People love using labels to describe and mark things, events or even each other. It’s easier to stick a tag on something than to understand it. The same thing happens with genes. If a gene creates an unusual look, then it gets labeled as “designer”, which by the way, is still a very elegant way of naming things. This is nothing new in the breeding world, it was always like that. Let's start with a little history lesson and go back to the 1920s. The chocolate and lilac genes.

You scroll past another video. Two queens maybe three nursing together. The comments never change — hearts, smiles, so beautiful, such love. In feral colonies this happens when it has to. A mother dies, one rejects her babies, another can’t make enough milk. The food is often scared and limited . that’s when they mix litters together.  It’s instinct and survival. But in a proper breeding program it shouldn’t happen unless something breaks — illness, milk loss, complete reject

Not every pastel is what it seems. And not every blue is actually… blue. There’s a little gene (we call it dilution - “d”) that changes the way colour shows up in a cat’s coat — or skin, if you live with a Sphynx. It doesn’t wipe out the pigment; it just spreads it differently. Think of it like mixing paint with water. The colour’s still there, just softer. But here’s the catch: That only happens if the cat gets two copies of the gene (d/d) — one from each parent. Just one?

How the 2025 Update Impacts DBE Breeders in the UK This week, the GCCF introduced formal registration guidelines for cats carrying Dominant Blue Eye (DBE) variants. There was also a small update — a paragraph in a policy document — but for those of us working transparently with these lines, it meant everything. “The registration policy for the breed does not exclude DBE cats from GCCF registration.” — GCCF Registration Policy, 2025 update For the first time, structure replace

We are proud to announce that IconicSX Cattery is home to the first Sphynx cat with a genetically confirmed DBE Celestial gene. O ur Queen Sofia is genetically confirmed  heterozygous N/ DBECEL, one of the safest Dominant Blue Eye (DBE) genes recognised today. This line is the best studied and well known for its genetic health*, making it a cornerstone of our breeding program. The DBE-CEL gene , previously classified under the DBE-Altai group, was officially identified and d

Responsible breeding focuses on putting the well-being and contentment of animals first. A key aspect involves neutering kittens before they move to new homes. This practice helps to keep them healthy and improves their ability to adjust to their surroundings. Kittens develop their immune system in familiar environments, and a move to a new home already brings big changes. If they still need neutering after joining their new owner, the extra stress can have an impact on their