Nightmagic

Health & Policies

Do you Genetically Test your Cats?

We use Optimal Selection for genetic testing, which makes it simple to share our cats’ results with you directly through their online profiles. This provides full transparency to you as a buyer. Optimal Selection screens for over 50 genetic disorders, as well as traits such as blood type and coat color — giving us a much broader understanding of each cat’s genetic makeup beyond the standard breed panel. You can view the full list of what is tested for through the link below, and all test results will also be linked on each cat’s page. In addition, our cats are screened for HCM through NC State University to further ensure their health.​

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Optimal Selection™ Feline (optimal-selection.com)​

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Can we come over and pick out our own kitten?

Can we come see your cattery?

We operate as a closed cattery to prioritize the health and well-being of our cats and kittens. Allowing visitors into our home increases the risk of introducing illnesses and infections, which can be especially dangerous for mothers with young litters.

Additionally, unfamiliar guests can cause stress for our cats, impacting their health and development. Since our cattery is based in our private residence, keeping it, closed helps maintain a safe, calm environment for our pets—who are family to us first and foremost.

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We understand that meeting your future kitten is important, so we gladly offer photos, videos, and virtual visits to help you get to know our cats and their environment safely.

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We have allergies,

can we visit to see how we will react to a Devon?

We’re often asked if potential families with allergies can visit our cattery to see how they react to a Devon Rex. While we completely understand the importance of making sure a breed is a good fit for your health, unfortunately:

We do not offer in-person allergy testing at our cattery.
Our home includes other non-hypoallergenic breeds, so anyone with cat allergies will likely have a reaction regardless of the Devon Rex presence.

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Alternative Allergy Testing Option

Instead, we’re happy to offer an at-home alternative:

We can mail you a small sample — a piece of fabric and naturally collected fur from one of our Devon Rex cats (specific to the litter you're interested in).
This allows you to test for sensitivity in your own environment without the influence of other breeds.

We ask only that you cover the cost of shipping and materials.

$5 CAD shipped within Canada

$10 USD shipped to USA

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Since every cat produces slightly different levels of allergens, we prefer to send samples from the specific parents or litter you're considering.

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Let us know if you'd like to request an allergy test sample, and we’ll guide you through the next steps!

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Can I bring my kitten home without being fixed if I promise to get them fixed later?

No — unless there are rare, unforeseen circumstances, all kittens are altered before leaving.

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Why We Do This
I’ll admit — I used to be against early spay/neuter (ESN). Like many, I assumed it was too hard on young kittens. But once I started, I realized how wrong I was. Kittens handle surgery remarkably well. They are usually back to their playful selves the very same day, healing quickly and smoothly. By contrast, adult cats often stay sore for days, face a higher risk of infection, and take longer to recover.

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As a veterinary technician, I’m also able to provide the best care possible during recovery. If complications arise, the responsibility and cost fall on me — not you. If you purchase a kitten from a breeder who does not alter their kittens first, that bill and responsibility will be yours alone.

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Another major benefit: spay/neuter guarantees your kitten has had at least one thorough veterinary examination. Veterinarians will not proceed with surgery if a kitten shows signs of serious health issues. This acts as a safeguard, ensuring that only healthy kittens undergo the procedure.

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Why Ethical Breeders Support ESN
Today, almost all ethical breeders across breeds are choosing early spay/neuter because the benefits far outweigh the risks.

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Benefits of Early Spay/Neuter (ESN):

• Faster Surgery & Recovery: Kittens have less fat, making surgery shorter with minimal bleeding. They require less anesthesia and recover much more quickly.

• Reduced Cancer Risk: ESN nearly eliminates the risk of reproductive cancers such as mammary and testicular tumors, and prevents life-threatening uterine infections (pyometra).

• Lower Disease Incidence: Reduces spread of FeLV and FIV, which can be transmitted through mating or fighting.

• Better Behavior: Minimizes spraying, yowling, and aggressive behaviors linked to mating.

• Prevents Early Pregnancy: Females can go into heat or become pregnant as young as 4–6 months, while males can begin spraying around 6 months.

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I’ve even had a 5-month-old female spayed who was already developing a closed pyometra — a dangerous, potentially fatal condition. This is exactly why I believe it’s our responsibility as ethical breeders to protect kittens from risks they should never have to face.

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For more information on ESN (Early Spay Neuter) visit The "Fix by Five" Initiative.

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I am interested in breeding,

will you mentor/co-own/sell me a cat with breeding rights?

I fully support breeders who want to improve the breed responsibly. However, Devon Rex cats are one of the most challenging breeds to raise and are not recommended for first-time breeders.

At this time, we only collaborate with established and reputable breeders. We are not offering mentorships or assisting new catteries in starting up.

Will your breeding cats ever be sold to other breeders?

No. All of our breeding cats remain with us throughout their breeding careers. When they retire or leave, they go directly to their forever homes as pets, never to another breeding home.

This protects our cats from being passed between breeders or resold, a practice that can be harmful and sadly common in the industry.

Is breeding Devon Rex cats profitable?

Breeding is a labor of love, not a business. In over 20 years, I have only had one year that wasn’t financially in the red.

If your main goal is profit, breeding Devon Rex cats may not meet your expectations. It requires passion, patience, and dedication to the health and welfare of the cats — not financial gain.

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Are you a member of the Devon Rex Breed Club?

No—we were members years ago when we first started, back when the breed club had a different board and we felt membership was part of being ethical. Since then, after years of learning and working with breeders firsthand, we’ve chosen to step away for personal reasons.

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It's important to note that membership requires a fee and doesn’t automatically make someone an ethical breeder, even if that is often implied. In our experience across multiple breeds, membership has sometimes allowed questionable practices to be overlooked, including breeding serious genetic issues, purposefully producing kittens with traits against the breed standard, or operating like a mill.

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While this doesn’t apply to all breeders, we focus on responsible, ethical breeding—prioritizing health, temperament, and proper care—rather than paying for a membership that doesn’t consistently hold all members accountable. For now, we prefer not to be involved with the politics of the breed club.

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We will never speak ill of another breeder, but we strongly recommend that, regardless of how you find a breeder or what club they belong to, you always do your own research.

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