Zoya's Cats

What sets me apart from other breeder?

Well, I can tell you what sets me apart from unethical people and backyard breeders.  I try to work with other breeders who share my ethics, I care about the breed, and I work very hard to always do what's right with each and every Sphynx I own and produce for their lifetime. I breed for standard as established by TICA/CFA.

 

My ethics include:

• early spay/neuter

• not placing kittens until they reach 12 weeks of age including age appropiate vaccines

• not close inbreeding

• outcrossing

• HCM scanning

• providing a health guarantee

• providing accurate and relaibale health and vaccination records

• FeLV/FIV testing all cats upon entry into the cattery

• providing a legal bindng contract

• feeding/recommending high quality food

• taking responsibility of any kitten ever produced at any point in the lifetime should the home become unable to care for the kitten/cat

• offering indefinite support - in it for the long haul

 

 

I spay and neuter my kittens before they leave to ensure that they have a happy healthy Pet Life and are not used by someone who is unscrupulous and/or uneducated in how to properly raise and breed these cats. 

 

I check my breeding cats yearly for HCM and I encourage pet owners do the same thing as it is a horrible disease that is prevalent in Sphynx. I am working very hard to work with bloodlines that do not have HCM, but unfortunately, no bloodline is immune. I maintain paperwork to prove our compliance. We ensure breeders are scanned after retirement.

 

All breding cats are DNA tested.

 

I breed discriminatorily and only cats in good health, good genes, and good breed type.

 

I am willing to provide references if you would like to call or text people that have/had cats from me.

 

All of our cats live a high quality life and we can prove the health of each of our cats. They are well socialized family members.

 

I have a mentor who has been breeding for over 25 years who is there for me and my support and always available if needed. If I don't have an answer, I have resources to find the answer.

 

I'm there for the lifetime of these cats for advice and direction. I prefer to be contacted if there's ever a problem and to be contacted for routine care as most vets do not have a lot of experience with this breed.  I want to make sure that they always get the best care possible.

 

I want and expect pictures and updates!

 

Do I sell breeders/unaltered kittens or cats?

No. I do not sell breeding cats to people outside my breeding circle. I have several breeding friends I work with and partners.  If you want to start breeding, please have an ethical breeder mentor you.  If you need to be referred to an ethical breeder.  

 

I do not sell breeding cats to people I am not already working with as the breed is very exploited with back yard breeders who may, or may not intentionally, be breeding irresponsibly, but whether someone is being irresponsibly unintentionally is irrelevant, the fact of the matter is the breed has some serious genetic health problems due to irresponsible breeding. Breeding responsibly requires a lot of time, sleepless nights, tears, anxiety, money, learning and studying bloodlines, yearly cardiac ultrasounds done by a veterinary cardiologist (HCM screening), blood work, spaying/neutering kittens prior to placement, C-sections, tube feeding, understanding of birth defects (born dead, blood type incompatibility, intestines and heart outside the body etc.), providing genetic guarantees, lifetime of support for clients, and be available 24/7 for these clients. That is just to name a few basics as it pertains to breeding, not to mention what it takes to house an intact male cat that sprays, or cycling females that don’t get along or spray… You do not get rich when you breed ethically. 

 

Do I offer stud service?

Only to breeder’s I am currently working with for the same reasons I do not offer breeding cats.

 

When do I chose my kitten?

Those on my waiting list will have first choice at pick through pictures between at 3 weeks of age in the order my waiting list with the exception of breeding or show homes those always take priority.

 

Pricing, Deposits,  Payment plans, due dates and waiting list: 

Generally Sphynx kittens are $1800 and up come with a guarantee against fatality from a genetic defect up to age 3.  Sphynx under $1800 come with a 1 year guarantee against fatality from a genetic defect up to age 1.  Adult cats, special needs cats, rehomed cats, and rescues do not come with a genetic guarantee and their price varies from $300 to $1000 depending on age, needs, and vetting required to get the cat/kitten ready for adoption.

 

The dates will be made clear once an agreement is made on which sphynx you would like to adopt. I will give you ONE courtesy reminder about your due date, but I will not chase you down for deposit/payment.

 

Typical due date breakdowns are as follows:

 

$300 reservation deposit to be placed on my waiting list which insures a spot for choosing a kitten before the general public. Breeders, repeat clients, and people who show always get priority.  Pick of the litter is always reserved for Zoyascats unless otherwise noted.

 

$500 is due when you pick your kitten, typically between 3 – 6 weeks of age, through pictures.

 

Balance is due by 8 weeks of age unless an otherwise agreed upon payment plan is made in advance.

 

Failure to comply with the due dates will result in late fees being assessed of $50 per day that you are late and after 72 hours you forfeit your right to the Sphynx in question. 

 

All deposits/payments are non-refundable.This may sound harsh but far too many times people are not considerate of my time or the agreed-upon due dates and we all need to be respectful and responsible

Visitation:

Below is the story of a Facebook acquaintance who was murdered, it is believed she was showing puppies to a prospective adoptee, her murder remains unsolved. link

I generally do not allow people to come to my house to visit or pick up their Sphynx, but if, if, I do it will be at no earlier than eight weeks of age before anyone is allowed to visit. I'm a mother and I have been victim to a mugging in Columbia, MO, late at night, stopping during travel. I do carry a gun and possess a conceal carry permit, but with the degradation of our society I am forced to take strict safety precautions to protect myself and my family. I will only met in public, climate controlled, and pet friendly locations.



When can, my kitten come home with me?

Kittens go home no earlier than 12 weeks of age and typically no later than 16 weeks of age, but on average they get to go home  12 to 14 weeks of age.  Sphynx mature slower than hairy barn cats and are not physically or mentally mature enough to go home at a younger age.

 

What is outcrossing and why do you do it?

Outcrossing is when you take a haired cat with specific attributes that you breed to a Sphynx and keep a kitten out of that litter and then breed that haired kitten back to a Sphynx and so on down the lines.  It takes multiple years/generation to outcross properly and breed the hair off to eventually produce purebred hairless Sphynx. 

 

Outcrossing is done to add diversity to the sphynx genepool to improve the health and vigor of the breed! I choose specific cats to outcross with based on health and cats that will also add to or compliment the bone structure of the Sphynx breed standard.

 

I only do outcrossing with TICA/CFA allowable sphynx outcross breeds.  I do not use cats with the curled ears, short legs or tailless mutations in my breeding program, nor do I believe such mutations should be added to the sphynx breed as it doesn’t improve the breed standard for bone structure and, in my opinion, it is very unwise to add mutations to an already mutated breed, when the reasons to do so are to increase their oddity or increase their price in most instances.

 

Am I allowed to resell or give my cat away?

No, no, no! If for whatever reason you are no longer able to keep your Sphynx, your Sphynx is to come back to me immediately regardless of where you live.  It is your responsibility to get your Sphynx back to me without compensation for transport. Depending on the age and condition of the Sphynx I may be able rehome it easily.  Any rehoming fee will be retained by Zoyascats to help cover veterinary expenses, food costs, etc.  If there is any money remaining it may or may not be returned to the previous owner at Zoyascats discretion. This is required because of the reasons listed above in regards to keeping track of the Bloodlines in my breeding program. 

 

You agree that failure to comply, resulting in any violation, will result in legal action and a fine doubling the amount of my standard pet Sphynx purchase price of $1800, or the standard breeder purchase price of $3000.  In other words, if you purchased a pet {fine will be $3,600 + all legal fees involved}, or if you purchased a breeding sphynx {fine will be $6,000 + all legal fees involved}. All legal matters will be resolved in Anchorage, Alaska and the said Sphynx will be surrendered unconditionally to the Breeder at Purchasers expense with the Breeder reclaiming full physical and legal ownership of said Sphynx including TICA/CFA registration with ownership transfer, NO Exceptions!  The contract will be enforced with or without due process of the law for any violation without compensation to Purchaser.

 

What if my cat grows hair?

Suck it up Buttercup you love them anyway!  The amount of hairlessness cannot be guaranteed as there are numerous factors that contribute to hair growth. This is normal within the breed.  Some will remain completely naked throughout their lives, others will have peach fuzz, and others will have soft hair or coarse hair on their body, most commonly on their feet, tail, and face, occasionally it will be all over their body, but that is rare.  They are all unique and beautiful in their own way and will never be coated like a regular cat

 

Please do not consider shaving, using Nair, or any type of hair removal technique on your cat EVER!  You agree failure to comply with this will result in legal action with a fine doubling the amount of my stand kitten purchase price of $1800, fine will be $3,600 + all legal fees involved. All legal matters will be resolved in Anchorage, Alaska.

 

What testing is done at Zoyascats?

All new felines coming into my cattery are quarantined until it is deemed that no contagious viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic organisms are present. Every feline who enters my cattery is tested for feline leukemia and feline aids; therefore, all parents and companions are negative for the virus. This is done to ensure the safety of all cats and kittens in my program. PCR, fecal, DNA and color testing is done on an as needed basis, HCM screenings are done yearly.

 

What testing do I need to do to my Sphynx?

Within the initial 48-hour health guarantee period your new Sphynx should be examined by a licensed veterinarian and quarantined until this is completed. There are numerous tests that can be done to give you peace of mind about your new Sphynx and you can ask you veterinarian what they would recommend unless there is something specific you are concerned about testing for such as feline leukemia, feline aids, parasites, etc.

 

HCM screenings by a cardiologist is required yearly and if HCM is diagnosed, it is also required that you check your Sphynx’s thyroid via blood work and blood pressure as that can be a non-genetic cause for HCM and requires different treatments.

 

Underweight and overweight cats
I highly recommend feeding a raw diet because it will help regulate your cat's weight, not to mention all the health benefits and litter box benefits associated with it.  Please read the tab on “feeding raw” for further information. If your cat is allowed to get obese that can affect its heart and therefore void your genetic Health guarantee. Cats that are overweight can have more health problems with their internal organs, spine, joints, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Please do not compromise your beloved pets Health by allowing them to be overweight.

 

How do I know you're not a scam?

I can give references upon request. I am registered with TICA/CFA.

 

Most people that are running a scam will not give you references and will not use safe methods of money transfer. A safe and secure way to send money and the way I prefer, is via PayPal. That is the fastest way to reserve a kitten, is safe, and can be tracked through PayPal; therefore, your risk factor is essentially none.



Key components to notice about someone that is trying to scam; you find them on Craigslist, typically, if they have a website, they will be using a free website builder, they will have minimal information on their website or very generic information, if they change the price, if they want you to send money via Western Union, or they tell you to give them your bank information, ask for a money transfer from your bank to another bank, or ask you to send money to someone with a different name… the list goes on. Many times, someone who is a scam will also have English that doesn't make sense.  I'm not talking about autocorrect mistakes but sentence structure that shows English is not their first language. This is not always the case but something to be aware of.

 

Can my cat go outside?

No!  I discourage you from letting your cat purposely go outside even under supervision.  The reason being, if you allow your cat to go outside supervised, your cat will not be able to differentiate being allowed to go out supervised vs unsupervised. Therefore, your cat is more likely to make a run for the door or slip out when nobody's looking by accident. This is one safety reason of why you don't want your cat outside.

 

You do not want to let your cat outside as your cat is more sensitive to the elements.  Sunburn, windburn, overheating, or getting too cold are all possible. Sphynx are notoriously curious and friendlier than other types of cats and may not recognize a predator. Also, if you let your cat go outside someone may see your cat and what to "rescue it" and never return it.

 

You do not want to let your cat outside because it does not have the same immunity to things as a cat that has lived outside for its entire life. If you would like to take your cat outside I highly recommend investing in a pet stroller as it is the safest way to take your cat outside for walks. If you have an enclosed cat proof patio, gazebo or sunroom that is also perfectly acceptable for allowing your cat an outdoor type space to visit.

 

Failure to comply results in voiding the genetic guarantee. The reason it voids the genetic guarantee is that this is a safety precaution for your Sphynx and is to discourage you from risky behavior involving your Sphynx.

 

Can I get my cat a tattoo?

No. Tattoos of any sort are prohibited and are not common practice for identification within the US. Tattoos are not allowed under any circumstances on any cat/kitten.



You agree that failure to comply, resulting in any violation, will result in legal action and a fine doubling the amount of my standard of my pet sphynx purchase price of $1800, if you purchased a pet {fine will be $3,600 + all legal fees involved} or breeder standard price $3000 if you purchased a breeding sphynx {fine will be $6,000 + all legal fees involved}. All legal matters will be resolved in Anchorage, Alaska and the said Sphynx will be surrendered unconditionally to the Breeder at Purchasers expense with the Breeder reclaiming full physical and legal ownership of said Sphynx including TICA/CFA registration with ownership transfer, NO Exceptions; The contract will be enforced with or without due process of the law for any violation without compensation to Purchase

 

Why do I need to HCM scan my cat?

The short version of why you should HCM scan your cat is because your cat can suddenly die as this disease is very prevalent in this breed.  Early detection can prevent complications and death from this disease.  Failure to have your cat checked yearly by cardiologist voids the health guarantee. 



It is recommended that you scan your cat yearly starting at 1 year of age and continuing throughout your cat’s entire life. This needs to be done with a veterinary cardiologist.  A HCM scan entails, at minimum, an ultrasound of the heart being performed by a cardiologist NOT a regular vet. Failure to use a cardiologist and/or failure to scan will result in voiding the genetic Health guarantee. The reason for this, is it is important to me to be breeding cats that produce healthy HCM free offspring; therefore, if it appears that genetic HCM is showing up in specific offspring I need to be able to track the Bloodlines to remove those cats from breeding further. This is to ensure that I am producing happy healthy pets that will live for many years to come without complications. So keep in mind if you're cat passes away from HCM within the genetic guarantee time period you will not be covered under the guarantee if appropriate HCM scans have not been done yearly and sent to me within 30 days of scan dates. Please note ALL retired breeding Sphynx are required to have a complete HCM scans up to 12 years of age, this requirement may be waived in some circumstances if noted in writing by Zoyascats.

 

You agree that failure to comply with scanning retired breeding cats  will result in legal action and a fine doubling the amount of my standard breeder standard price $3000 if you purchased a retired breeding sphynx {fine will be $6,000 + all legal fees involved} regardless of the amount paid for retired breeder.. All legal matters will be resolved in Anchorage, Alaska and the said Sphynx will be surrendered unconditionally to the Breeder at Purchasers expense with the Breeder  reclaiming full physical and legal ownership of said  Sphynx including TICA/CFA registration with ownership transfer, NO Exceptions; The contract will be enforced with or without due process of the law for any violation without compensation to Purchaser.

 

Do I need to brush my cat’s teeth?

Yes, it is highly recommended! Also, have your Veterinarian check your Sphynx’s teeth yearly as many will have bad gums and teeth that go unnoticed which can greatly affect your Sphynx’s health, quality/length of life, and can be linked to HCM.

 

Who pays the vet bills?

You do! Just like anything else, once you take possession you assume financial responsibility. No matter how careful I am with my breeding program and no matter how healthy your Sphynx appears when you pick it up sometimes unforeseen illness happen which can be brought on by just the stress of going to a new home, not to mention accidents happen or you Sphynx may eat something it shouldn’t eat and may need emergency vet care at 8pm when your regular vet is closed which is way I recommend getting health insurance that is effective the day you get you Sphynx! Don’t wait until it’s the middle of the night and you are at the ER vet because your Sphynx is sick or hurt…do it now, quick internet search will give you lots of options.

 

What do I do if my Sphynx is sick?

Contact me!!!! Always contact me if there is a problem, please do not go to an online group or run to your vet without contacting me first regardlesss of what time it is. I have experience or my mentor with over 25 years of experience breeding and have seen a lot! Once you do go to your vet please run all treatment options and medications by me first, it can save you time and money. I know what doesn’t work well and what does for the sphynx breed. Most veterinarians have minimal experience with this breed.

 

What do I do if my kitten dies? 

If it was not a sudden death, then you should be already in contact with Zoyascats in regards to the situation. Upon death or euthanasia, the sphynx should be kept refrigerated until appropriate arrangements can be made to ship body to Texas A & M or an agreed upon laboratory facility for complete necropsy and histopathology. This is a vet bill and is the responsibility of the sphynx’s owner. If the sphynx is within the guarantee time frame and it is the result of a genetic defect that cause the death another unrelated kitten will be provide.

 

In the event that your Sphynx passes away all medical records, labs, progress notes, etc. pertaining to your Sphynx's health needs to be sent to me via email or USPS Priority Mail with a tracking number given to me. That is due to me within 2 weeks of your Sphynx passing. The necropsy and histopathology reports are due within 30 day of your Sphynx passing. This is required in order to invoke your genetic guarantee and in order to help me in my breeding program and help people that may have siblings to your Sphynx. Failure to do so voids guarantee. Please note ALL retired breeding Sphynx are required to have a complete necropsy with histopathology if death occurs before 12 years of age, this requirement may be waived in some circumstances if noted in writing by Zoyascats.

 

You agree that failure to comply resulting in any violation will result in legal action and a fine doubling the amount of my standard  pet sphynx purchase price of $1800, if you purchased a pet {fine will be $3,600 + all legal fees involved} or breeder standard price $3000 if you purchased a breeding sphynx {fine will be $6,000 + all legal fees involved}. All legal matters will be resolved in Anchorage, Alaska and the said Sphynx will be surrendered unconditionally to the Breeder at Purchasers expense with the Breeder reclaiming full physical and legal ownership of said  Sphynx including TICA/CFA registration with ownership transfer, NO Exceptions; The contract will be enforced with or without due process of the law for any violation without compensation to Purchaser.

If necropsy is not performed because its is outside the required time period and your cat passes, all Veterinary records are still required to be sent to me within two weeks as I like to keep track of the health in all of my Bloodlines to ensure that there is not a pattern of problems in any particular bloodline.