SBEN Staff

shown is GP Angelfire’s RollWithItBaby, aka, "Uber"

Breeders and enthusiasts from all over the world have discussed, now and then, the idea of a community-wide Sphynx newsletter that's free and available to every Sphynx lover interested in accessing it.

There have been a number of different newsletters devoted to the Sphynx breed over the years. Without those publications we wouldn't have access to the great wealth of knowledge and history they provided. The Sphynx Breeder/Enthusiast Newsletter (SBEN) hopes to continue to build on the great work of these past publications by providing a breed based newsletter for the entire Sphynx community, but one that is association and membership free as well as totally digital (of course it can be printed out too)!

The contents of SBEN cover a number of topics of interest including Sphynx owner's forum, health, cattery management, breeding, showing, feature articles, history and more. We’d like to have sections of interest for every Sphynx lover from around the world, but we need your help.

If anyone has topic ideas or would like to contribute an article, submit a question for the editors, or be a SBEN volunteer please contact us through this website.

Editor in Chief & Founder - Arden Gatlin Andrews

Arden Gatlin-Andrews, of Angelfire Sphynx

Location: Tennessee / USA
Primary Content: Special Features, Task Mistress and Newsletter Design
Special Interest or Focus: Sphynx History, Sphynx Type,
Personal: Arden's increased passion for the breed led her to organize and establish the SBEN. In January 2009 she put together a team of Sphynx breeders, owners, judges, breed council members, vets, and enthusiast from multiple cat associations to write and collaborate on the Sphynx Breeders / Enthusiast Newsletter. The first issue debuted to fantastic reviews in February 2009.  Arden started her love affair with Sphynx when she saw her first live one in 1986 at the Madison Square Garden show.

Arden is a Senior Technical Writer for a major healthcare software company.  She holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Oklahoma City University and a Master's of Education from the University of Phoenix.  Arden is a passionate musician known for her singing and acting abilities.  Her musical repertoire is quite eclectic including such genres as classical and musical theatre, country, jazz, rock, popular and Christian music. .
Professional: Breeder of International and Regional Winners in CFA and TICA.  Sphynx Owner/Breeder since 1994.
Website: www.sphynxlover.com
Pet Only or Show: Both.
Quote: "Relentless optimism." - author unknown

SBEN Editorial Staff

Associate Editor - Kay Marshall
SBEN Online Admin

Kay Marshall, with Gimli, "Gimmie"

Location: Alabama / USA
Primary Content: Owner's Section, Sphynx Fun, Graphics
Special Interest or Focus: Ketamine (Ket/Val) allergic reactions / deaths in Sphynx and other exotics.
Personal: A Sphynx owner since 2005, Kay and husband, Jerry, currently have three Sphynx - Bilbo Bombadil, Rosie Rosebud, and Junipurr Lily. Her interest in the anesthesia, Ketamine, came about after her beloved Sphynx boy, Gimli, aka Gimmie, was killed one day after his third (3rd) birthday during a routine dental cleaning in April 2008. After asking extensive questions regarding the procedure and the anesthesia, the vet still did not follow-up on known allergic reactions in some breeds. In honour of Gimli, Kay hopes to continue her effort to validate all known issues with the drug in Sphynx and lead, utlimately, to a warning being placed on Ketamine lables. Read more about Ketamine at GimmiesFishes.org.
Professional: BFA in Painting, Photography and Art History. Owner: Marshall Arts Web Design and CEO: Online Adjusters, Inc.
Websites: www.kaymarshall.com | www.onlineadjusters.com
Pet Only or Show: Showing in Premiership Class in Region 7 and Region 3 / CFA.
Quote: "Dogs have masters, but cats have staff." - Cindy Adams

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Cyndee Lizana Gause with "Smeagol", of PinUpCats Cattery

Breeder Section Editor - Cyndee Lizana Gause

Location: North Georgia / USA
Primary Content: Breeders Section
Special Interest or Focus: Small breeding program focused on health, type and temperament, first and foremost.  Active in CFA’s Sphynx Breed Council and a member of MEOWS, ISS and Tropical Cats cat clubs.   Primary focus for the SBEN regarding Sphynx standards, Showing Sphynx, Show Grooming, Sphynx Market, and Sphynx Spotlight
Personal: Cyndee's love for this breed started in the early 1990's when she was lucky enough to see one on exhibition at a local cat show.  Life finally allowed her to bring home her first Sphynx in 2004 and she's been hooked ever since.  She enjoys sharing her experiences and passion for this breed with others and is very excited to be part of the SBEN staff. Cyndee is the Assistant Branch Manager of Stephens Federal Bank with over 20 years in the banking and lending community and has been an avid cat lover all her life.  
Professional: Breeder of National and Regional Winners in CFA & TICA.  Sphynx Owner/Breeder since 2004 
Website: www.pinupcats.com
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: "Sphynx are like potato chips, you can't stop at just having one." - author unknown

Judy Webb Gunby, of Skinzin Sphynx, with Mr. Wrinkles.

Breeder Section Editor - Judy Webb Gunby

Location: Georgia / USA
Primary Content: Breeders Section
Special Interest or Focus: Funding for research that supports the general health of the breed, and specifically, HCM.  Along with general health, type and temperament are imperatives to Judy’s program.
Personal: As with most Sphynx enthusiasts, Judy fell in love with the breed when she first laid eyes on them.  Because there were various health issues in the breed, including HCM, Judy set her sights on feline research, and was instrumental in putting together, with the help of CFA and The Winn Feline Foundation (as well as many contributors from the international Sphynx community), the Sphynx HCM Research Fund. 
As founder and key coordinator of such, she keeps the Sphynx community informed of the latest developments in research currently underway for our breed.  To make a donation, click the following link: WFF HCM Donation
Professional: Breeder of International and Regional Winners in CFA.  Sphynx owner/breeder since 2002.  Founder and Key Coordinator of the Sphynx Research Fund.  CFA and TICA registered cattery. 
Website: www.skinzin.com
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: "Let us not look back in anger, or forward in fear, but around in awareness.  James Thurber." - James Thurber

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Mary Perfitt-Nelson, with CornflakeGirl, of GoNaked and EnchantedLair

Breeder Section Editor - Mary Perfitt-Nelson

Location: Michigan / USA
Primary Content: Breeding/Showing and Data Geek (surveys)
Special Interest or Focus: Birthing/Kitten Care, Health, Type, Genetics
Personal: Mary has been a Sphynx pet owner since 1999, began showing in 2003, and breeding in 2004.  She is most captivated by the artistic/physical qualities and mischievous and intelligent behavior of the breed. She and her family have been intrigued for many, many years.
Professional: CFA’s Kitten of the Year 2007.  CFA Sphynx Breed Council Member.
BS Elementary Education; MA Psychology; PsySpec:  School Psychology.  Master Gardener.  Wife/Mother, Learning & Behavior Consultant or she digs in the dirt  in her other life.
Website: www.enchantedlairsphynx.com
Pet Only or Show: All of the above
Quote: "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?  The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives." - Albert Einstein

Carlee Marrer-Tising, and Paloma of Khesi-Mansam, of Elfin Delight Sphynx

International Section Editor - Carlee Marrer-Tisling

Location: Basel / Switzerland
Primary Content: Breeders & Owners Section
Special Interest or Focus: Look for Carlee's articles to include a little bit of this and a little bit of that. There is very little about living with cats, in particular Sphynx, Burmese and Devon Rex, that does not interest her.  Humor is also a focus.
Personal: She fell in love with Siamese and Burmese when she was a little kid.  Got her first Burmese, Aida, in 1979 and has adored this breed ever since.  Got her first Devon Rex in 1997 and her first Sphynx in 2001 and in no time she had three favorite breeds.  Her hobbies are cat-object collecting, (including cats rendered as jewelry, cats in art, everyday articles in cat form), sewing, photography, music, languages, reading and various crafts.  She has written articles about various cat issues since the 80’s, including regular articles for the Cat Collectors publications.  
She lives in Basel with her husband, Pius, Brittany Spaniel, Lola, Chihuahua, Valentina,  three Devon Rex, Julie, Angie, and Samja of Elfin Delight,  seven Sphynx, AlNakeed Kalli Delight, AlNakeed Katie Delight, AlNakeed Holli Delight, AlNakeed Casanova, Hazel-Mary Moon mes Bijoux, Oukley of Mayfair (Jamie), Frodo and Burmese, Paloma of Khesi-Mansam (Dayita).
Professional: B.A. and M. A. in languages from the Univ. of Denver, with studies in Mexico
and Freiburg, Germany.  (DAAD Stipend to Freiburg for one year.)  PhD in
German lang. and lit. from University of Basel, Switzerland. Since 2003 Carlee has been studying a course in veterinary medicine called “The Little Veterinarian” taught by Dr. med. vet. Josef Binzegger in Baar, Switzerland. She continues to be fascinated by many aspects of medicine and genetics.  Carlee has coached in, especially, the pharma industry and taught English and German to adults in various firms and banks. She does translation work and has done several websites and now teaches vision-impaired and blind people, stating that as one of the most satisfying things she has ever done.
Website: Elfin Delight
Pet Only or Show: Both.  She has been showing since 2003 and currently has three cats that are working toward their Supreme titles, Kalli, Merry Moon and Dayita, and one Sphynx working toward her Grand International title, Katie. 
Quote: "Everything has to do with everything." - Carlee Marrer-Tising

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Sharron True, of TrueZue. with Adonis

Recipe & Safety Editor - Sharron True

Location: Alabama / USA
Special Interests: Sharron's special interests and passions include animal therapy, cooking, reading, and music.
Personal: Sharron has been in the healthcare industry for twenty-five years. She has an Associate of Science degree in Nursing, and is only hours away from a Bachelors. Sharron attended Culinard in Birmingham and now runs a part-time catering business in the Shoals. Most of her spare time is spent with their Sphynx kids - affectionately known within the SX community as the "TrueZue". She and husband, Terry, show mainly in CFA Regions 3 and 7.
Professional: Registered Nurse
Website: n/a
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: "A Meow Massages the Heart." - Stuart McMillan

Diana Scott, of Sundancenbare Sphynx

Rescue - Diana Scott

Location: Utah / USA
Primary Content: Breeders Section
Special Interest or Focus:
Personal: Diana is retired and loves to travel in her motorhome with her four dogs and ten+ cats. Her personal passions are showing and breeding.
Professional: Diana has been owned by Sphynx since 1999 and has done animal rescue for many years. She loves the breed and is always willing to mentor new breeders.  One of her interest is the medical aspect as she feels that HCM testing is vital and must be partnered with education for both pet owners and breeders.
Website: www.sundancenbare.com 
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: "The greatness of a nation and it' moral progress can be judged by the way it' animals are treated." - Mahatma Ghandi

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Blake Gibson
Paul Patton
Terry True
David Mare

Blake Gibson, of Bemisu Sphynx

Breeding, Cattery Life - Blake Gibson

Location: Colorado / USA
Primary Content: Breeders
Special Interest or Focus:
Personal: Blake first became interested in Sphynx in 1988 after attending a cat show in Boston, MA. Within a few years he was hooked.
Professional: In the early 1990's, Blake began breeding Sphynx and Bemisu Cattery was born. He now lives in Colorado (formerly of Texas) and works with his business partner Ferrin Wright at Bemisu.
Website: www.bemisu.com
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: n/a

Genetics, Judging - Paul Patton

Paul Patton, CFA judge.

Location: Elgin, IL [outside of Chicago]
Primary Content: Breeders Section
Special Interest or Focus: History, Genetics
Personal: CFA Sphynx Breed Council Secretary; CFA Allbreed Judge
Professional: Retired military
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~luvlypurr/
Pet Only or Show: Both
Quote: "Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." - David Frost

Dr. Terry True

Location: Alabama / USA
Primary Content: Sphynx home care issues, Premiership,

Dr. Terry True, and Anubis

and other owner-related articles
Special Interest or Focus: Health related issues in Sphynx
Personal: Terry is married to Recipe / Safety Editor, Sharron True. His interests are wide ranged. He is a choral director, concert pianist and song writer.  Mostly, he spends his spare time enjoying their Sphynx kids and taking care of their needs.
Professional: Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theology;  Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Biology, Microbiology, Genetics; Masters of Arts in Theology;  Doctor of Medicine; Fellowship in Family Practice.  Currently he has two Family Practice medical clinics, works as a Hospitalist, works as Physical Rehabilitation Medicine doctor, and works as Geropsychiatry Consultant.  He is also on faculty as an Associate Clinical Professor for University of Alabama School of Medicine.
Website: n/a
Pet Only or Show: Both.
Quote: "Life is too short to worry about things that don't matter in
the scope of eternity." - Terry True (as said often to stressed-out friends)

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