Adopting a Kitten from IconicSX

1. A Verified Pedigree Sphynx Kitten

You will be purchasing a carefully bred pedigree Sphynx kitten from selected, health-screened lines, bred with health, temperament and correct breed type in mind.

All IconicSX kittens are raised as part of our home, carefully socialised from an early age and accustomed to normal household life.

Each kitten is registered with both GCCF and TICA and comes from an established pedigree that includes multiple Champion bloodlines.

2. Full Transparency

At IconicSX, we believe that responsible breeding should be based on verified health information, appropriate screening and complete transparency.

Every breeding cat in our programme undergoes comprehensive health and genetic screening.

Genetic testing is only one part of our health programme and does not replace clinical screening, including regular cardiac assessment of our breeding cats.

Cats within our DBE (Dominant Blue Eye) programme are genetically tested to establish and verify their individual DBE status, and DBE kittens are individually tested before leaving us.

We believe owners should have access to the health information behind the kitten they are bringing home. For this reason, every new owner receives copies of the relevant health and testing documentation for their kitten and its parents, including:

• genetic screening reports for the parents
• cardiac scan reports for the parents
• PCR screening results
• BAER hearing test certificates where applicable
• confirmation of DBE genetic status where applicable
• the kitten’s own relevant health test results.

We do not simply state that our cats have been tested — we provide the documentation behind those results.

More detailed information about the health screening and testing carried out within our breeding programme can be found on our Health Testing page.

3. Veterinary Care and Development

Each kitten receives careful veterinary care and monitoring throughout its development.

This includes:

• routine veterinary examinations
• age-appropriate vaccinations
• appropriate parasite prevention and screening
• a full veterinary health check before leaving IconicSX.

Every kitten also leaves with 5 weeks of complimentary Agria insurance.

4. Companion Homes Only

All IconicSX kittens are placed as companions only.

We do not sell kittens or cats with breeding rights.

Kittens leave us already spayed or neutered and are placed under a non-breeding agreement. This protects both the welfare of our cats and the integrity of the breeding programme we have developed.

5. Appropriate Early Development

Our kittens leave for their new homes no earlier than 16 weeks of age.

This allows time for:

• appropriate social development with their mother and littermates
• age-appropriate vaccinations and veterinary care
• behavioural development and confidence building
• careful observation of each kitten’s individual temperament and needs.

We do not release kittens before this stage.

6. Health Warranties

3-Year Heart Warranty

IconicSX provides a 3-year Heart Warranty covering significant congenital or hereditary cardiac conditions diagnosed in accordance with the terms of our Sale Agreement.

The warranty is not limited to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Other cardiac conditions may also be covered where applicable, including other forms of cardiomyopathy or structural heart disease, such as Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) and Mitral Valve Dysplasia (MVD).

As part of maintaining the warranty, the cat must undergo at least one cardiac ultrasound examination (echocardiography) during the 3-year warranty period, as specified in the Sale Agreement.

An echocardiogram assesses the structure and function of the heart as a whole — it is not simply an HCM test. It can identify changes in heart muscle, chamber size, valve function and other structural or functional abnormalities that may not be apparent during a routine veterinary examination.

We recommend periodic cardiac screening throughout the cat’s life because some heart conditions can develop or become detectable over time, and a normal scan at a young age cannot guarantee that a cat will remain free from cardiac disease throughout its life.

The warranty remains subject to the terms of the Sale Agreement, including appropriate veterinary care and compliance with the owner’s responsibilities for the ongoing health and welfare of the cat.

Full details of the cardiac conditions covered, exclusions, diagnostic requirements and procedures under our 3-year Heart Warranty are provided privately to the buyer before reservation.

Genetic Health Warranty

In addition to our Heart Warranty, IconicSX provides a genetic health warranty covering hereditary conditions and pathogenic variants included within our genetic screening programme.

Our breeding cats undergo comprehensive genetic screening covering more than 70 inherited conditions and genetic variants, and copies of the relevant test results are provided to new owners.

If an IconicSX cat is subsequently confirmed to be affected by a hereditary condition caused by a pathogenic variant included within the genetic screening performed on its breeding parents, this will be handled in accordance with the terms of our Sale Agreement.

The warranty relates specifically to conditions and genetic variants for which appropriate testing was available and performed at the time of breeding. It cannot cover conditions for which no validated genetic test exists or variants that were not included within the available screening panel.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

FIP is not included within our health warranty.

FIP develops in a small proportion of cats following infection with feline coronavirus (FCoV). FCoV is widespread within the cat population and is transmitted primarily through the faecal–oral route. Most cats exposed to FCoV never develop FIP and may show no signs of illness at all.

FCoV infection and FIP are not the same thing. In a small proportion of infected cats, interactions between the virus and the individual cat’s immune response can lead to the development of FIP. There is currently no screening or genetic test capable of reliably predicting which individual cat will go on to develop the disease.

The timing and source of FCoV infection can also be difficult or impossible to establish. Cats may encounter FCoV at different stages of their lives and through contact with other cats or contaminated environments. Viral shedding may be intermittent, which also means that a negative FCoV test represents the sampling period and cannot provide a lifelong guarantee against previous or future exposure.

Once a kitten has left our home, we cannot control its future exposure to FCoV or every environment and cat it may encounter. For these reasons, the future development of FIP is not something that a breeder can reliably predict or guarantee against.

To date, we have had no confirmed cases of FIP in cats bred by us, and our cats have returned negative FCoV results when tested. We nevertheless recognise the limitations of FCoV testing and do not present a negative result as a lifetime guarantee.

FIP today

The outlook for FIP has changed dramatically in recent years. What was once considered an almost invariably fatal disease is now highly treatable, with modern antiviral treatment allowing the large majority of appropriately treated cats to recover.

Oral GS-441524 is currently recommended as a first-line antiviral treatment for FIP, with published treatment success rates commonly exceeding 85% and, in many studies, 90%. In the UK, veterinary surgeons have legal access to effective antiviral treatments for FIP, including GS-441524 and remdesivir.

Early recognition matters. Cats suspected of having FIP should be assessed by a veterinary surgeon promptly so that appropriate investigation and, where indicated, antiviral treatment can begin without unnecessary delay.

Treatment for FIP may be covered by comprehensive pet insurance, subject to the individual insurer’s terms, exclusions, waiting periods and veterinary-fee limits.

For this reason — and because any serious illness can occur at any stage of a cat’s life — we strongly recommend that every owner maintains comprehensive lifetime pet insurance without gaps in cover throughout their cat’s life. You can reade more at Sphynx Cats

7. Lifelong Breeder Support

Every IconicSX kitten comes with lifelong breeder support.

We remain available to assist our owners with:

• health and veterinary-related questions
• nutrition and general care
• behavioural guidance
• general support throughout the cat’s life.

For us, responsible breeding does not end when a kitten leaves our home. We remain available throughout the lifetime of every IconicSX cat.

8. Reservation Policy

We do not accept reservation payments on kittens before they are approximately 8–9 weeks old.

Before this age, prospective owners are welcome to register their interest and join our waiting list. This gives us time to watch each kitten develop and to get to know their individual personality, temperament and needs before considering which home may be the best match.

Once the kittens have had their first veterinary health check and vaccination, usually at around 8–9 weeks of age, we can begin offering individual kittens to suitable homes.

When a kitten is offered and the reservation is accepted, a £500 reservation payment is required to secure that kitten. This amount is deducted from the final purchase price.

The reservation payment reflects the period during which the kitten is formally reserved, withdrawn from availability and other enquiries for that kitten may be declined.

If IconicSX is unable to proceed with the placement — including where a veterinary, developmental or welfare concern arises — the reservation payment will be refunded in full. Alternatively, the prospective owner may choose to transfer the payment to another suitable kitten where available.

If the buyer subsequently decides not to proceed with the reservation, any refund or amount retained will be dealt with in accordance with the terms provided to the buyer and applicable consumer law.

The welfare of our kittens always comes first. We reserve the right to end a reservation where we believe that proceeding would no longer be in the kitten’s best interests. Where IconicSX makes this decision, the reservation payment will be refunded in full.

Relevant contractual information, including the Sale Agreement, is provided privately to approved buyers before they are asked to make a reservation payment.

9. Buyer Verification

For the protection of our cats and the integrity of the placement process, we verify the identity and suitability of every prospective owner before completing a sale.

Prospective owners will be asked to provide:

• valid photographic identification, such as a passport or driving licence
• recent proof of residential address
• a suitable reference, preferably from a veterinary practice that has previously cared for their animals, where applicable.

We understand that some prospective owners may be bringing home their first pet and will therefore not have an existing veterinary history. In these circumstances, we may request an alternative reference or additional information to help us assess the suitability of the home.

Where relevant, we may also ask for confirmation that pets are permitted at the property.

The buyer’s full name must match the identification provided. Their residential address must match the proof-of-address documentation supplied and must correspond with the address recorded in the Sale Agreement.

Where a reference is provided, we may contact the referee directly to confirm relevant information, with the prospective owner’s knowledge and consent.

Our kittens are placed directly with their future owners. We do not sell kittens on behalf of third parties or to companies.

Where transport is arranged by IconicSX, the kitten or cat may only be delivered to the verified residential address provided during the buyer verification process and recorded in the Sale Agreement.

The kitten or cat will only be handed over to the person named in the Sale Agreement. Photographic identification will be required at delivery to confirm the recipient’s identity.

Any personal information collected during this process is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

10. Formal Documentation and Invoicing

IconicSX operates as a UK-based business, and all kitten placements are handled formally and transparently.

Once a kitten has been formally reserved, the buyer receives an invoice confirming the agreed purchase price and reservation details.

After the reservation payment has been received, the buyer is provided with confirmation of payment.

The documentation includes relevant details such as:

• date of issue
• buyer’s full name and verified residential address
• identification details of the kitten, including name, colour and microchip number where applicable
• parentage details
• agreed purchase price and payment record.

Before leaving IconicSX, every kitten is provided with a comprehensive documentation pack, including:

• pedigree and registration documentation
• veterinary health documentation
• vaccination record
• microchip identification
• 5 weeks of Agria insurance
• relevant health and genetic test results
• a written Sale Agreement setting out the terms of purchase.