The Health of the Russian Blue Cat
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Many people are concerned about the health and genetic problems associated with pedigree cats, and indeed, it can be perceived as unethical to either breed or adopt a pedigree cat in preference to the ‘more natural and robust’ moggy.
Moggies do not tend to suffer from the same genetic complications of certain pedigree cat breeds, but whilst certain pedigree breeds are indeed associated with a number of genetic or physical conditions, moggies also suffer from congenital conditions and tend to be at much greater risk of encountering or carrying a variety of infectious diseases like FELV or inheriting such lethal diseases as Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Indeed, many queens develop FeLV after mating with the local Romeo, who has caught it during territorial fights or previous matings, and her babies will go on to catch it from her. Should the local Romeo carry heart disease in his genetic background, then by widely mating to his offspring and siblings, it is possible that he will consolidate this disease within the local feline population.
As opposed to incidental moggy matings, an ethical and responsible breeder will always endeavour to select matings that will reinforce their breed’s genetic strength, and they will be willing to discuss potential or past genetic problems of their chosen breed. A good breeder will ensure that their cats do not have the opportunity to contract infectious diseases from the local moggy population, and will ensure that their adults and kittens are fully up to date with their vaccinations, as are the adults used in their breeding programs. As a result, a pedigree kitten should arrive in your home at the peak of physical fitness, at an age when they have reached optimal emotional stability and socialisation.
Unlike some other pedigree breeds, the Russian Blue breed is not specifically associated with any genetic or inheritable diseases. The Russian Blue cat is susceptible to the same feline illnesses and diseases as non-pedigree cats, but generally, they have a 15 to 20 year expected life span, and not require any more veterinarian treatment than other cats of similar ages, including moggies.
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