A Sphynx cat has been rescued after she nearly died being used as a ‘breeding machine’.

Poor Kiko, 11, was forced to give birth to around 90 kittens.

As a result of the relentless breeding, she has a ‘pouch’ so big the skin folds over behind her back feet.

Her previous owners made around £140,000 flogging the kittens.

Kiko and her nine-year-old son, Nim, were eventually rescued and taken to Fylde Coast Cats in Blackpool.

They arrived ‘grubby and dirty’ with a highly contagious virus that had resulted in breathing problems and oral disease.

Nim’s teeth were removed as a result of his condition.

Both mother and son were also diagnosed with kidney disease – a common problem for Sphynx cats which have been victim to bad breeding.

Fylde Coast Cats founder Kim Millard said: ‘Nim’s gums were open and bleeding, and he’s got a massive pit in his tongue from ulceration.

‘Obviously the breeder has used and abused them.

‘Nim in particular is in a bad way. He’s extremely thin and can’t really eat because of the pain in his mouth.

‘They’re desperate for attention all the time. They’ve obviously not had a very nice life.

‘Kiko has got a great big pouch, and when she sits down the skin folds over her back feet.

‘They will have been making between £1,000 and £2,000 per kitten – multiply that by 70 and you’ve bought a house.’

Sphynx cats are described as a ‘dog-like breed of cat’ due to their extroverted and affectionate behaviour.

They are naturally hairless due to a genetic mutation.

But because of their poor health, Kim fears she will struggle to rehome Kiko and Nim.

But she remains hopeful that an experienced owner will be able to provide them with palliative care for the little time they have left.

Kim said: ‘These cats have been bred for money. They haven’t been screened for heart or kidney issues.

‘If you’ve got a Sphynx, chances are it will die of a heart condition or kidney failure.

‘The problem is that people take them on without doing proper research.

‘You have to bathe them. They’ve got very sensitive skin, they get cold very easily, they can’t go out, they get sunburned very easily.

‘People think they’re interesting things and go out and buy them – it’s a bit of a fad – but they’re hard work.

‘They’re like the French bulldogs of the cat world.’

Kim has encouraged people to, where possible, to request to see their potential kitten’s mum – in case she is in a similar situation to Kiko.

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