Diseases found in this breed
There are certain diseases in abyssinian breed that are well recocnized and for which genetic tests are commercialy available. I don't consider these diseases as a problem anymore since thanks to testing, we can completely prevent ill cats from being born. Much bigger challenge are diseases, that are herited as a polygenic traits and have also environmental factors in their etilogy. Below are listed some diseases, which have been found in abyssinian cats and have at least partially genetic background. Most of the diseases will come evident when the cat is at least a couple of years old so I try to avoid using very young cats for breeding but as all cat breeders know, this is more easily said than done because of normal feline reproduction physiology.
PRA
PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) is a genetic eye disease which is found in many dog and cat breeds. It will lead to degeneration of the tactile cells in cat's retina and will cause ultimately complete blindness. PRA is not a painful disease. Two different gene mutations causing PRA have been found in abyssinian cats. Both of these mutations can be recognized with a commercial genetic test. The uncommon mutation is usually not tested since it will make the cat blind at very young age and it's herited dominantly so cat can't carry this mutation without being affected. Genetic testing of the more common mutation is mandatory for breeding cats in Finland unless cats are clear based on their ancestors' genetic test results.
PK deficiency
Pyruvate kinase deficiency is a genetic metabolic disease which is found in certain cat and dog breeds and also in humans. PK deficiency is caused by a single mutated gene. This mutated gene will cause shortened lifespan of red blood cells and thus a chronic anemia. Mutated gene has been recognized and a commercial genetic test is available. PK deficiency is herited recessively so heterozygous carriers are healthy at their phenotype. All my breeding cats are geneticly tested for PK deficiency unless they are clear based on their ancestors' genetic test results.
Patellar luxation
Patellar luxation is an orthopedic condition caused by wrong conformation in the hind limb. It's commonly found in many small dog breeds and occasionaly in cats too. It can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild patellar luxation might not need treatment while severe luxations usually require surgery. I test my breeding cats for patellar luxation and I don't use cats with moderate or severe luxations to breeding. I might use cat with mild luxation for breeding, but only with a cat whose knees are perfectly healthy.
Allergies
Allergies of cats can be roughly divided to food allergies and atopy. Both cause itching, which causes scratching and skin damage and infections. The typical age for allergies to emerge is 1 - 3 years, but especially food allergies can cause their first symptoms also later in cat's life. Allergies are found in all dog and cat breeds, but some breeds are clearly predisposed. Background of the allergies is genetic, but environmental factors have also their own influence. Diagnosing and treating allergies can sometimes be very challenging. I don't use allergic cats for breeding and I avoid mating two cats, whose close relatives have allergies.
Asthma
Asthma is chronic inflammatory bronchial disease with bronchoconstriction. Asthma and allergies are usually related with humans and feline asthma symptoms can also worsen from certain allergens (eg pollens, dust). As with allergies, background of this disease is genetic but environmental factors also play a role. I don't use asthmatic cats for breeding and I avoid mating two cats, whose relatives have asthma.
Psychogenic alopecia
Psychogenic alopecia means that cat will exessively groom itself to the point where it has completely hairless areas without any itching skin disease that would explain the grooming. Cats with psychogenic alopecia are often anxious, frustrated or have troubles with other cats in the same household. Abyssinians are predisposed to pyschogenic alopecia since they are very active and attention-seeking cats so they might get more easily anxious or frustreated than some other breeds of cats. I avoid breeding with cats that get anxious from normal life (to me normal life is living as a indoor cat in small group of cats that get well along).
Tooth resorptions
Tooth resorptions are very common in all breeds of cats, but still some breeds seem to be predisposed. Etiology of this disease is unknown but most likely there is also some genetic background. Tooth resorptions are commonly found in middle-aged or old cats. Because cats are usually used for breeding when they are young, it's very difficult to avoid this disease with selection of the breeding cats.
Parodontitis
Parodontitis is very common disease found in dogs, cats and humans. The bacterial plaque that covers the teeth will cause first inlammation of the gingiva and, if the plaque is not removed regularily, inflammation will proceed to alveolar bone causing bone loss and eventually the tooth will fall out. Some cats will get the plaque much more easily than others, but with all cats the plaque can be easily removed and parodontitis prevented by brushing the teeth daily. If this is not feasible, cat's teeth must be cleaned at veterinarian's under anesthesia as often as needed (usually every 6 - 24 months).
Chronic gingivostomatitis
Chronic gingivostomatitis is a disease that is very rarely seen in other domestic animals than cats. The etiology of this disease is not completely known, but it seems to be that these cats have an exaggerated inflammatory response to bacterial plaque. Severity of this disease can vary from mild (and even asymptomatic) to severe. Treatment of this disease is often very frustrating and it might require extraction of all teeth to prevent plaque accumulation. I don't use cat with symptomatic chronic gingivostomatits for breeding.
PRA
PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) is a genetic eye disease which is found in many dog and cat breeds. It will lead to degeneration of the tactile cells in cat's retina and will cause ultimately complete blindness. PRA is not a painful disease. Two different gene mutations causing PRA have been found in abyssinian cats. Both of these mutations can be recognized with a commercial genetic test. The uncommon mutation is usually not tested since it will make the cat blind at very young age and it's herited dominantly so cat can't carry this mutation without being affected. Genetic testing of the more common mutation is mandatory for breeding cats in Finland unless cats are clear based on their ancestors' genetic test results.
PK deficiency
Pyruvate kinase deficiency is a genetic metabolic disease which is found in certain cat and dog breeds and also in humans. PK deficiency is caused by a single mutated gene. This mutated gene will cause shortened lifespan of red blood cells and thus a chronic anemia. Mutated gene has been recognized and a commercial genetic test is available. PK deficiency is herited recessively so heterozygous carriers are healthy at their phenotype. All my breeding cats are geneticly tested for PK deficiency unless they are clear based on their ancestors' genetic test results.
Patellar luxation
Patellar luxation is an orthopedic condition caused by wrong conformation in the hind limb. It's commonly found in many small dog breeds and occasionaly in cats too. It can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild patellar luxation might not need treatment while severe luxations usually require surgery. I test my breeding cats for patellar luxation and I don't use cats with moderate or severe luxations to breeding. I might use cat with mild luxation for breeding, but only with a cat whose knees are perfectly healthy.
Allergies
Allergies of cats can be roughly divided to food allergies and atopy. Both cause itching, which causes scratching and skin damage and infections. The typical age for allergies to emerge is 1 - 3 years, but especially food allergies can cause their first symptoms also later in cat's life. Allergies are found in all dog and cat breeds, but some breeds are clearly predisposed. Background of the allergies is genetic, but environmental factors have also their own influence. Diagnosing and treating allergies can sometimes be very challenging. I don't use allergic cats for breeding and I avoid mating two cats, whose close relatives have allergies.
Asthma
Asthma is chronic inflammatory bronchial disease with bronchoconstriction. Asthma and allergies are usually related with humans and feline asthma symptoms can also worsen from certain allergens (eg pollens, dust). As with allergies, background of this disease is genetic but environmental factors also play a role. I don't use asthmatic cats for breeding and I avoid mating two cats, whose relatives have asthma.
Psychogenic alopecia
Psychogenic alopecia means that cat will exessively groom itself to the point where it has completely hairless areas without any itching skin disease that would explain the grooming. Cats with psychogenic alopecia are often anxious, frustrated or have troubles with other cats in the same household. Abyssinians are predisposed to pyschogenic alopecia since they are very active and attention-seeking cats so they might get more easily anxious or frustreated than some other breeds of cats. I avoid breeding with cats that get anxious from normal life (to me normal life is living as a indoor cat in small group of cats that get well along).
Tooth resorptions
Tooth resorptions are very common in all breeds of cats, but still some breeds seem to be predisposed. Etiology of this disease is unknown but most likely there is also some genetic background. Tooth resorptions are commonly found in middle-aged or old cats. Because cats are usually used for breeding when they are young, it's very difficult to avoid this disease with selection of the breeding cats.
Parodontitis
Parodontitis is very common disease found in dogs, cats and humans. The bacterial plaque that covers the teeth will cause first inlammation of the gingiva and, if the plaque is not removed regularily, inflammation will proceed to alveolar bone causing bone loss and eventually the tooth will fall out. Some cats will get the plaque much more easily than others, but with all cats the plaque can be easily removed and parodontitis prevented by brushing the teeth daily. If this is not feasible, cat's teeth must be cleaned at veterinarian's under anesthesia as often as needed (usually every 6 - 24 months).
Chronic gingivostomatitis
Chronic gingivostomatitis is a disease that is very rarely seen in other domestic animals than cats. The etiology of this disease is not completely known, but it seems to be that these cats have an exaggerated inflammatory response to bacterial plaque. Severity of this disease can vary from mild (and even asymptomatic) to severe. Treatment of this disease is often very frustrating and it might require extraction of all teeth to prevent plaque accumulation. I don't use cat with symptomatic chronic gingivostomatits for breeding.