I wrote this last year...
The cost of breeding
As a former breeder of Sphynx, I have heard countless times people purchasing a new kitten without a spay or neuter agreement (or pre-altered) in order to ‘make a little bit of my money back’. Each time- I want to ask them if they truly know what they are getting into or do they simply enjoy the excitement of going into situations totally blind? The truth is- breeding is costly. ‘Of course!’ these people always say, ‘I have to pay x amount for my new girl and y amount for my new boy! Sure, it costs!’ But it’s more then that…
It’s the sleepless nights as you worry about a pregnant queen… It’s the day upon dragging day hand feeding a tiny helpless kitten… It is the money spent at the vet on an uncertain prognosis and the heaviness you carry within your heart when you don’t know whether the path you chose for this particular cat or kitten was the right one It’s the final gasp of a dying kitten in the palm of your hand- a newborn life, already mingled with death… It’s the pacing in the exam room as your vet takes your queen into the back- hoping her kittens are still alive, but praying that your queen will be okay…
Breeding costs. It costs more of your heart and soul then most people are willing to give. This week- an experienced Sphynx breeder had a young queen go into labor. Her labor was long and drawn out and therefore, she was whisked away to an experienced reproductive veterinarian. This vet performed a procedure that hopefully would buy the young queen a few more days before her litter was born… It did not work. Now, there are six tiny kittens sitting at the Rainbow Bridge, five dead before they even had a chance to truly draw a breath and one put gently to sleep after 24 hours of fighting for her fragile life… And as of right now, their Momma’s tired body, infected from the dead kittens she carried, is trying to battle for her own life- to remain within this world with her loving owner a while longer.
When you choose to breed- you choose to gamble it all. Yes, there are plenty of cats who have healthy litters and may never need veterinarian intervention, but there are always those cats that will miscarry regardless of their health prior to pregnancy. There are always those cats who will need emergency c-sections in the middle of the night. There is always the chance of losing a queen due to pyometra as she cycles over and over and over- just as there is always a chance of losing a queen during labor and delivery. And throughout this all- there is never a guarantee of live, healthy kittens. Not once do you receive this guarantee and to think you do- you are simply ignorant and arrogant.
Breeding costs. Please, think before you breed. Know your breed- know its health problems and the inherent risks beforehand. Yes, it might cost a lot to bring a purebred Sphynx into your home, but bringing home a PET is nothing like the emotional cost of breeding. So please- once again- think before you breed.
(Attached is a very blurry photo of the Sphynx's tummy that I spoke about in this... The Sphynx lived- but it was a HARD FIGHT for her life... Over three or four surgeries, laser treatment day after day, and multiple infections... This photo does not even depict- NEARLY- the horror of the situation and be thankful it is the blurry photo. Most people could not handle the clearer picture of this situation).
The cost of breeding
As a former breeder of Sphynx, I have heard countless times people purchasing a new kitten without a spay or neuter agreement (or pre-altered) in order to ‘make a little bit of my money back’. Each time- I want to ask them if they truly know what they are getting into or do they simply enjoy the excitement of going into situations totally blind? The truth is- breeding is costly. ‘Of course!’ these people always say, ‘I have to pay x amount for my new girl and y amount for my new boy! Sure, it costs!’ But it’s more then that…
It’s the sleepless nights as you worry about a pregnant queen… It’s the day upon dragging day hand feeding a tiny helpless kitten… It is the money spent at the vet on an uncertain prognosis and the heaviness you carry within your heart when you don’t know whether the path you chose for this particular cat or kitten was the right one It’s the final gasp of a dying kitten in the palm of your hand- a newborn life, already mingled with death… It’s the pacing in the exam room as your vet takes your queen into the back- hoping her kittens are still alive, but praying that your queen will be okay…
Breeding costs. It costs more of your heart and soul then most people are willing to give. This week- an experienced Sphynx breeder had a young queen go into labor. Her labor was long and drawn out and therefore, she was whisked away to an experienced reproductive veterinarian. This vet performed a procedure that hopefully would buy the young queen a few more days before her litter was born… It did not work. Now, there are six tiny kittens sitting at the Rainbow Bridge, five dead before they even had a chance to truly draw a breath and one put gently to sleep after 24 hours of fighting for her fragile life… And as of right now, their Momma’s tired body, infected from the dead kittens she carried, is trying to battle for her own life- to remain within this world with her loving owner a while longer.
When you choose to breed- you choose to gamble it all. Yes, there are plenty of cats who have healthy litters and may never need veterinarian intervention, but there are always those cats that will miscarry regardless of their health prior to pregnancy. There are always those cats who will need emergency c-sections in the middle of the night. There is always the chance of losing a queen due to pyometra as she cycles over and over and over- just as there is always a chance of losing a queen during labor and delivery. And throughout this all- there is never a guarantee of live, healthy kittens. Not once do you receive this guarantee and to think you do- you are simply ignorant and arrogant.
Breeding costs. Please, think before you breed. Know your breed- know its health problems and the inherent risks beforehand. Yes, it might cost a lot to bring a purebred Sphynx into your home, but bringing home a PET is nothing like the emotional cost of breeding. So please- once again- think before you breed.
(Attached is a very blurry photo of the Sphynx's tummy that I spoke about in this... The Sphynx lived- but it was a HARD FIGHT for her life... Over three or four surgeries, laser treatment day after day, and multiple infections... This photo does not even depict- NEARLY- the horror of the situation and be thankful it is the blurry photo. Most people could not handle the clearer picture of this situation).
