Guide
Sphynx cat health issues
People search for sphynx cat health issues and hope for a clean list. I will not write one I cannot stand behind.
What I can tell you about Sphynx cat health issues
There are plenty of pages that will hand you that list. I am not going to copy one onto my site and let you think it came from my house. What I can give you is my practice: what I test, what I skip and why, and what I put in writing.
I DNA test every adult. I skip the heart scans people ask for. I keep skin simple.
I do not keep a disease list I cannot stand behind. What I do keep is a DNA test on every adult, and a written five-year genetic guarantee.What that guarantee covers.
A DNA test is not a promise
I DNA test every adult for genetic defects they can pass on. That is the front end of everything I do here. If a cat I own carries something it can hand down, I want to know that before there are kittens, not after.
A clear test on the parents lowers the risk. It is not a promise that a kitten will never develop a genetic problem. I will not tell you no kitten of mine can.
I know that is not the sentence buyers want. The sentence buyers want is that my lines are clean and nothing ever happens. I am not going to say it, because I would be making it up.
The guarantee exists for that gap. A parent can test clear and a kitten can still develop a condition later. I say that up front, before you have paid me anything, because I would rather you come in knowing the real shape of it.
Why I do not do HCM scans
HCM is a heart disease. People ask me about scans for it, usually because they read that a good breeder scans every year.
I do not do those scans. I already use a DNA test made for this breed, and I think the scan is the weaker tool when a breed-specific DNA test exists.
My vet, Daniel, put the rest in simple terms for me. A DNA result does not change. What the test says about a cat today is what it says about that cat later. A heart ultrasound can change, because it is a picture of one day.
He also told me HCM usually shows up around 4.5 to 6 years of age. That matters more than it sounds like it does. A useful scan often lands after the years when a cat is in its breeding prime. So a clean scan on a young breeding cat is not saying what people think it is saying. It is saying that heart looked fine before the age when the problem tends to appear.
That is why I do not use those scans as my breeding test. I rely on DNA.
I do not tell new owners to get heart scans either. I do tell them to keep up regular vet care. A regular vet who knows your cat is worth more to you than a scan you bought because a forum told you to.
Skin
Skin is the thing people brace for with this breed, and it is the thing I do the least about.
Less is better. I do not use lotions, oils, or creams on mine. I bathe as needed.
That is not me cutting corners. Products give the skin something to react to, and then the reaction gets treated with another product. I would rather keep the skin plain and watch it.
If you want the week I actually keep, I wrote care and skin.
When to call me, and when to call a vet
You can call, text, or email me about anything. I want you to. There is no question about your kitten that is too small to send me.
I am not your vet, though, and there are things I do not want you to text me about and then sit and wait.
If your kitten is vomiting, has diarrhea, has no energy, is not eating or drinking, or feels too cold, call a vet first. Then you can call me too.
Kittens are small. Something that would be a rough day for a grown cat can be more than that for a kitten. Calling a vet over nothing is a fine way for that to end.
Questions I get about Sphynx health
Are Sphynx cats unhealthy?
I am not going to answer that with a list I cannot stand behind. I can tell you what I do. I DNA test every adult, I keep skin simple, and I back my kittens with a five-year genetic health guarantee.
Do you test the parents?
Yes. Every adult here is DNA tested for genetic defects they can pass on.
Does a clear DNA test mean my kitten cannot get sick?
No. A clear test on the parents lowers the risk. It is not a promise. The guarantee exists for that gap.
Do you scan your cats for HCM?
No. HCM is a heart disease, and I already use a DNA test made for this breed. A DNA result does not change. A heart ultrasound can.
Why does the age matter for a heart scan?
I was told HCM usually shows up around 4.5 to 6 years of age. A useful scan often comes after prime breeding years, so a clean scan on a young breeding cat tells you less than it seems to.
Should I get my Sphynx scanned for HCM?
I do not tell new owners to do that. I tell them to keep up regular vet care.
What do you put on their skin?
Nothing. No lotions, oils, or creams. I bathe as needed.
When should I call a vet instead of you?
Vomiting, diarrhea, no energy, not eating or drinking, or feeling too cold. Call a vet first, then call me too.
How long is the health guarantee?
Five years, and it is for genetic health.
Related from my house
If you want the contract in plain words, I wrote Five-year genetic health guarantee.