish to reserve a kitten, we require a $200.00 deposit for each kitten. We don't take deposits on unborn kittens but when a kitten/cat is pictured on our web site it is available. If your name is on a wait list, we will give you a courtesy email to let you know they are available.
Selected homes: Please call or email us telling us about yourself, family, pets, current & past. We want the best homes for our cats & kittens and want to be sure you really know that this is the cat for you. If we feel it is a good match, we will then place you on the waiting list. We will then send you our complete contract via email or fax. If you agree to all the terms, we will require the contract signed and returned with the deposit. (Contact to see all addendums in contract.) Once a deposit is received the kitten you selected is taken off the available list.
Breeder cats: We do not sell our cats or kittens to persons who wish to become involved in breeding at this time.
Breaking into the Cat Fancy: If you are interested in showing and breeding purebred cats, we can offer you an altered show quality Sphynx. You can show your cat in Premiership This will give you the opportunity to meet other breeders, go to shows and learn about breeding and showing. You will get to see many different "looks" of the breed and make a more informed selection of your breeding cats when you are ready to breed your first litter of kittens.
The cat show arena is not for everyone.
Rewards of Showing: If the kitten is show quality & shown, by you the purchaser, at your expense, receives the title of Grand Premier and a copy of the Grand Premier Certificate is sent to us, BALD N MORE Cattery will send you a check in the amount of $350.00 as a thank you for Granding your cat. Please note that if we, at BALD N MORE Cattery are given the opportunity to show this cat at our expense, no money will be refunded .
Shipping
It is always preferable to transport a kitten to its new home personally; either in a car or under the seat in front of you on an airplane. When this is not possible, we will ship a kitten or cat by air. Our Airport is Baltimore Washington International (BWI). We use Continental Airlines, as this airline is very dedicated to all animals. Their cargo area is climate controlled and pressure maintain for the health and safety of your new baby.
We will make the arrangements, that are most convenient for both the safety of the cat/kitten and you. We don't want your baby waiting any length of time for pick up. If ground temperatures are too cold or too hot at either end of a proposed flight, the shipment cannot take place. At present, shipping costs vary and can be anywhere from $100.00 to $200.00 . (feel free to call each airline yourself to check on current charges and available flights to your local airport from BWI in Baltimore). We will send your kitten in a carrier with the litter registration, vaccination record, spay or neuter certificate, signed copy of the contract, all copies of vet bills pertaining to said kitten.
Shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer.
Our Expectations
If you should become the owner of one of our kittens, you will be required to sign a contract. You will agree NEVER TO DECLAW your kitty, to ALWAYS keep your kitty as an indoor pet, allowing it to be outdoors only under your supervision with a leash and harness, to ALWAYS feed a high quality cat food (such as ROYAL CANIN SPECIAL KITTEN AND BABY CAT. We still feed EUKANUBA mixed with the Royal Canin also.) and to ALWAYS keep him/her up to date on required Veterinarian recommended immunizations.
You will agree to let us know, FIRST, if for some reason, you cannot keep the cat. You must agree not to place your cat in any humane shelter, pet store, research laboratory or any similar facility. We will help you relocate rehome your SPHYNX if a situation arises in which you cannot keep your cat after the guarantee period. However, we will not refund any portion of the purchase price if this happens.
Health Guarantee
Our kittens are healthy to the best of our knowledge, free of parasites, ready for the new family. All of the cats in our cattery have been tested negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline Aids. We do test all new cats purchased from other breeders, who haven't previously been tested, before placing them our family. Your kitten will be current in his/her schedule of vaccinations for Panleukopenia, Calici Virus, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Feline Bordetella and most often the rabies vaccine. We require you to take your new cat/kitten to your Veterinarian within 72 hours. This is to verify good health, show off your new baby, etc...
We do scan annually for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) to ensure our breeder cats are HCM negative. HCM is the most common heart disease in ALL cats, not just Sphynx. Scientists are still studying to determine the actual cause. We cannot guarantee that our cats are HCM-free (but neither can any other breeder), but we try our best to ensure our cattery is negative for this and all other genetic diseases.
You MUST send us WRITTEN proof that your new kitten went to the vet. We also require that you call us to ensure that the cat is doing as well as we expect.
Declawing
Declawing can result in permanent psychological problems and behavior problems. Please refer to our link on declawing. We believe behavior modification is the best solution. It may take a couple of tries to find a scratching post, cat tree or a doorknob-hung scratching board of a consistency that your cat likes to use rather than your furniture. Having a water pistol or squirt bottle of water handy has been very successful here. If necessary, your Vet can temporarily blunt the claws by bonding a dab of plastic to cover the claw tips. In any case it will be necessary to clip your cats claws at least weekly. We will show you, or your Veterinarian or local grooming salon can show you how to safely and easily clip claws. There is also a site called softclaws.com. You can buy covers for your kitty/cat claws. They are sold in sets. If the cat is declawed without written consent, we will never honor the replacement clause, stated in our contract.
Choosing Your Kitten
Ideally, you should visit the cattery, which in our case, is our home, and personally meet the cats/kittens available for sale. If that cannot be done, we will offer to tell you about them and both parents. They are raised underfoot w/ our other cats, one dog and 2 daughters. We will ship at your expense. If a condition would arise where you could not or would want this kitty-please understand you would be required to pay the shipping costs to send this kitten back.
Bringing Your Kitten Home
We do not let kittens leave home until they are 14 weeks of age or older, spayed or neutered and until all their initial vaccinations are complete. Your kitten should use the same litter as we do at first and be fed the same food as we feed. You will be given some of that same food and litter to get you started. It is also best to get him the same type of litter pan he is used to. Then he will have no major adjustment to make about where to go to relieve himself. His food and water bowls should not be easy to tip over, and they should be ceramic or stainless steel. The cage I send will be temporary until you buy a bigger one.... It is essential for travel in an automobile. I find fleece baby blankets work very well-this keeps them warm.....Also in our home-each has their own heating pad w/ the fleece thrown over top....This will give each their own space. Another great idea would be electric blanket folded once and placed at foot of your bed... Other purchases to consider are scratching posts, climbing trees with multiple levels, etc. (I recommend purchasing one at the cat show arenas)
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND A PERIOD OF QUARANTINE TO ONE ROOM BY HIMSELF FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK. In this way, he learns where his litterbox is, and where he is fed and watered. It is also important to check through the house for any plants that may be toxic to cats. Most are harmless, but there are a few that can be fatal to your curious new baby. Then slowly, under supervision, let the kitten explore another room. One room at a time, will insure a confident, non hiding, sociable addition to your family.
Grooming
SPHYNX cats need a bath as a rule (once a week, sometimes twice a week) as they DO NOT HAVE HAIR TO GUARD AGAINST BODY OIL.....which can make them look like dirty birds, as I call them. This can be done easily by filling sink w/ very little lukewarm water, something to grip onto such as a towel or dish mat in the bottom of the sink. Use only shampoos formulated especially for cats and kittens we recommend Johnson & Johnson body wash or MicroTek Pet shampoo. You can use chlorahexiderm for cats that break out easy -like high whites in the Sx. As a rinse leave in 2 tablespoon cornstarch to small sink warm water after bathing. Take a juice cup and steady pouring solution on your baby for up to 2 minutes, leave in. This leaves the babies squeaky clean for longer period of time.Our cattery been finding this does great and does not clog pores, helps absorb oils. You will need lots of Q. Tips for ears-as again w/ no hair to absorb oil, they need to be cleaned often. The SPHYNX also lacks eyelashes- so what we call the forming of eye boogies needs to be wiped w/ a wet warm wash cloth. The bathing part of this breed is very high maintenance (looks are deceiving and rumors are false of no hair makes easy care) - please make sure you are willing to care for the SPHYNX before you purchase one from our home. WE strive in health and cleanliness of this breed and all our animals that live here. Everyone is a family member here. That means- clean and healthy at all times!!
Treats
SPHYNX will try to eat you out of house and home. .. It is best if you are never tempted to give your kitten/cat a "treat." If you just cannot resist, be sure to maintain your common sense and feed him only very tiny amounts of things like cooked chicken, beef or turkey. Limit the amount of canned cat food given as they may refuse dry food!
We do offer one set of specific precautions.
Many cats are lost each year because of their innate curiosity. THE CLOTHES DRYER, THE REFRIGERATOR, THE FREEZER, THE TRASH COMPACTOR, THE TOILET SEAT BEING UP, WASHER, ALL DOORS IN YOUR HOME(ESP IN-BETWEEN THE STORM DOOR AND MAIN DOOR )--.all are often opened very frequently. These places are a source of great mystery to your kitten/cat. The SPHYNX will be unable to control the urge to check it out. ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOUR CAT IS BEFORE YOU CLOSE THE DOOR ANYWHERE IN YOUR HOME-We are sure that once you have lived with one of these loving pets you will be hooked for life--one can never be walked on by too many SPHYNX..
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