How to Become a Sphynx Cat Breeder

Plan to become a sphynx cat breeder?

There are some things that you need to know before becoming a sphynx cat breeder. You probably already know many people who own a purebred cat love their cat as much as you love your sphynx purebred. Your sphynx has beautiful eyes, a great disposition, and beautiful fur. She may have even have won a show or two. But, before you begin imagining how beautiful sphynx kittens would look if you bred your cat, it is important to understand the reality of what it means to become a sphynx cat breeder.

First of all, you’re never going to get rich breeding sphynx cats. In fact, becoming a breeder should be considered more of a hobby than a smart career move. Just the expense alone to keep up with the cattery in medical bills, food, supplies, and other cat breeding costs will probably end up costing you more than expected. Therefore, you should never consider breeding as a serious means of making an income with which you can survive. Theoretically, you could survive by selling sphynx kittens and supporting your cats through cat show activities, but don’t count on it. The vast majority of breeders tend to view this as a hobby, but it is a very expensive hobby indeed.

Should you still decide to take up sphynx cat breeding, you will need to become an expert on the chosen breed. You probably already know quite a lot about your own sphynx cat: her likes, dislikes, favorite toys and so forth. However, knowing the traits and potential health issues along with the temperament of the sphynx breed is going to be very important if you expect to become a reputable breeder. A lot of knowledge is going to be required so learn all you can before you open your sphynx cattery. You will need to become an expert in such things as selecting sphynx foundation cats, paying special attention to bone structure, coat, and genetic history. You’ll also need information about the type of blood lines that you’re looking at and hope to use.

You should contact as many breeders as you can and talk to them about the breed, breeding in general, and any tips or advice they may have to offer. This will serve you well if you expect to establish credibility and a useful network of people that you can rely on for help and advice in years to come. If you think you may still be interested in becoming a sphynx cat breeder, a good way to start would be to purchase an altered cat and enter your sphynx in shows, this will give you a taste for what it’s like.

Once you have decided that you are committed to becoming a sphynx cat breeder, don’t expect to just go out to any breeder and purchase a sphynx. No one will want to sell a whole, that is to say unaltered cat, to an unknown person who has not even been in a show before. It can be quite difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, to find a breeder that is willing to mentor a new breeder. You’ll need to find a breeder that will be willing to help a new person like yourself and teach you how to do things right. You will need to convince the breeder to give you tips and support, which may not be easy to do. You will need to find and talk to reputable, well-established breeders for your chosen breed. Let them know you want to learn all you can about the sphynx breed and ask a lot of questions. Don’t forget to be open-minded about showing a premier altered before you start to breed. It is really in your best interest to do so because you’re going to have to be prepared to devote a lot of time and money if you expect to become a first-rate breeder.

The daily tasks required in raising a sphynx cat are: cleaning, grooming, and feeding your sphynx cats. This is necessary in order to maintain healthy cats and a healthy environment for your cats due to the absolute commitment required for your sphynx cattery. You will not be able to take vacations or make long-range plans because emergency health issues, pregnant cats, or very young kittens will likely derail any plans that you try to make. There may be numerous healthcare issues and expense for your cats. For instance, if your cat requires an emergency C-section, this can easily cost in the neighborhood of about $1,500 minimum. Then there are also the expenses related to proper food, grooming, and general care.

Now comes the emotional toll. While the time and money required is going to be quite significant, many breeders come to the conclusion that they just cannot deal with the emotional toll. You’re going to have to prepare yourself because you may see your cat die due to complications from giving birth or some other health-related issue that has taken place. Let’s face it, kittens are sometimes born dead for reasons unknown. Unfortunately, these are basic common issues to any cat or cattery in every part of the country. There is another emotional hardship often associated with the breeding of cats and that is figuring out what to do with kittens that you are unable to sell. You will need to find some way of either keeping these kittens for yourself or finding good homes for them. The worst thing you can do for this type of cat or any cat is to turn them out into the streets and let them fend for themselves and become wild.

Overall, sphynx cat breeding can make for a very rewarding although very expensive hobby. It is not likely it will ever be a good source of income. It will be very hard work and it will take a great deal of time and a lot of money with an unlikely return for your investment for several years, possibly never. But, the joys and rewards of becoming a sphynx cat breeder can be many. Enjoying your gorgeous show cats every day, sharing them with others, and the pride of having won cat shows is something that is simply not explained unless you have experienced it for yourself.