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CB Cat Breeders Review of Sphynx Breeders
Sphynx Breeders

Sphynx Breeders review: Selling Sick Cats 9

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9:43 pm EDT
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m having serious health issues with my Sphynx from Dez at Beeblebrox. I appreciate how "supportive" she has tried to be with me through emails but what it boils down to. I paid a lot of money for a cat that was sick when we picked him up at the airport. There is no excuses for this. I never really had an issue with shipping, she did however cancel it and delay it because she thought the cat was still a bit too small to fly, then she gave us another excuse about the weather being too cold to ship a Sphynx, I asked her if the plane was heated, she said yes.. then what does the weather have anything to do with the Sphynx being shipped (I have spoke to other breeders, they ship their cats when it\s in the winter with snow on the ground. However, I\m sure not all breeders have the same opinion)... now I sometimes wonder maybe it was because he was sick so she kept delaying to ship him out until he got better... and she\s always spoke to me so she hasn\t ignored me ... that is probably the only thing I have nice to say about this breeder but I am having a nightmare of an experience that has made me so upset and sick to my stomach. I feel so guilty because I have 2 other cats before I bought a Sphynx. Now all of my babies are very sick, on and off for months. A year is around the corner. The idea of a breeder and paying A LOT OF money, you hope to buy a cat that is healthy. I\m very aware that not every cat is going to be healthy until the day the cat drops dead of old age, I know this. But the day you pick up your cat at the AIRPORT and it\s sick, I don\t expect that with the kind of money I paid for the cat. This breeder told me there is no problems in shipping cats, nothing goes wrong, doesn\t cause health problems, it is very safe. The day I picked up my Sphynx from the airport, he was coughing, sneezing and wheezing with very very runny eyes that had discharge which he couldn\t even open his eyes. The breeder had the nerve to tell me shipping cats can cause uri\s... why couldn\t she of mentioned this before instead of saying there is no problems in shipping cats? Her lying is probably what has caused my Sphynx to get sick in the first place (Unless he was sick all this time). I did some research, it can be true, flying a cat can cause it to get sick, however, I don\t appreciate Dez telling me it\s ok to ship a cat, don\t worry, there is no health issues... then when my cat arrives sick, she tells me flying can cause uri\s. Nightmare. I hate people that lie like that. Then 2 weeks later, my other 2 cats which I have owned for over 9 years without any issues with them, all come down with the same sneezing, coughing and wheezing symptoms, my vet told me not to bring them in unless they get discharge from the nose. I asked about about my Sphynx\s eyes having discharge, very runny and he can\t open his eyes.. he told me to bring him in, my vet said it\s very doubtful flying him in a airplane caused such a bad eye infection like within a hour or so. He has most likely had the herpes virus for a while. I\m not a vet but I see what he\s saying. The state my Sphynx\s eyes were in, that did not happen within a hour on the plane. He had really bad eyes when we picked him up at the airport. Another week goes by, all my cats come down with eye infections. Another vet visit. I have been paying for eye drops on and off for months (And the vet consultation fee) ever since I have picked up my Sphynx. My vet has his doubts about this breeder. It\s all very suspicious. She even promised me "scans" of the parents and said they\d be in the crate, which they weren\t. This breeder is playing the innocent card, the sugarcoating and lying is annoying. The only person she is fooling is herself. She had the nerve to tell me it\s a big mystery how my Sphynx got sick. Oh, it\s not rocket science. AT THE AIRPORT THE CAT WAS SICK, therefore, you have given me a sick cat. My other 2 cats have NEVER been sick for MANY MANY years. Now they\re sick on and off since the Sphynx arrived, same with the Sphynx, he\s always got discharge in his eyes, this poor cat lives with eye drops and no matter how much Lysine, these cats are still sick on and off. All my cats get eye infections on and off now. He has ulcers all over his tongue and lips (Trust me, it\s not pretty), all his teeth have grown in crooked. He has to have two teeth extracted (The fangs are the worst, they are crooked and very abnormal/extra long). How terribly sick this Sphynx is and has been, my vet has doubts about the the shipping/flying causing herpes/health issues. Dez says she\s going to help me get through this hard time with me.. really? Are you going to wave your magic wand and pay for my vet bills or refund me my money? Are you going to take the heart pain away from me because all my babies are sick on and off? Are you going to make me feel better knowing that Victor has to get two teeth extracted? No. I don\t need support. All I wanted was a healthy cat which I should of got with the amount of money I paid. There is no point in getting this Sphynx replaced so I\ve never pushed for it.. whats the point.. he\s passed the herpes virus on to my other cats anyway. I would only be bringing another Sphynx in to basically get sick wow disaster at it\s finest. It\s a shame. I really love this breed/Sphynx, I was hoping to get one more Sphynx but I just can\t do it now because he/she will most likely get sick too. It\s just wrong what this breeder has done. I feel sorry for Maggie (Another complaint about this breeder). She has been victimized and treated like she\s a crazy person for only speaking the truth about how deeply hurt she is for getting a cat with health issues. Some people just need to pull their head out of their behind and have some respect. I\m not arguing with this breeder like Maggie did. Waste of my time. I know Dez is only going to lie and sugarcoat to protect her business and make it seem like I\m some crazy person thats out to get her for no reason or to portray me as some stupid person and her cat was 100% healthy until it arrived at my house so it\s out of her hands and it\s alllll my fault and I\m just looking for someone to blame it on LOL ok right... I guess the cat being sick at the airport was just my imagination, lets blame it on the flying and the airport shall we, meanwhile she told me shipping doesn\t cause any health issues... shame on her for lying. I have my doubts also. I just have this feeling this Sphynx was sick before he was even shipped. The sores all over his lips and tongue, the abnormal long fangs and crooked teeth... poor cat. Just be very careful, especially if you have other cats in your home. I feel so guilty, my poor babies are sick because of me. I didn\t do my homework, I figured I could trust Susan and now look. All I know is that what is done is done. I will be paying out a lot on vet bills for a very long time now.rnrnProtect, sugarcoat. Blame it on me, I must not know what I\m talking about or the flying caused the sickness or Victor arriving sick is a big mystery, he must of caught it from my other two cats which haven\t been sick for many years until Victor arrived. I guess it\s just one big mystery...rnI\m not arguing with Dez or anyone.

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Sunpine Sphynx
, US
Nov 14, 2016 12:27 pm EST

Regarding Stella and Mogwai comment above. First, this person was informed of Mogwai's enlarged liver and and knew that he would not live long, but she insisted on keeping him and putting her family in the situation of losing him, which she knew would happen. The personnel at our vet were distressed to hear that we had given her Stella to replace Mogwai because of her attitude. I know nothing about that; I just know the reaction I got when I told them that we had given her Stella. We were never able get papers for Stella's mama and retired her. All of our breeders now have papers in both CFA and TICA. Neither Marduk nor Hannah had herpes. Hannah was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. It had nothing to do with herpes. This person has a negative attitude and I would take anything she says with a grain of salt. Elaine of Sunpine Sphynx

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MaryAlice David
, US
Apr 18, 2016 7:39 am EDT

I bought a very sweet boy from Tina and Betty seven years ago( Hadakat Cattery in Bradenton. He was very small and never was able to put on weight. After we brought him home we noticed that he and our other cat started having terrible runny eyes and a cough. Our vet said it was feline herpes, and now both of them had it. I called Tina and she said that it was very common to the Sphynx breed and that it was just about impossible to find a cattery that didn't have the herpes virus. OK, we have added Lysine powder to their food for the last 7 years. Fast forward a couple of years, and a different vet listened to our cat's heartbeat and he said, "you do know he has a heart murmur, right"? That was news to us! How did we get a healthy vet certificate when we bought him? Wouldn't that have shown up on an initial kitten check? Well, anyway now we are 7 years later, and had a devastating medical emergency last night. All of the sudden he couldn't move his back leg and was "talking" to us in a different way we rushed him to the emergency vet within 1/2 hour. He was diagnosed with having a saddle thrombus (blood clot) which is nearly always fatal and very painful. It is basically a blood clot that has shut down his back legs and is caused by an underlying heart issue. We will probably have to have him euthanized today. It is heartbreaking and we are devastated. My daughters and I ADORE this cat; he is unbelievable sweet. We thought we had many more years with him. I now look back on all of this and realize that I should have done more research on the breeder. However, I don't know if all of this info was out there in 2009.

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CheerfulPessimist
Bradenton, US
Oct 01, 2013 9:25 pm EDT

Oh and I actually have a photo of him..this is him after treatment was started you should have seen him before. Tina..you need to be shut down and have all your cats taken away.

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CheerfulPessimist
Bradenton, US
Oct 01, 2013 9:21 pm EDT

I came across this page looking up Tina's name specifically to see if anyone else complained since I am looking to get a sphynx. Tina unfortunately is still breeding. 7 years ago I was working at a pet store and Tina had come in buying a ton of cat food. I had asked why so much food and she stated she was a sphynx breeder. I was only 18 at the time and had always wanted one..but obviously didnt have much cash at that age. She said he had a litter with herpes she was going to put down. I couldnt believe it and after talking with her she actually agreed to drop one off at my apartment that night. The cat was so sick and without immediate vet attention would have died. I had to keep him separate from my siamese since I knew this was very contagious. I didnt bring him home planning on keeping him but I couldnt think of all being put down. After vet care and much improvement the vet actually fell in love with him and took him home. Then a few years later I thought about actually getting a healthy sphynx. I was stupid enough to call her since I gave her benefit of the doubt with her sob story she gave me about how the kittens had gotten herpes. Well when I called she said she'd give me two for a reduced price..one had an eye squint and the other a kink in its tail who she had called "curly sue". I told her who I was and said forget it. Well recently I had my siamese put down (siamese breeders arent any better he was only 1 when put down) and I had got in contact with someone about buying pet rats. We started talking about my saimese etc and she mentioned she was a sphynx breeder. How ironic..her mentor is Tina. I told her my thoughts...and in return she told me Tina has a good 70 cats is overwhelmed and they are quite sickly. Sad thing is way too many people use Tina's cats as breeders and vice versa. Honestly at this point I have no clue how I am going to end up with a quality sphynx and am terrified after the mess I had to go through with my siamese considering the breeder was supposedly one of the better known breeders.

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ButterfliesnBats
Sunrise, US
May 16, 2013 9:05 pm EDT

I just happened upon this post accidentally while looking up FHV because my cat has this and the other kitten i had that died also had this and a liver shunt issue. I have a new sphynx and he is now showing symptoms of FHV from my female I guess. The intersting part is... my breeder of my female Stella and of Mogwai is Elaine and Jim of Sunpine Sphynx in Pembroke Pines, FL whos breeding "mentors" are Betty and Tina, and the sire of Stella and Mogwai is a male from Hadakat cattery, Marduke, who has since been retired as well as Mogwais mommy died. however Stellas mommy is still breeding. Stella is a replacement kitten for Mogwai that died from the liver shunts issues at 6months that just tore my bf, kids and i apart with this beautiful little boy always so sickly and never knowing when his last day would be. I still NEVER received papers for Stella and called asking plenty of times and was told by Elaine that there was a problem going on with Princess Leahs breeder and herself waiting to be resolved so she could get them. Seeing this post now gives me insight to my FHV kittens from her, which she told me where to get L Lysine from Amazon to give them because "it is a common issue for the sphynx". hmmmm, now I am a bit smarter today.

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sandymw
, US
Jan 28, 2013 10:30 am EST

i also bought 3 sick cats from sphynx babies from Inquizakitty- Hadakat cattery . they had herpes that i never even heard of till i brought them home and they gave my other non sick cats herpes...a terrible sickness with no cure...one still had a weeping eye another has constant snotting, congestion...like a kid with a green snot nose running and covering my walls when she sneeses every day. I bought 3 cats from her like all at once with a few weeks...when we went there her cats running around were snotting and i even went to the bathroom to get tissue because betty was too busy eatting a banna to care...what did i know...i thought they were teething and i said the cats runny noses..are teething and she said yea...even when i was sent home with a decongestant and antibotic i had no clue i was getting sick cats that would havr this their whole life...many vet trips...nothing helps...all there cats were up stairs in the main house as they were tileing the floor in the cat room downstairs..the up stairs has snots all over the furniture covers { that should have warned me...guess i know why now as they have sold out...poor breeders that bought there ending stock...or bought for pets.
Betty had a serengetti from some one she just bought ..she said she did not want it and was to give it back...bet that cat went home sick to that breeder...thank God Betty Haddix is out of business and i hope Tina Tomaini ( Tina Cola) her partner is not in breeding anymore..
when i was there one a brother to my male i purchased was going out of the country at the some of $3000.00 for just the cat...wow some one made a mistake there.
all in all i should have checked the internet more about cat problems because some breeders do sell sick cats just for the money...
just because they have a nice web site stay clear till u see them and i would ask in the future to see the breeding room. and i will add the other 2 females i bought one was snotting and one had the runny eye when i got them...my mistake...when i told her my other cats were sick now she said i should have quarantined them...what for the life of her sick cats that funny...
Bought in Sarasota...I DID KEEP CHECKING TO SEE IF THEY HAD MORE FOR SALE PRETENDING I WANTED ANOTHER...TILL I SAW SOLD OUT OUT OF BUSINESS...HADACAT CATTERY AND INQUIZAKITTY..GLAD U ARE GONE...
SANDRA WITKO

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FrenchieSphynx
, US
Aug 28, 2018 8:51 am EDT
Replying to comment of sandymw

I have had four cats from Betty and Tina (three more adopted to family members too). These ladies are fabulous and take care of their cats as if they were to keep every single one of them. I have had a kitten get sick after coming home but any good vet will tell you that is 100% normal. You are supposed to quarantine the new comer for a week or two. The stress of being uprooted and separated from their litter mates and parents IN ADDITION to travel and new surroundings, they can get URI. Manage the symptoms and keep them separate and things smooth over quickly...don't do it the right way and you will have a sick house for months to come. Maybe a little more research on the buyers part would have saved some headaches.
PS They are still breeding and doing a fine job of producing quality colors and personalities!

Beeblebrox Sphynx
Beeblebrox Sphynx
Detroit, US
Jun 25, 2012 4:42 pm EDT

If anyone would like to get in contact with real Beeblebrox adoptive families of sphynx kittens, please feel free to contact me directly and I can provide you with as many reference as you like. Additionally, feel free to contact me on Facebook where you can meet owners of my kitties FACE to FACE :)

Thanks! Dez
dez@beeblebroxsphynx.com
Beeblebrox Sphynx
www.beeblebroxsphynx.com
www.facebook.com/beeblebroxsphynx

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wizardgate
Raliegh, US
May 01, 2012 8:21 am EDT

this person is posting a lot of negative things about a lot of different breeders... she should be the one strung up. Carrie Hallum
has posted so far i have found 5 different catteries she has posted negative things about.