Are there any breeds known for absence of most common congenital diseases?

Question: I know this is a subjective question and can all depend on the competency of the breeders (I am a Bengal owner) to remove bad genes from the gene pool.

If anyone thinks this belongs in breeder forum, let me know.

 My background and situation:

I rescued my white mink Bengal Korina(my name is George) from a terrible Bengal cattery 10.5 years ago.

Over that time she developed severe gingivitis and last year a murmur was discovered.

Last week she went into heart failure. (lethargic, not eating, labored breathing)

I got her full panel of tests, xrays and meds. I also took her to cardiologist.

The congenital heart disease she has mitral stenosis (might correct when i get home) which unlike HCM is rare, and more rare is the size of her heart specifically. (main vet said it was first time she saw that shape)

 

When she went into failure she stopped eating, got lethargic, and had bad breathing and coughs(from fluid around lungs).

Supposedly she ate at the hospital but hasn't since.

Since bringing her back Friday from the cardiologist, she still doesn’t eat, is about as lethargic, she can walk and jump on beds, but she doesn’t clean herself, she is losing weight. (am medicating with Lasix and some others)

I have to force feed her baby food which makes me feel terrible, no cat likes to be force fed 5 oz of near liquid baby food, and meds.

The only interaction I have with her now is petting her and getting nothing back but a light purr, and opening up her mouth for syringes filled with liquid medicine or Gerber chicken baby food.

She did start coming downstairs and crying 2 nights ago, which is normal for her, but it is much more guttural so much that it sounds like a moan to a human.

If she is not manageable and continues to suffer, then I will do the right thing and get an inhome euthanasia in the next week or two.

She reminds of a human suffering from Alzheimer or a bad stroke.

The doctors say she is lucky to have made it this long, and although we could manage it with meds, nothing will decrease the heart size or make her valves work right. At best I figure she has 6-12 months. The fact that she is not eating indicates severe discomfort in the cat.

(I must also add that a long time ago my family had a male orange tabby. He developed knee dysplasia, again rare in cats at less than 2 years old. It was devastating to see him limp.)

Anyways, as you can imagine I am devastated watching the loss of my baby, and nothing I can do. I already broke down once writing this. I am 33 and got her when I was 22, she was always there for me during very trying times. And most of her life we lived at my parents huge home with 3 acres, so she is really family pet, our whole community knows her (really for her beauty and trademark white Bengal screaming)

I will write a memorial on here for here, so I am going to stop with the sad stuff.

BACK to ?:

My family and friends insist I get another cat ASAP (I am prone to clinical depression) or hold my brother's loveable pitbull for a while, or get into fostering abandoned cats.

Which comes back to the crux of this email.

I am trying to find out if any breads stand above others in their lack of congenital diseases like heart and gums.

I thought the robust genes of the Asian leopard cat were a strong prevention. And that may be the case and my Korina was one of the early breeds that were contaminated with Egyptian Mau genes. (she literally looks and talks just like a seal point Siamese)

If there are any Bengal experts that can speak to this, I would appreciate it.

Also is the breeding method where they get ultrasounds for heart disease every year on the breeding cats effective?

Can the congenital diseases (heart, gingivitis), be recessive genes, making the tests pointless?

Conclusion:

Thanks if you read this far, I can imagine someone might say I can't handle owning a pet who like all of us will die one day.

Its just more harder as I spend more time with her by default than anyone else. She was an extension of me, she wasnt a licker, but several years ago she would give me a single lick for every 4 strokes by hand or brush, my poor baby.

I was very lucky to have her, she was well trained, very loving, and would act like a ragdoll cat when I held her.

Thanks again.

Generally speaking, in any given population, the wider the gene pool, the less often you'll see congenital disease (is gingivitis really congenital?). Any selective breeding will narrow the gene pool, but then moggies tend to inbreed as well, so no guarantees there. A popular breed will have a wider gene pool, but popular breeds also have more less-than-great breeders. Soooo. . .I guess all you can do, if you want a purebred, is find a breeder whose breeding practices seem most likely to reduce the chance of inherited disease. Testing when possible (HCM, hip dysplasia, etc. depending on breed), careful choosing of breeding animals, stuff like that. Or take your chances on a moggie and hope their progenitors were healthy. A badly bred purebred would be the worst choice.

Quote:

Willowy said:

Generally speaking, in any given population, the wider the gene pool, the less often you'll see congenital disease (is gingivitis really congenital?). Any selective breeding will narrow the gene pool, but then moggies tend to inbreed as well, so no guarantees there. A popular breed will have a wider gene pool, but popular breeds also have more less-than-great breeders. Soooo. . .I guess all you can do, if you want a purebred, is find a breeder whose breeding practices seem most likely to reduce the chance of inherited disease. Testing when possible (HCM, hip dysplasia, etc. depending on breed), careful choosing of breeding animals, stuff like that. Or take your chances on a moggie and hope their progenitors were healthy. A badly bred purebred would be the worst choice.

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I have no problems with moggies (I assume thats american tabbies), but like I said my orange male tabby got knee dysplasia.

I was just doing some looking, went to TICA website and they have their listed breeders, and about 8 who got an "outstanding" rating.

I found one in NJ and one in Atlanta that look great, they give 2 year guanatees for health, and they screen the cats for FIP, AIDS, and HCM (seems to be standard with Bengal breeders).

However they will buy breeding cats from other folks, which i guess is good for what you say about the gene pool.

I am sure Korina was unlucky and born with bad genes, probably from her oriental(siamese) roots.

As far as gingivitis I am not sure if congentital is the right word, but from what my vet told me about 60% of the worlds cats(all breeds) have the disease. As it is not caused by anything in particular, it seems a random issue. 

thanks for advice.

Moggie is a word for "just plain cat" . Not only tabbies, just any non-pedigree cat. I suppose it's a mostly British term but I get accustomed to using it here and I forget not everyone knows what it means. A domestic shorthair/longhair. Of course any cat can end up with congenital issues (if both parents carried the gene), but street cats are tough stock, survival of the fittest, usually the weak ones do not get to pass on their genes.

Purebred cats from bad breeders have a way higher chance of inherited problems. They don't have the street cat survival of the fittest thing, and the breeder didn't select the healthiest breeding stock, so the chances of both parents carrying defective genes is increased. But if you pick a good breeder the chances of getting a healthy cat are a lot better.

If you do want a purebred, are you set on a Bengal, or are you interested in other breeds? If you give a list of your preferred breeds, someone may have suggestions for ethical breeders.

I think gingivitis is largely diet related (carb-filled kibble, etc.), but I suppose some kitties may have a predisposition. A weak immune system could have an effect.

Willowy said:

A popular breed will have a wider gene pool.

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Not so, many of the popular breeds use the same lines, Burmese for example are very popular however Dr Lyons explained at a recent seminar that the breed will die out without outcrossing (to another breed) for new lines

If you like Bengals just make sure to find a breeder who does all necessary health tests. HCM, PRA are the 2 most common for Bengals (there is no FIP test as was mentioned, the corona virus can be tested but it's not useful since it rarely mutates into FIP)

If you have your heart set on another Bengal, I agree with missymotus: Just find a breeder who does the required tests for the breed and hope for the best. Or, adopt from a breed-specific rescue.

Otherwise, I would agree with Willowy: Just get a moggie. Moggies have lower chances of genetic diseases simply because they aren't as inbred (although that could depend on the particular moggie population). That isn't meant to be an insult to pedigreed cats, it's just the way it is.

Genetics is sort of a roulette wheel anyway... it's no guarantee of a healthy cat.

If I were you, and dealing with the emotional issues, I would acquire more than one cat, just so the pain of losing one isn't as harsh. Not that I think there should be a main cat and a backup cat, but I think you know what I mean.

Korina said:

I am sure Korina was unlucky and born with bad genes, probably from her oriental(siamese) roots.

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That isn't going to endear you to those of us with Orientals and Siamese... 

If you want to avoid tooth and gum problems feeding something along the lines of raw chicken wings (if the cat will eat them) a few times a week is very effective.

OrientalSlave said:

That isn't going to endear you to those of us with Orientals and Siamese... 

If you want to avoid tooth and gum problems feeding something along the lines of raw chicken wings (if the cat will eat them) a few times a week is very effective.

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Sorry about  that, I didnt mean to be so blunt or to offend. Its just I have read, was told by her dentist that the 'orientel' genes were more likely to get the disease and lose teeth. I had heard either on this site, or discussion with breeders that based on her fluffiness and near identical visual of a blue eyed seal/mink siamese that she had the siamese stock from early days of breeding.

The dentist also said it effects wild cats too, he said 60% of entire cat population. (I dont have a citation).

In my heart disease research of the last week I read the same for HCM (along with other breeds).  She doesnt have HCM, she has mitral valve stenosis and platelets in her heart too.

Anyways, I don't think I can live without a mink baby with blue eyes and a screamer.  I would love a siamese, but something about those bengals.

I will respond to everyone else when I can take a break from work.

I don't think you can really hope to select a pet (either purebred or a ordinary domestic) to avoid bad teeth. Having worked in a Vet's office and having had 1 out of 3 cats in the last 20 years who is loosing her teeth due to decay its too common a trait to select against.

The heart disease you have a better chance of avoiding again, especially if you follow others advice and try to steer clear of back-yard breeders. Or take your chances on a non-purebred cat. I know its heartbreaking to have a really sick pet and you really feel like you don't want to go through this again. Just take your time selecting another cat, and don't rush into the decision based solely on trying to avoid this kind of pain again.

Another tack you could take is to try to select a "naturally occuring" breed like a Japanese-bobtail. They are often very healthy. But I would select first for the look and personality you like best rather than trying to avoid disease. As we're dealing with living things there is no guarantee, ever of getting a pet who thrives in good health for a long period of time.

Thanks guys. It is really tough, its been a week and she still isn't eating (meds since last friday)she is going to my parents house tonight, and to a peaceful end at the home we both grew up in. 

I don't think its right for me to let her suffer, she runs under bed after I inject the baby food in her mouth, and doesnt react to much.

Assuming she doesn't improve in the next few days (and so she can reacusstom to her old house), I will have a professional vet recognized professional who does at home euthanasia.

I need to deal with the reality this is the risk in having any love for another human, feline or canine.

I have gotten low enough that I don't want another cat, but of course I will.

As far as the advice for breeds, I can sum up what folks have said

Moggies: I am not against this, and it would be the right thing to do, plus they can be very sweet.  I live in Baltimore city, so there are plenty of cats.  I guess I would prefer one that came from a street litter, than abanoned kittens from losers who dont spay their female pets.

My family's two brother orange tabbies were great kittens after a year one got dysplacia of knee and distant after becoming adult, the other got to 25 lbs and would "kneed the bread" on your head at night, or sick your head raw(seriously).

Korina, never really grew up, she got a little less crazy around 7 years old.

Bengals: I love them, looking at all the breeders I can't help it. Its not the fancy title of pedigree or exclusivity (althought the constant "your cat is so beutifull never hurts"   ) but their demeanor, personality and companionship is inescapable to me.

They are/were kinda of sold as bulletproof genetically, but I may have over interpreted and cherry picked anecdotes, plus my friend who's family bred my cat preached how the wild genes were so superior and the domestic cat was doomed(ie any cat that shares the collective gene pool of house cats).  They are thankfully out of business (ie shady breeders)

It's hard to tell which breeder is better, it seems all the legit ones do the HCM screen once a year, PK test, FIV etc with proof of scan. 

For heart, this isn't foolproof, its not a dna test  I sometimes wonder if it window dressing.

?: Is HCM and other disease screening an industry standard or all pedigrees?

I would love to see a software application that can see a cats lineage and project it's genial diversity. (probably science fiction)

For example lets say a Queen has heart failure, and a congetital disease is discovered, will the breeder contact customers who have her baby's to get them screened, I sincerely doubt it.

Another new thing that catteries have instilled to compete, 3-5 year health guarantees, whether this is a bengal thing or all pedigrees I do't know.  Im not sure what good it would do, I guess next cat is free? Your money back?

So for bengals these are my options. 

1-Kittens: Research and visit the best breeders, we have seemingly 3 excellent ones in Baltimore, I would need to visit and let owners pitch me, and I can judge them based on perceived passion and honest concern for gene pool and quality of living conditions.  (plus I dont trust my fellow community that much   ]

I only prefer kittens as I get to do my conditioning (I am a cat whisperer!) and feed them the diet to my standards (Korina ate rotating grain free wets, Instinct is #1).  There are other catteries 2 hours away, dont know if there is a benefit of having your breeder in your town.

Also if I get 2 kittens, then there is a better chance they will get along, plus like speakhandsforme  said, it will be better for me emotionally if one gets sick,  plus I work 10 hours a day, and live alone.  Sibling company is better than no company.

I am considering from these two litters from what seems to be the top catterie in Baltimore:

http://www.jungletimebengals.com/TemptationFrankieLitter1.html

http://www.jungletimebengals.com/DesireFrankieLitter1.html

2-Aquire an F2 (two generations from wild), one of the baltimore breeders has a F2 for reduced sale, another has an early retired queen.

These might be less friendly and my impression that being closer to wild asian leopard cat results in better genes is probably false.

http://www.jungletimebengals.com/Drama.html

http://www.jungletimebengals.com/DivaTritonLitter4.html   (see boy #2, WOW, these are normal 2K+ wonder what reduced price means?) 

3-Aquire a retired queen or stud, the logic here is they are usualy 4-6 years old so they passed a phase of their life where they were most suceptible to diseases (I might be wrong here), they are show cats, and they are free.

Only downside is they might be messed up mentally from confinement, not being fixed, stress from other cats.

Thanks guys, I know I am a long writer.

I will try and address good points made in reply to me.  I have spent my whole morning on this post and emails to breeders :-0

I'm sure your girl will let you know when the time is right to let her go 

Retired cats are not usually free, they are cheaper than kittens but shouldn't be just given away. 

Health guarantees are standard, what the conditions are would depend on each breeder. Either another kitten or a refund (or partial refund depending on circumstances) but it's up to the breeder.

The DNA test for HCM isn't valid for Bengals, and in other breeds such as Maine Coons & Ragdolls it only tests for a specific gene and there are more than one involved which is why an echo cardiogram is done as well.

Breeders will be happy to show you the reports as proof. HCM is a tricky disease that needs much more research, cats can test negative and throw positive kittens. It's a scary disease, breeders scanning is a very good start but lots of research is needed. 

For example lets say a Queen has heart failure, and a congetital disease is discovered, will the breeder contact customers who have her baby's to get them screened, I sincerely doubt it.

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The breeders I know would.

You also don't need to limit yourself to your state, kittens are frequently shipped and it's more important going through a good breeder that you connect with than one who's close.