Hello,
I am Melonie! I am owned by 3 sphynx cats. I live in Casper, Wyoming! Let me tell you I am so glad to find a place to talk about my kitties!
Jack-I got Jack from a breeder in Dallas. I was impatient and I picked him out from a picture. He was "cheap" as far as they go. I had him shipped into Denver and when I picked him up from the airport he was sneezing. I called the breeder and let her know and I took him to the vet. That was in October 2009. It is now May 2010 and guess what he is STILL sick. Turns out he had feline Chlamydia. He was the only cat I had at the time so I am pretty sure he came that way from the breeder since he was sneezing straight from the plane. He got really bad at one point and almost died. Jack had about a 3 month period where he was perfectly happy and healthy no sneezing or anything, and it that period is when I decided to get two more sphynx. I only found out he has Chlamydia recently after many tests. He had been showing no symptoms when I got the other two and I feel very guilty for exposing them to him, but I thought he had just had a common URI and it was gone. Sadly so far one of my others has caught it from him. He also has a very significant heart murmur. I have tried to contact the breeder about this but she no longer returns my calls or emails. Oh well. The vets here in Wyoming don't know much about heart issues and eventually I will have to take him down to Colorado and see what is up with his heart. We did a blood test on him and it shows he is not in active heart failure so that is good. Minus his sneezing he acts like a normal cat and you would never know he had a heart issue.
Juno-I got Juno from a lady in Denver. When I got her she was pretty bald but now she has hair on her face, legs, and tail. She looks like she is wearing oranges stockings. She is very funny looking. She also has feline Chlamydia. But it is easily treated with medicine that I have to give them twice per day. I can't even tell you how much I have spent in vet bills because of this though. The medicine for the two of them is 80 a month! I love them anyways.
Ben- I got Ben off of craigslist. He has been around Jack the same amount of time as Juno (they are the same age Ben and Juno) but he shows no symptoms. The vet says he must have a strong immune system. So far we are lucky. He has been vaccinated against it too, which may or may not have helped. They all 3 have been vaccinated for it.
All three kitties were already altered when I got them. They are the best cats ever! I will never go back to "furry" cats again! I am maxed out until these cats pass as I do not want any other cats getting this disease. It is expensive and horrible to watch your cat have a chronic cold. I wish I would have gotten Jack from a "reputable" breeder and waited and paid more, because I have paid so much in vet bills I could have gotten 5 cats from a reputable breeder! I learned my lesson. I wish I would have known he had the disease before I got the other two because it makes me feel guilty when they are sick.
Sorry this is long and rambling but I have been waiting ages to talk about my cats with someone who actually understands what I am going through, and how much I love these cats and will do whatever to keep them happy and healthy. My family thinks I am the "crazy cat lady" now.
I am Melonie! I am owned by 3 sphynx cats. I live in Casper, Wyoming! Let me tell you I am so glad to find a place to talk about my kitties!
Jack-I got Jack from a breeder in Dallas. I was impatient and I picked him out from a picture. He was "cheap" as far as they go. I had him shipped into Denver and when I picked him up from the airport he was sneezing. I called the breeder and let her know and I took him to the vet. That was in October 2009. It is now May 2010 and guess what he is STILL sick. Turns out he had feline Chlamydia. He was the only cat I had at the time so I am pretty sure he came that way from the breeder since he was sneezing straight from the plane. He got really bad at one point and almost died. Jack had about a 3 month period where he was perfectly happy and healthy no sneezing or anything, and it that period is when I decided to get two more sphynx. I only found out he has Chlamydia recently after many tests. He had been showing no symptoms when I got the other two and I feel very guilty for exposing them to him, but I thought he had just had a common URI and it was gone. Sadly so far one of my others has caught it from him. He also has a very significant heart murmur. I have tried to contact the breeder about this but she no longer returns my calls or emails. Oh well. The vets here in Wyoming don't know much about heart issues and eventually I will have to take him down to Colorado and see what is up with his heart. We did a blood test on him and it shows he is not in active heart failure so that is good. Minus his sneezing he acts like a normal cat and you would never know he had a heart issue.
Juno-I got Juno from a lady in Denver. When I got her she was pretty bald but now she has hair on her face, legs, and tail. She looks like she is wearing oranges stockings. She is very funny looking. She also has feline Chlamydia. But it is easily treated with medicine that I have to give them twice per day. I can't even tell you how much I have spent in vet bills because of this though. The medicine for the two of them is 80 a month! I love them anyways.
Ben- I got Ben off of craigslist. He has been around Jack the same amount of time as Juno (they are the same age Ben and Juno) but he shows no symptoms. The vet says he must have a strong immune system. So far we are lucky. He has been vaccinated against it too, which may or may not have helped. They all 3 have been vaccinated for it.
All three kitties were already altered when I got them. They are the best cats ever! I will never go back to "furry" cats again! I am maxed out until these cats pass as I do not want any other cats getting this disease. It is expensive and horrible to watch your cat have a chronic cold. I wish I would have gotten Jack from a "reputable" breeder and waited and paid more, because I have paid so much in vet bills I could have gotten 5 cats from a reputable breeder! I learned my lesson. I wish I would have known he had the disease before I got the other two because it makes me feel guilty when they are sick.
Sorry this is long and rambling but I have been waiting ages to talk about my cats with someone who actually understands what I am going through, and how much I love these cats and will do whatever to keep them happy and healthy. My family thinks I am the "crazy cat lady" now.