Iconicsx DBE & Odd Eyed Sphynx Cattery

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Iconicsx DBE & Odd Eyed Sphynx Cattery

Welcome to IconicSX — home of the world’s first genetically confirmed Dominant Blue-Eyed (DBE) Celestial Sphynx line.

ICONICSX™ — The Only Official & Verified Page
GCCF & TICA Registered Sphynx Cattery (UK)
Specialists in DBE & Odd-Eyed lines
Extensively DNA-tested & clear | HCM-scanned
Ethically bred & socialised with intention and care. As a GCCF Approved Breeder and TICA Outstanding Cattery based in Aberdeen, Scotland, we specialise in ethically breeding rare Sphynx cats with Dominant Blue Eyes and Odd Eyes. A

t IconicSX, the health, genetics, and emotional well-being of our cats come first. Our kittens leave for their forever homes from 17 weeks of age, spayed or neutered, protecting their welfare and preserving the integrity of our exceptional bloodlines. Raised in a loving, family-focused environment, our kittens grow into confident, socialised companions. Each kitten comes with a genetically confirmed DBE certificate, comprehensive DNA health reports, and complete medical testing — reflecting our commitment to transparency and excellence. We breed sparingly, occasionally offering active kittens to carefully selected, ethical catteries dedicated to advancing health programs and DBE research. Health is the foundation of our breeding philosophy. All breeding cats undergo extensive DNA testing for over 70 conditions, regular HCM scans, BAER testing, and FIV/FeLV screenings, ensuring the highest standards of genetic health. Choosing IconicSX means choosing a small, transparent, family-run cattery where passion meets scientific excellence — and where every cat is cherished.

⸻

Maria Niewiadomska
IconicSX Cattery | Aberdeen, Scotland

30/06/2025

🔔GENES DON’T LIE #5 — When Colours Go Soft

Not every pastel is what it seems.
And not every blue is actually… blue.

There’s a little gene (we call it “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? (D/d) It’ll carry it, sure, but it won’t show.

💡 So what changes?

• Black (BB or Bb) becomes blue (BB dd or Bb dd)
• Chocolate (bb) turns lilac (bb dd)
• Cinnamon (b1b1) shifts to fawn (b1b1 dd)
• Red (O) fades into cream (O dd)

Sounds simple enough, right?
But it gets messy. Really messy. Especially in hairless cats.

No fur = nothing to scatter or diffuse light. So what you think is lilac might actually be blue. And what looks like cream might just be a pale white with a warm undertone. Add daylight, warm bulbs, iPhone filters… and suddenly no one knows what they’re looking at.

Here’s what we see all the time:

• Blue cats listed as lilac.
• Chocolate called blue
• Slightly grubby whites called cream.
• And people insisting their cat is both blue and lilac at the same time. (Spoiler: genetics doesn’t work like that.)

So how do you know for sure?

You don’t. Not unless you test.

A simple swab — and the guesswork is over.
Because colour can lie to your eyes.
But genes? They don’t.

📸Huge thanks to Kala Kitty for letting us share their beautiful lilac and blue babies as real-life examples.

All rights reserved. Please do not copy, reproduce or republish this content in any form without the written permission of the author.

27/06/2025

🫀Selina had her 1st heart scan today, and we’re happy to confirm that everything is perfectly normal.

Health always comes first – and each test we do reflects our long-term commitment to the well-being of every cat we breed, raise and love.

25/06/2025

Some pots grow flowers. Ours grow cats. 🌱🐾
Tosia made this planter her private little nest, and Cora the Bull Terrier came to investigate — as always. 🐶💕

These two never fail to make us smile.
Life at ICONICSX is rarely quiet — and always full of love.

23/06/2025

GENES DON’T LIE #4 — How Much White Is Too Much White? 🐾

You’ve probably seen them — those dreamy white-and-colour cats with just a splash of black on the head, or a tail like it was dipped in paint.
They’re called van or harlequin, and their colouring comes from a gene called white spotting — or ws for short.

But here’s the twist:
Not every cat with this gene looks the same.
Some have just cute little socks or a white belly…Others are almost completely white — and yet they don’t carry the gene for dominant white (w) at all.

So what’s going on?

Let’s break it down 👇

🧬 What is the white spotting gene?

The ws gene works a bit like a paintbrush — it tells the body where not to put pigment.

A cat can inherit:
• One copy of ws (ws/n) — and often shows a small-to-medium amount of white (like mittens, bibs, or tuxedo patterns).
• Two copies (ws/ws) — which usually results in a cat that’s mostly white, with just a splash of colour on the head and/or tail. That’s what we call a van pattern, or sometimes harlequin.

📊 Types of White Spotting (FIFe EMS Classification)

In official cat registries, white spotting is classified using EMS (Easy Mind System) codes based on the amount of white:

📜 EMS 09 — Low white (75%)
Examples:
• Colour restricted to head and tail
• Sometimes one or two small body spots

But…

Some cats with just one copy (ws/n) look like full van-patterned cats. Others with two copies don’t look very white at all.

Why?

🎨 Let’s talk modifiers (and beyond)

There are other genes at play that don’t create white themselves — but they affect how much white shows up. Think of them like volume k***s. They don’t produce white, but they control how loud the white spotting gene is. They explain why two kittens with the same ws/n genotype can look totally different.

Some of these include:

MITF, PAX3, EDNRB, SOX10 — genes that influence how pigment cells move during development in the womb.

They're not technically "modifier genes" in the scientific sense, but they do influence the expression of white. And this expression can vary widely between individuals.

🌀 The health connection

Why should we care how white a cat is? Because sometimes, it’s not just about looks.

Some of the genes that influence white expression are also involved in the formation of the inner ear and the development of pigment cells.

In some cats — especially those with extreme white spotting and blue or odd-coloured eyes — there may be an increased risk of hearing loss.

There’s growing evidence that some cats may even show a Waardenburg-like syndrome when combinations of certain genes (e.g. ws/ws , ws/n plus variants in MITF, PAX3, etc.) are present.

That’s why even cats that aren’t genetically "white" but show extreme white from ws should still be monitored.

🔬 Can we test for modifier influence?

Not with standard commercial panels. Tests like MyCatDNA, UC Davis, or Wisdom Panel won’t detect these effects.

But some breeders are turning to Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to understand what’s going on in high-white lines.

🚨 So what should owners and breeders do?

If you’re buying or working with van or harlequin-patterned cats, especially those with blue or odd eyes, don’t just assume they’re fine because they’re not "white" cats.

Ask for a BAER hearing test.

It’s safe, quick and non-invasive — and can detect full or partial deafness early.

Because sometimes, those beautiful kittens with soft pink noses and ocean-blue eyes…

…are only listening with one ear.

And every cat deserves to be truly heard.

📸 Photo credits:
Photos 1 & 2 - Solveig- a perfect example of ws/n bi-colour odd eyed
Photo 3 — Solveig during official BAER test: result +/+ (perfect hearing in both ears)

All rights reserved. Please do not copy, reproduce or republish this content in any form without the written permission of the author.

21/06/2025

From DBE to GEMS – Decoding the New Era of Breeding Transparency. 🧬
We are the first cattery ever to be officially recognised by GCCF for documenting and registering DBE (Dominant Blue Eye) cats — not just in the Sphynx breed, but across all breeds — under the newly introduced GEMS codes.

At ICONICSX, we believe that integrity starts with documentation —and with the dedication to lay the groundwork that future generations will build on.

✨ Meet the trailblazers:

🐾 ICONICSX SELINA KYLE —
The first DBE odd-eyed Sphynx ever born and registered in the UK, carrying the new GEMS code 68 162 ( Odd Eyed DBE Celestial ) with her heterochromia fully annotated.

🐾 ICONICSX MAVERICK and ICONICSX BRUCE WAYNE —
The first DBE Sphynx with blue eyes registered in the GCCF system, also under code 69 162 ( Blue Eyed DBE Celestial) with full documentation of their eye phenotype.

These three siblings — from the same carefully planned, health-tested pairing — were selected as the first official reference examples for DBE registration within GCCF.

Not by luck. Not by chance. But because we’ve done the hard work at the foundation — testing, proving, documenting and sharing our findings so that others can build upon a transparent and ethical model.

We didn’t just follow a path. We built it.

Because when the roots are strong, and the science is honest…

Genes don’t lie.

20/06/2025

Our valerian mice are more than toys – they’re a sensory ritual.✨ Available soon in the ICONICSX store ➡️www.iconicsx.com

19/06/2025

Today is Tosia’s birthday.
And while we always mark these moments in our home, this one carries more weight than most. Very few people know her story — not because it was a secret, but because for a long time it was simply too difficult to talk about. Still tender. Still close to the surface.

Her first pregnancy didn’t go as expected. It began with a retained placenta — a serious complication that required immediate attention. She was taken for an emergency C-section. Her milk never came. Instead came mastitis — and it took days of care, medication, warmth, and patience to get her through. And then was loss. It was a quiet, private loss — one we never posted about, because not everything has to be shared to be real. But it left a mark. On us. On her.

This is the side of breeding that rarely makes it to social media. It’s not a fairytale. It’s not pink blankets and sleepy kittens on soft cloudly pillows. Sometimes, it’s heartbreak. Sometimes, it’s silence. Sometimes, it’s sitting in a sterile room, holding your breath, and begging the universe to let your girl come home.

And yet Tosia stayed. Not just physically, but in spirit. Despite the exhaustion, the shift in her small frame — she remained who she always was: steady, kind, grounded.
The cat who curled up beside recovering mums and newborn kittens without being asked. The one who offered quiet presence, not needing attention, only giving comfort.

Two weeks after surgery, she got back on her little treadmill. Not to run — not yet — but just to show us she was still herself. Still moving forward. Still here.

Her recovery changed something for us. It made us rethink how we support the body in moments like that — not just during crisis, but during recovery. How we prepare for stress, and how we help rebuild after. That experience led us to something new. To something we hadn’t used before — something gentle, supportive, and now a regular part of how we care. With mums. With kittens. After spay. Around shows. During weaning windows. Because what happened with Tosia wasn’t meaningless. It shifted everything we thought we knew about immunity, resilience, and healing. And no — it didn’t happen in vain. We’ll share more about that soon.

But today is hers.

Happy Birthday, Tosia. Thank you for staying. For reminding us what quiet strength looks like. And for showing us that sometimes, the most painful moments become the ones that carry us forward.

16/06/2025

🔔GENES DON’T LIE #3 — White Isn’t Just a Colour.

Imagine this:
You’ve got a full painting underneath — rich colours, perfect patterns, a story written in genes.
Black, blue, tortie…maybe even a classic tabby.

But then?
Someone pulls a pure white curtain over the whole canvas. And just like that — p**f. It’s all gone.

That’s what the white gene (symbol: W) does. It’s not really a colour gene in the traditional sense. It’s more like a genetic blackout.

Let’s talk about it.

🧬 What does it do?

Just one copy (w/W) is enough to turn the cat fully white. Two copies (W/W) Still white — but with increased risk of something more serious.

🎧 The link to deafness

The same gene that blocks pigment in the fur… also affects how pigment cells travel in the body — including to the inner ear.

No pigment in the cochlea = no sound.
That’s why white cats — especially those with blue or odd eyes — are more likely to be deaf in one or both ears.

💡 Did you know?

White cats with two blue eyes: 50–65% chance of deafness
Odd-eyed whites: ~30–40% risk
Even yellow-eyed whites: up to 20% may still be affected

And in odd-eyed cats, the blue eye side is often the deaf side.

🧠 Waardenburg-like syndrome?

Yes — cats don’t get the human version of Waardenburg Syndrome exactly, but they can show similar features when the pigment pathways are disrupted.

Genes like PAX3, SOX10, EDNRB and MITF (involved in pigment migration) have been linked to both colour expression and hearing development — especially when KIT (W, ws genes) is involved.

In cats, these combinations can lead to:
Blue Eyes
Odd eyes
Asymmetrical pigment
Partial or full deafness — even in cats that aren’t genetically white

That’s why BAER testing isn’t just for whites.

It matters in some high-white spotted cats too (more on that soon in Part 4).

📸 On photo: Bailey - our very first male Sphynx. White, odd eyes… and a perfect example of why genetics matter.

Disclaimer: This content, including all text and images, is protected by copyright. It may not be copied, distributed, or used in any form — including for educational or non-commercial purposes — without explicit written permission from the author.

14/06/2025

ICONICSX Comfort Collection
For those who understand that softness is a need, not a luxury.

A place to stretch. To hide. To be held.
Every bed in our collection is designed to offer more than just comfort — it offers choice. Use it open as a plush nest, or fold it into a cozy tunnel that wraps gently around the body. One shape, two possibilities — always welcoming.

Crafted with care using:
🌿 Durable, upholstery-grade fabrics – resistant to claws and everyday wear
💚 Lined with Tilia or velvety plush interiors for a soothing touch
🎣 Finished with a subtle built-in toy for playful breaks between naps

Available in a range of colourways — from deep forest tones to expressive jungle prints — and in two versatile sizes for cats or small dogs.

ICONICSX is where instinct meets intention.
Because every detail matters.

🛒 Now online at www.iconicsx.com

12/06/2025

Some cats don’t need to pose to be iconic.
They just are. Effortlessly in every look, in every breath.

These portraits weren’t planned. They simply happened— in the quiet rhythm of our everyday life,
where heritage meets heart, and presence is everything.

09/06/2025

GENES DON’T LIE #2 : Dominant or Recessive? It Makes All the Difference.

Every cat is a walking story. But that story doesn’t begin with their first breath, or with the first cry in the nest box. It begins earlier — quietly — in the places we can’t see. In the double helix. In the script written long before we even knew their name.
Each kitten carries two copies of every gene. One from the mother, one from the father. Sometimes, those genes agree. And sometimes… they don’t.
When that happens, one must speak louder.

That’s when we meet two fundamental forces in genetics: dominance and recessiveness.

Dominant: the gene that leads.

A dominant gene is the voice that doesn’t wait to be asked. It speaks first. And when it does, it overrides whatever the other gene might be trying to say.
Take the gene known as w — the white coat gene. One single copy of w is enough to erase every trace of colour. Underneath, the cat might have been red. Or black. But none of it matters. White gene silences all. If even one parent gives w, the kitten will be white. Not because white was the stronger colour — but because w never gave the others a chance to appear.
Dominant genes don’t request space. They take it.

Recessive: the gene that waits.

Now imagine a gene that stays quiet — until it finds its match. A recessive gene doesn’t shout. It whispers, silently carried through generations, unnoticed until it meets another copy of itself. The gene for dilution is one of these quiet ones. It’s the reason black becomes blue. Red softens to cream. Chocolate fades to lilac. But dilution only shows when a kitten inherits two copies — one from each parent. One alone does nothing. The coat stays rich, full, undiluted. And the gene keeps waiting.
The same is true for the colorpoint pattern — those cool, Siamese-like eyes and shaded extremities. Without two matching genes, the pattern remains invisible — no matter how much of it runs through the line. Recessive genes are silent passengers — until the moment they’re not.

So what does it mean? For us, and for them?

It means that two black cats can produce a blue kitten, if both carry the hidden message. It means that a pointed kitten can arrive from two solid parents, if the code was written years before, in great-grandparents no one remembers. It means that appearances lie — but genes do not.
Dominant genes declare themselves with certainty. Recessive ones wait, sometimes for generations. Both shape the story. Both must be understood — especially by those who dare to write the next chapter.
Because this isn’t about control. It’s about clarity,care and responsibility. When we understand what’s in the genetic code, we don’t just breed. We honour. We protect. And we choose with eyes open.
GENES DON’T LIE — and this is only the beginning.

Disclaimer: This content, including all text and images, is protected by copyright. It may not be copied, shared, distributed, or used in any form — including for educational or non-commercial purposes — without explicit written permission from the author.

08/06/2025

Sunday mood: sun, silence, and garden work supervision.

Address

Aberdeen

Telephone

+447767894640

Website

http://www.iconicsx.com/

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