Sunset Exotics review: Isn't the breeder you think she is

At first, I really loved Karen.
I received my F4 Savannah male, Dexter from her breeding of Vanessa X Blaze.
This was back in July 2011.

Karen was very communicative and kind. My guard was let down, she was also very responsive, I did feel like she was "family". Nothing felt off to me, but I realized she wasn't keen on sending me photos of the kitten I purchased as he was growing up, but this was my fault for not knowing what to expect. Again, that's no fault of her, but for the price you're paying you should get some photos other than their "for sale" one on the website.

When we toured the facility it was cat on cat on cat. The cages were small, the place had a smell, but I didn't know what to look for, I was young and just excited to get my Savannah. Knowing what I know now, there's no reason there should be that many litters and that many kittens just everywhere in the office, cat pee smell, and even in her current photos she posts on her Facebook, the floors aren't clean.
I had my boy Dexter for 9 ½ years and although he was very anxiety riddled and flighty, I loved his quirkiness and charm. Dexter was riddled with plucking his fur bald, and had to be on anxiety meds his whole life, which was okay, and this is something that I learned to deal with. However, what I was not okay with was the fact that Dexter one night collapsed and died on top of me while we went to sleep.
Dexter was considered senior, and two days prior he was cleared by my vet. I was confused, devastated does not begin to describe my feelings, and I can say I'll never feel the same way again.
That night, I opened my email to inform Karen of Dexter's passing, thanking her for giving me such a wonderful boy, and telling her how much he meant to me. This is where I get angry with Karen. After my shock settled down, I researched HCM, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick (hypertrophied). The thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood. I then told Karen I had a hunch about this being the cause of Dexter's death. We submitted Dexter's body to the UF Small Animal necropsy center, and after 6 weeks it was confirmed that was the cause.
HCM is passed on genetically, and when I checked her website, Blaze ( Dexter's father) and Vanessa ( Dexter's mother) are still posted as her breeding Kings/Queens. Dexter was 9 ½. They should be retired, why are they not updated? Is she breeding elderly cats?
After having two unanswered emails I attached my PDF from UF to Karen, and told her. Karen, you have had half a year to reply to me and then some. All I wanted was your sympathy, but the more I looked into it. You're not a good breeder. You do not have your client's best interest at heart, I'm never buying from you again, and I hope no customer does either. To the onlookers of this review, please be warned. Karen doesn't care about you and the genetic line she's providing to the breed is not something to support, put your money towards someone who's got the breed's best interest at heart. Karen's breeding a line that passes on heart issues and if you look at the reviews before mine, there's a lot of other genetic factors and patterns I'm seeing. I'm just happy my boy lived as long as he did, considering the reviews I'm seeing, despite his life being cut at 9 yrs of age.

After I've researched and had a hunch this isn't a normal incident, I'm discovering this isn't a first time offence, and I'm the lucky one.
Most client's kittens didn't make it to the age Dexter got to.

If you care about the Savannah cat breed, please source a breeder who's TICAA registered and don't settle for anything less. Save the heartbreak.
F6 Savannahs shouldn't be $500, her prices have lessened and this concerns me more. These kittens are just money makers for her, and she's adding bad health to the breed.

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