Hi I have noticed lots of sad stories on these forums about Bengals who have developed illnesses either cancers or heart related problems And it sort of gives the impression that a lot of cats get ill and die young. My own two died at 10 years from acute renal failure in one case and lymphoma in the other. I thought I was just unlucky. Can anyone reassure me that there are happy healthy Bengals in the world? What ages have your achieved with no serious health problems and if they are happy and healthy how diverse is their pedigree? Is their much line breeding in healthy Bengals?

I miss my two so much and want to offer a home to two more but only if there is good chance they will be healthy. It's so heartbreaking when they aren't.

Thanks

Annie

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Fish dears?.... Well that depends doesn't it?

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The little monsters 3

HCM is a dominate gene with variable expression. If one parent carries the mutant gene, statistically, 50% of kittens from that particular cat will be positive and 50% will be negative. It has nothing to do with line breeding. You could look at a pedigree and see no duplication of cats for a few generations and still find yourself with a kitten that is positive.

Annie,
Even though my lovely Ziggi went last November at the age of just ten with Pancreatic cancer, I am heartened to say that his sister Misti is still going strong.
She has loads of energy, loves our long walks in the fields and still has spontaneous 'mad' moments. Apart from the vet nearly killing her when she was speyed at 6 months, she has had nothing whatsoever wrong with her in all her ten years.
Before I had Bengals I had moggies and they all died of cancer before they were twelve years old. To my mind it makes no difference whether it's a Bengal or a moggie, they are with us for how ever long it is, much like humans!
Annie

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http://www.bengalcat-ziggianshowcats.co.uk

This is a copy of the most recent official Bengal HCM positive list.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreads ... utput=html

HCM is a dominant disease so only one parent needs to have HCM for offspring to be affected. The probability of an offspring from an affected parent also being affected is at least 50%.
With a positive cat, one of its parents will have the gene and its siblings will have a 50% chance of also having the gene. What has been found in Bengals is that some will be diagnosed or die very early of the disease, some will be diagnosed or die at about 3 years of age and some at 4,5,6 or even older, we do not know as yet in Bengals whether that is due to variation of the effects of one gene, or whether that is due to many different genes causing HCM. Many, many different genes have been found to cause HCM in humans so I cannot see it would be any different in cats.
HCM is difficult to manage because it is a progressive disease so a scan may be negative at 2 to be positive at 3 but by that time many cats have had loads of kittens. However as some cats will have signs very early on, scanning is important to do before breeding and annually thereafter to pick up the disease as quickly as possible and remove affected cats from breeding programs.
Of course inbreeding around a cat that has the disease will increase the chances of kittens being born with the gene. So inbreeding as well as locking in desirable traits can indeed "lock in" undesirable ones too, like genetic diseases.

Reading these posts, I find myself looking for the 'Like' (agree) button. Could we get one please??

One point I will certainly agree with is that 'Line breeding' (some will call it 'In-breeding'...there isn't much difference, maybe a gen or two) does bring out the bad as well as the good. My question these days (with HCM in mind) would be:

"Is it worth it"?

For me, a good, old-fashioned, older cat that screens clear regardless of type or pattern etc would be THE cat to breed with, but I know I may be on my own in this.
Just my thoughts.

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Best Wishes,
Karen <UK>
http://www.suntouchedbengals.com
http://www.bengalbreedersunited.co.uk

Thanks Sue, Annie and Elaine. Great to hear about Misti Annie (sorry about Ziggi). My old moggies went at 17 and 16 with cancer and renal failure respectively and I was told by the breeder I got my Bengals from that they only live to around 10 years old but I have heard of Bengals living to about 13 and wonder if any go on even longer than that.
Elaine that is the list I have seen regarding HCM positive cats, is it from FAB? And why are some verified and others not? If they are not verified might they not be misreported?

It does seeml like it might be a case of luck of the draw though in picking kittens. Maybe I just need to wait until I feel lucky and be a bit more philosophical about it. What will be will be and all that (and take out the highest level of insurance!)

Cheers

Annie

Thanks Karen, I am heartened to hear your views about using the older cat that has screened clear. Sounds like common sense to me!

Annie

i started a group on facebook called older bengals 10 years plus, quite a few have posted there, at 12, 13 years plus, my friends bengal died at 17 years old and a rescue f1 bengal recently died at 18 years old..

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1 ... 184&ref=ts

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Miki & My Beloved Bengals http://mybelovedbengals.blogspot.com/

Shiloh, Darcy, Rudy The Roodster & Ozzy...

Thanks Miki jst joined the group

Annie