Cross Breeds

Why do purebred cats have more health problems than mixed breeds?

Is it because purebreds are sometimes inbred too close together? (I have a piano teacher who buys only Siamese cats and in the two years I've known her three of them have died before age 6 of kidney disease or some other disease -- and she kept them all indoors, too). Many mixed breeds have been known to live 15 to 20 years and beyond. You don't hardly see that with purebreds.

Public Comments

1. you're exactly right, it's all to do with inbreeding. It's the same with dogs - those cute dogs withe the scrunched up faces for example, they been bred to look like that but they have major breathing problems! It is a well known fact and to say it isn't true is just ignorant. That is why certain breeds of dogs have problems common to their breeds. FACT
2. Not true at all. Good breeders test their cats and know about the proper breeding of closely related cats. My two Cornish Rex cats lived a normal life - 15 1/2 yrs and 18 yrs (average for most cats). Mixed breeds can have just as many health problems and since you can't test them and more then likely they are inbred (mother/son, father/daughter) you can have many genetic problems. At least with purebreds, you can control who you are breeding to who. With strays, its a gamble.
3. Hi there, Ocimom is quite correct. Reputable breeders who are highly educated in genetics, as they must be, are very active in breeding OUT any genetic problems in their stock. They neuter and spay intelligently and only breed the healthiest stock. Many medical genetic issues that lead to serious medical problems have already been eradicated in the lines of responsible, reputable breeders. Backyard breeders and kitten mills don't give a darn about health, and many of them end up in petstores with very sad outcomes. But please don't lump all purebred cats into the category of having more health problems than mixed breeds. I have had both during my 40 plus years of being owned by cats, and I have had serious health problems with mixed breeds adopted from shelters. I am purrsonally aware of many reputable breeders whose kittens have had long lifespans with excellent health. So it all depends from where someone purchases a purebred cat as to how their health will thrive. At least those breeders who are being so careful to breed out these genetic problems will be bringing kittens into the world whose lifespans will be greatly increased. Interesting question, and one that many folks who feel that there is no reason for even the top breeders to bring more kittens into the world. While it is true that there are so many unwanted kittens, there are people that do want certain breeds. One generally knows what one is getting with a purebred from an excellent cattery, while often a mixed breed is a huge question mark. Troublesniffer Owned by both mixed breed and pedigreed cats for over 40 years Member: Cat Writer's Association Former CFA registered breeder of Siamese, Orientals, Russian Blues and Burmese
4. This is like comparing race cars to factory cars, or race horses to horses out on the range. The more finely tuned an animal is to its specific task, the more sensitive it becomes to anything out of the norm. A race car may have multiple carburettors to go faster, but that is just more parts that will need tuning to run correctly. But because it is a a race car, it will see the mechanic more often to get problems fixed. Same with purebred cats, chances are they will see the veterinarianan regularly, and any little problems with teeth, parasites and worms will get treated immediately. And with prompt treatment the success rate goes up drammatically. Take any domestic cat and give it the grooming and pet care that a pure bred has, and I think it will out survive the purebred everytime. There are very few race cars around that last 10 years, but count all the toyotas that are ten years old.
5. I'd like to point out that a GOOD, REPUTABLE breeder tries to breed these things out of their stock, by screening and selectively breeding healthiest to healthiest. Any chance this teacher bought them from a BYB? I'd also like to point out that with the mutts of the cat world, they have more to get sick from. Huh, you may say? Take a Siamese and breed it with a Persian. So, the kittens are Siamese and Persians, right? So, which pool of genetic health problems do we dip out of? Both of them. The mutts get the short end of the stick and are stuck with BOTH set of defects. Now, lets add a Maine Coon to the mix. The new kittens are real mutts now, and have the likely-hood of anything its grandparents and parents had. See where I'm getting?
6. My Siamese lived to age 19, but I had him on a crappy diet the first 6 years of his life and he did have urinary blockage three times before we learned about 'good' food for cats. So I guess I could say he had 'kidney issues' but it was food related. Once I fed a better diet he was fine. My half siamese cats (adopted from shelter) all made it to 19, 20 and 18 years old, but had cancer or renal failure get them in the end. My 7 year old street cat died of cardiomyopathy. My 12 year old street cat died of a fast growing tumor (an inch a week...) after he'd been indoors with us for 8 years. It's the luck of the draw, I can't say purebreds are better or worse in health problems.