Sphynx breeders need to have a concern for - Health (scanning), Temperament (breeding carefully and socialization), Type (showing a reasonable amount of time) and, of course, care about the pet buyer.

This page was made especially for those that do not like to read long articles, but really want the low-down on how to spot a good breeder.  I have a longer article on my "Available" page

Please be careful where you get your kitten from. Some breeders have low prices and they are easy to spot as kitten mills, others still have high prices and are STILL kitten mills.

HERE IS A QUICK LIST OF IMPORTANT TIPS:

1.) YEARLY HCM SCANNING - This yearly scanning of breeding cats is not a perfect tool, but it is the best we have right now. This must be combined with careful pedigree research and time watching the pedigree over many generations. Unfortunately, HCM is a genetic disease in all cats and most breeders will encounter it.  Just because a breeder gets HCM, does not make them 'bad' or not reputable. It is the actions they take to change the course of their breeding program that define them.  Some breeders only scan random groups, not all each year because they claim they cannot afford to scan. This is a sketchy practice as well and hard to determine at times.

2.) SPAY/NEUTER - Your kitten should be spayed or neutered before you get it. There are no good excuses - 25 years of studies show early altering in cats is safe and highly effective way to prevent many issues such as marking, cancers, etc. You can read about how successful this has been by the nationally accredited association WINN and Dr. Susan Little.

3.) SHOWING - If your breeder is not showing in an accredited association - CFA (Cat Fancier's Association), TICA, CCA (in USA and Canada) and most the cats are not titled, that is classic backyard breeding/kitten mill and there is no excuse for it. A dedicated breeder shows their cats to show it is a good example of the breed.  Titles are not everything, and not required for every cat, however reputable breeders seek to have these achievements. The shows are a great tool for learning how to breed better cats. Many have excuses for not showing, but it is not acceptable if you are going to be a reputable breeder.

**** A note - Many know that in the the dog world - the title of "Champion" title in AKC is quite an accomplishment. This is not true in the show cat world. The title of Champion means very little in the cat world. The equivalent of Champion in Dogs is "Grand Champion" and higher. This is what good breeders are striving to produce and breed.

4.) WRITTEN CONTRACT - This is necessary for your kitten. It is good to have your contract in writing and is recommended by reputable associations. While no single breeder can guarantee the length of life or health of a cat, your breeder should be there for you in the event you run into issues. This is what differentiates the good from the bad. Many pet buyers expect their cats to be perfect and without fault. We all hope for that - but it is not a realistic expectation. However a good breeder will be there to "make it right" for you. This includes taking back a cat if you can no longer care for it.

6.) NUMBER OF CATS KEPT BY BREEDER- I keep no more than 8, and try to keep it at 6. Cats are not pack animals like dogs are and they are stressed if they are kept in large numbers. Stress means more sickness, less human contact and so forth.

7.) SOCIALIZATION - Cats, especially Sphynx are extremely social and need to live like pets. Just because a place is clean, does not mean it is an acceptable environment. Are they kept in a basement? A garage? A separate room? Some breeders are able to convert areas and make them acceptable because they are able to spend the requisite amount of time with them. You need to look at the entire picture and ensure you are comfortable with the amount of time the breeder spends socializing their cats and kittens.

8.) MUTANT BREEDS - If breeder is breeding illegal outcross breeds such as "Elf Cats", "Dwelf Cats" or any other thing, these are fad breeds. They are not recognized in Championship in any reputable association.

Only one association accepts these for registration only/experimental status, however, they are NOT a Champion breed. Most fad breeds fall to the wayside. Some of these breeders are telling pet buyers they are accepted or recognized by an association. This is not true. People who are working on new viable breeds do so in a respectable honest fashion.  The majority of Sphynx breeders are against these types of mutant breeds and strive to maintain and preserve the Sphynx breed as it is.

Anyone can enter anything they want in experimental breed status (as these breeds are entered as). Unfortunately the current rules allow for this. What is true is that many of these fad "breeds" are in the experimental breed or "new trait" status. Please remember, it has no Championship status merit. You can check the list of actual Championship breeds here on the association websites:

 http://www.tica.org/public/breeds.php#championship

http://www.cfa.org/client/breeds.aspx

So where does this leave the me in my search for a Sphynx?

Unfortunately, this minimizes the pool of breeders that you should purchase your kitten from. Maybe 5%-10%.  This is true in all breeds - dogs, cats, horses. It is not easy to find a good breeder or be tempted by less expensive prices. Please do not support those that do not breed properly.