Common Genetic Diseases in Ragdoll Cats

1 The Two Main Inherited Diseases

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, means an over-thick heart that pumps poorly. Early on there are no signs, but an echocardiogram confirms it; as it worsens, congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema appear, and arterial clots can starve the hind legs, sometimes ending in sudden cardiac death. It peaks at four to eight years, is an autosomal dominant trait with about a 6 percent breed rate, and hits purebreds more.

Polycystic kidney disease, PKD, fills the kidneys with cysts so they enlarge and press on nearby organs, bringing vomiting, poor appetite, excess drinking and urinating, and weight loss. It strikes at three to ten years and is dominant, so one faulty gene is enough; if both parents test clear, the kitten will not inherit it. A double copy is fatal before birth.

2 Management and Prevention

Neither disease has a cure. Management means early detection, careful nursing to slow decline, and a kidney-support diet for PKD; a vet may add calcium or potassium supplements. DNA testing can rule out the faulty genes before breeding. Even a clear cat still needs routine shots, internal and external parasite control, daily care and, for kittens, warmth against colds.