Thread: What health-test do you do?

Thanks a lot, Laïka has really nice coloring, but she is a master thief just a few minutes ago she did steal my mobile phone, she took it in her mouth and tried to run of with it

Well i agree with you at some point, but if we select to hard we would get problems with the gene pool it's already quite narrow. So the genetics and veterinarians helping with the health program recommended that HCM/HCM is not going into breeding at all, N/HCM can have a litter and you go on with a N/N kitten. I ofcourse prefer to breed on N/N cats it's much better and much easier

I do have a female now that is N/HCM, i hope she will give me a N/N female to move on with she will be neutered after this litter anyway. She is tested free with ultrasound at 3 years of age before her first litter and at 5 years of age and i plan to test her again at 8 years of age.

I would love us to find any other gene so that we would be free from the scanning. I know they believe it's about 12 genes or something around that amount. I know we have a genetics here in Sweden that right now are collecting material for a study.
But it's not easy he would need 50 cats diagnosed with HCM not related and 50 cats tested at as high age as possible also not related. Well not easy

But i think we work hard on Maine Coon, a lot harder then many other breeds and we will fight this in time.

Originally Posted by WoodsideMaineCoons

I test for FIV/FeLV and make sure that any breeding cats I have are from lines that are free and tested for HCM.

I also make sure my lines are tested and free from HD/PL

I personally wouldn't breed from a cat that was heterozygous for the HCM gene but some breeders will mate to a cat that is clear in the hope of producing a clear testing kitten that can then carry on the lines without the HCM. I wouldn't do that as you are putting the kittens at risk of carrying at least one of the genes and I don't feel that enough testing has been done unfortunately.

A friend of mine has just had her breeding queen tested positive for HCM, and it is a very severe case, and at least one of her kittens has come back with a severe heart murmur.

Just had to add, have been on your HP and your cats are just stunning - your tortie smoke with white girls is absolutely beautiful! Look forward to seeing your next litter of kittens