Health Guarantee
Health Guarantee — Our Promise to You and Your Kitten
Because a healthy kitten is the foundation of a lifetime of joy.
At Harry Sphynx Home, the health of every kitten we bring into this world is our most sacred responsibility. It is the thing we think about the most, work hardest to protect, and take most seriously as breeders. We have spent over 15 years building a breeding program that prioritizes health above all else — above coat color, above price, above convenience — and our Health Guarantee is the formal expression of that commitment.
We want you to read this page carefully and completely. We believe in total transparency, and we want every family who comes to us to know exactly what they’re getting, what we stand behind, and what we expect in return. A health guarantee is a two-way relationship, and we take our end of it very seriously.
Pre-Placement Health Standards
Every kitten that leaves Harry Sphynx Home has met the following standards before going home with their new family:
Veterinary Examination: All kittens receive a thorough hands-on examination by our licensed veterinarian prior to placement. This includes evaluation of heart, lungs, eyes, ears, skin, musculature, and overall physical condition. A copy of the vet examination report is provided to every new family.
Vaccinations: Kittens receive age-appropriate FVRCP vaccinations (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia) before going home. Vaccination records are provided and should be shared with your own veterinarian upon your kitten’s arrival.
Deworming: All kittens are dewormed on a regular schedule beginning at an appropriate age. This is standard practice in responsible catteries and is an important step in ensuring your kitten arrives healthy and parasite-free.
Flea-Free: We maintain a strict flea-prevention protocol in our home. Your kitten will arrive flea-free. We recommend continuing appropriate flea prevention in your home, particularly if you have other pets.
Genetic Testing of Parents: Both parents of every litter are health-tested for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic heart condition that can affect the Sphynx breed. We test our breeding cats regularly with board-certified veterinary cardiologists, and we do not breed cats that test positive for HCM mutations. Test results for parent cats are available upon request.
The Guarantee — What We Cover
Genetic Health Guarantee (2 Years): Harry Sphynx Home guarantees that every kitten we place is free from life-threatening congenital or hereditary conditions at the time of purchase. If a kitten is diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian with a life-threatening genetic condition within 24 months of the purchase date, we will work with the family toward one of the following resolutions:
- Replacement with a kitten of equal value from a future available litter, at no additional charge, upon return of the affected kitten, OR
- A partial refund of the purchase price (less the deposit), upon return of the affected kitten
The genetic guarantee specifically covers conditions such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), hereditary heart defects, and other congenital issues confirmed through veterinary diagnosis. The claim must be supported by written documentation from a licensed, board-certified veterinarian.
General Health Guarantee (72 Hours): We guarantee that every kitten is healthy and free from illness at the time of pickup or shipping delivery. If your kitten is examined by a licensed veterinarian within 72 hours of arrival and is found to have a pre-existing illness or condition that was not disclosed at the time of purchase, we will cover the cost of treatment up to a specified amount or provide a replacement kitten, depending on the circumstances.
To activate the 72-hour guarantee, a vet visit within 72 hours of arrival is required. We strongly recommend scheduling this appointment in advance so you can take your kitten directly upon arrival.
What the Guarantee Does Not Cover
In the interest of complete transparency, the following are not covered under our health guarantee:
- Illnesses, injuries, or conditions that result from improper care, accidents, or negligence after the kitten has left our care
- Upper respiratory infections (URI) that develop after placement — stress-related URI can sometimes occur during the transition period and is typically mild and treatable. We will provide guidance and support, but this is not covered under the guarantee
- Parasites or infections contracted after placement
- Conditions caused by feeding inappropriate diets or exposing the kitten to toxic substances, extreme temperatures, or other environmental hazards
- Any health issue arising after the kitten is allowed outdoors unsupervised (we strongly recommend keeping Sphynx cats as indoor-only pets)
- Death or illness resulting from failure to follow our recommended vaccination and vet care schedule
Your Responsibilities as a New Pet Parent
We ask every family who takes home one of our kittens to uphold their end of this partnership:
Schedule a vet visit within 72 hours. This is required to activate the general health guarantee and is simply good practice for any new pet.
Keep vaccinations current. Your kitten’s initial vaccinations are started by us, but it is your responsibility to continue their vaccination schedule with your own vet.
Feed a quality diet. We will provide feeding guidelines when your kitten goes home. We ask that you follow these recommendations closely, particularly during the transition period. Sudden dietary changes can cause digestive upset in kittens.
Keep your kitten indoors. Sphynx cats are indoor cats. Without a fur coat for protection against the elements, sunburn, temperature extremes, and outdoor predators, outdoor access significantly reduces a Sphynx cat’s quality of life and lifespan. Our health guarantee is void if the kitten is kept as an outdoor or outdoor-access cat.
Reach out to us. If you have any concerns about your kitten’s health at any time, please contact us. We are always here to offer guidance, answer questions, or help you determine whether a vet visit is warranted.
A Note on HCM
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy deserves special mention because it is the most significant genetic health concern in the Sphynx breed. HCM is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thickened, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. It can range from mild to severe, and in serious cases it can be life-threatening.
We test all of our breeding cats for the MyBPC3 mutation associated with HCM in Sphynx cats, and we only breed HCM-negative cats. However, it is important to understand that genetic testing cannot guarantee that HCM will never develop, as the condition can be caused by mutations not yet identified by current tests. Echocardiogram screening by a veterinary cardiologist is the most reliable way to monitor for HCM and we recommend annual or biannual cardiac screenings for all Sphynx cats throughout their lives.
We take this issue seriously, we discuss it openly, and we are committed to continuing to do everything within our power to reduce its prevalence in our lines.
Our kittens leave our home healthy, happy, and loved. Our goal is for them to stay that way for life — and we’ll do everything we can to support you in making that happen.
