We are proud that our cattery has tests annually for the following: HCM (heart) FiV / FeLV (Immunodeficiency / Leukemia) PK-Deficiency (anemia) PRA-b (progressive retinal atrophy of the eyes) All cats are tested using Optimal Selection for all health variants.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
HCM is a fairly common inherited cardiac condition which affects the Bengal cats health. The heart muscle thickens, so the organ has to work much harder, causing several health problems. Blood clots or thrombosis can ensue, making the back legs motionless. This important health problem can also lead to heart failure, resulting in death. The first signs of cardiomyopathy include shortness of breath and excessive fatigue in Bengal cats.
The Bengal progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-b) causes recessive blindness in Bengal cats. This inherited disease attacks the health of the eyes and causes the destruction of cells that record light. The loss of cells begins around the age of 7 weeks and progresses slowly until the cat vision becomes compromised around the age of 2 years. However, blindness can develop at different rates.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency is an inherited health issue in Bengal cats. Pyruvate kinase is an important red blood cell enzyme in the energy metabolism of red blood cells. Therefore, if this enzyme is lacking, anemia may result.
This health problem is inherited as a recessive gene, so only cats with two copies of the defective gene will have their health affected. Carrier Bengal cats are clinically healthy, but can transmit the defective gene to their offspring.
Add a footnote if this applies to your business
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.