Am I being unreasonable.........

[Amanda]

Excuse me if I'm treading on your toes, but I think that it's more important to hold the breeder accountable for breeding from cats which are genetically flawed than whether or not she's sympathetic. I would firmly suggest that she retires her queens and uses a different stud.

This is one of the things I hate about pedigree breeding: the inbred flaws. To be a 'perfect' breeder is to practise eugenics. 

Yes you are absolutely right with this. My parents have written her a long letter suggesting that she retires these two parents OR has both tested for HCM before using them in a breeding programme again. Since we lost Paddy I have done extensive reading - HCM is an increasing problem in the Ragdoll breed but there is now a screening test available for breeders. In 2007 a gene was discovered which is likely to be responsible for the majority of cases and this can be screened for. The kit costs about £50 plus the cost of getting the sample taken - so not expensive when you consider the money a breeder charges for kittens.
I'm building a website at the moment which will look at all this as I think it would be useful to have a site out there with this information on. There are several American sites and these are where I found the links to the British Lab which tests for the gene.


Poor poor Paddy though - he just should not have had to suffer.

Having spoken to the breeder I now realise she is devastated about Paddy and I hope she will now do the right thing and test her Queens and Studs.

[Hippykitty]

Excuse me if I'm treading on your toes, but I think that it's more important to hold the breeder accountable for breeding from cats which are genetically flawed than whether or not she's sympathetic. I would firmly suggest that she retires her queens and uses a different stud.

This is one of the things I hate about pedigree breeding: the inbred flaws. To be a 'perfect' breeder is to practise eugenics. 

[Amanda]

Okay - this needs posting on again as my parents HAVE now heard from the breeder and have sorted things out with her. All a bit sad really - not only did our Paddy die but a 9 month old cat from her has developed cancer. Sad sad sad.
I did over-react a bit in my original post - the breeder has been very sympathetic and has refunded the cost of Paddy. This was very kind of her, however, no money can make up for the sadness of losing Paddy in the way we did (not the breeder's fault).

So - I was being unreasonable and expecting too much too soon.

[Angeladeedah]

I wondered if it was HCM - its just that my Sam has just been diagnosed with it (he's nearly 11) and it was only in the past few months that I'd noticed him having breathing difficulties, he'd been fine before that. The illness doesnt normally come to light until later in life, although it can take them early if they develop a clot.

My cat has just been diagnosed with HCM - he is a short-haired crossbreed and is only 2 and a quarter years old.   They first detected something wrong with his heart last December but we only got it confirmed 2 weeks ago.   He is now on beta-blockers and will be for the rest of his life.  I've been told to only expect another 2 - 4 years left with him.  Im devastated as I'd always thought I would have him for 15 - 20 years.

Thank you.  I'm just going to take each as it comes with him and hope that we can prove the vets wrong and that he can live that little bit longer - although it will never be as long as a healthy cat.  He, and his brother, are totally spoilt rotten so hopefully living with me will make his life the best it could be.

Angeladeedah that is heartbreaking. Am so sorry that your cat is afflicted with this too. If nothing else you can comfort yourself with the fact that he will be loved and well cared for during the rest of his life because he's with YOU. Enjoy him and love him - sending you a 
[/quote]

[Dawn F]

sadly Amanda not all breeders are good breeders, I don't know the ins and outs of this condition but we have had other instances on the board with people in it for the money and not much else, fortunately they aren't all like that but I for one wish that GCCF or somebody had the power to stop the suffering that does go on

[Amanda]

I wondered if it was HCM - its just that my Sam has just been diagnosed with it (he's nearly 11) and it was only in the past few months that I'd noticed him having breathing difficulties, he'd been fine before that. The illness doesnt normally come to light until later in life, although it can take them early if they develop a clot.

My cat has just been diagnosed with HCM - he is a short-haired crossbreed and is only 2 and a quarter years old.   They first detected something wrong with his heart last December but we only got it confirmed 2 weeks ago.   He is now on beta-blockers and will be for the rest of his life.  I've been told to only expect another 2 - 4 years left with him.  Im devastated as I'd always thought I would have him for 15 - 20 years.
[/quote]


Angeladeedah that is heartbreaking. Am so sorry that your cat is afflicted with this too. If nothing else you can comfort yourself with the fact that he will be loved and well cared for during the rest of his life because he's with YOU. Enjoy him and love him - sending you a 

[Angeladeedah]

I wondered if it was HCM - its just that my Sam has just been diagnosed with it (he's nearly 11) and it was only in the past few months that I'd noticed him having breathing difficulties, he'd been fine before that. The illness doesnt normally come to light until later in life, although it can take them early if they develop a clot.

[/quote]

My cat has just been diagnosed with HCM - he is a short-haired crossbreed and is only 2 and a quarter years old.   They first detected something wrong with his heart last December but we only got it confirmed 2 weeks ago.   He is now on beta-blockers and will be for the rest of his life.  I've been told to only expect another 2 - 4 years left with him.  Im devastated as I'd always thought I would have him for 15 - 20 years.

[Gillian Harvey]

HCM is becoming an increasing problem in the Ragdoll breed due to inbreeding and there seem to be too many breeders out there who just couldn't give a damn.

Thanks heavens I have never gone down the whole pedigree cat route. My beloved cat is a plain old moggy who cost me nothing and is fit and healthy.

Its in the persian breed too, and the trouble is a lot of the time its only coming to light now as there wasnt the knowledge about it years ago. There is no excuse now though as FAB operates a screening scheme until a more accurate genetic test becomes available, and so all breeders of susceptible breeds could, in theory, screen their cats.

I never regret having my pedigree persians, in spite of Sam's HCM and sadly PKD in some of my others (another disease that can be screened for and yet many breeders are not  ) Yes, I'v spent more money on them over the years than any of my moggies, and gone through much heartache, but I wouldnt have been without them for the world.

[Rosella moggy]

I can well understand your deep feeling of hurt on behalf of your parents.   

I do suspect however that she may be leaving your parents a little breathing room to grieve for their loss.  My previous vets used to send sympathy cards after pts but only after 2 or 3 weeks had elapsed.

[Amanda]

Well it's now a week since Paddy died - and not one single word from the breeder. I have to ask myself ..... could she care less? Evidently not and the kittens are nothing more than a money spinner. Am very very disappointed in her.

Am now building a website about Paddy and giving information about HCM. I won't name the breeder on there but I WILL give Paddy's proper name - if nothing else anyone who types in the breeder's professional name will pull up Paddy's details as well .... and perhaps think twice before parting with their money. Have done masses of reading now - HCM is becoming an increasing problem in the Ragdoll breed due to inbreeding and there seem to be too many breeders out there who just couldn't give a damn.

Am actually very angry at this breeder's utter coldness and indifference. 

Thanks heavens I have never gone down the whole pedigree cat route. My beloved cat is a plain old moggy who cost me nothing and is fit and healthy.

[Kirst]

Oscars breeder was devastated when he died of aHCM - as she works at the vets she had seen him grow up.

[Millys Mum]

Sadly alot of them may seem reptuable but when the crunch comes they dont actually care 
You would expect some kind of contact, i would if it were a kitten of mine that had died.

[sheryl]

So sorry about little Paddy xxx

Im not sure what breed Pady was?, I know Bengal breeder friends of mine have their Studs and Queens tested for HCM.  Luckily all cats are negative but I know that any positive results would definately have resulted in the cat being retired.

If the breeder is GCCF or Tica registered you could contact them to see if she is under any obligation to retire the cats with the condition.

[Gillian Harvey]

Hi Gillian,

Paddy died from what the vet is certain was Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - the vet says that he has only seen a handful of cases in 25 years and has never seen a case in a kitten.

We have his brother as well as my Mum wanted two kittens - thankfully he appears to be healthy and our vet is going to keep an eye on his weight as weight loss is apparently as good an indication as any of heart probs.

I wondered if it was HCM - its just that my Sam has just been diagnosed with it (he's nearly 11) and it was only in the past few months that I'd noticed him having breathing difficulties, he'd been fine before that. The illness doesnt normally come to light until later in life, although it can take them early if they develop a clot.

His breeder (who has also become a very good friend over the years - and I've had several cats from her) was shocked and upset to hear about Sam, and sadly she's recently heard from another person who'd had a kitten from her years ago, from the same line as Sam, who has just died due to HCM, so it looks like it in Sam's case it is inherited although we can never be sure, because it can also be acquired and come out of the blue.  She stopped breeding some time ago now. Sam's on medication and is fairly stable at the moment, but I know he's on borrowed time.

Its a terrible shock to lose a cat suddenly like that, I know,  and as I said, perhaps Paddy's breeder is also reeling and will get in contact. Hope so anyway  I hope Paddy's brother is ok too.

[Amanda]

Hi Gillian,

Paddy died from what the vet is certain was Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - the vet says that he has only seen a handful of cases in 25 years and has never seen a case in a kitten. Nobody could have saved poor Paddy and the breeder wouldn't have known. The vet himself says he could have seen Paddy a week before his death and the condition might not have been apparent even then. He was such a little character and was so lovely that we are all still bereft - I am living with my parents at the moment and they are both still stunned by how quickly his condition developed. We have his brother as well as my Mum wanted two kittens - thankfully he appears to be healthy and our vet is going to keep an eye on his weight as weight loss is apparently as good an indication as any of heart probs.

[Gillian Harvey]

... in thinking that the breeder of the kitten my parents bought might have shown a bit more interest in the fact that he has died from a problem which appears to be the result of a mutated gene. From my reading it seems that both the parents of poor Paddy would have carried this faulty gene (and may therefore be at risk themselves) and all off-spring are potentially at risk.

I fully appreciate that she would not have known about this - nor could she have been expected to know.

Sorry to hear about Paddy,  can I ask what was the condition he died from?  I don't know all the circumstances, but it sounds like your saying the breeder didnt know about this condition? if thats the case, then I wonder if perhaps she's in shock herself about it and this has prevented her from responding properly right away? 

[Amanda]

... in thinking that the breeder of the kitten my parents bought might have shown a bit more interest in the fact that he has died from a problem which appears to be the result of a mutated gene. From my reading it seems that both the parents of poor Paddy would have carried this faulty gene (and may therefore be at risk themselves) and all off-spring are potentially at risk.
To date since my parents spoke with her on Saturday there has been nothing - not an e-mail, phone call or letter expressing sympathy. I find it cold and indifferent - she is a reputable breeder but to be honest I am disappointed that she has shown so little interest that one of her kittens has died from a condition which has probably been inherited by breeding from two cats who carry a faulty gene.
I fully appreciate that she would not have known about this - nor could she have been expected to know. The kitten came to us with a full vet check and six weeks of pet insurance - so very reputable breeder who had done her best to ensure the health of her kittens - all kudos to her for that. However, why this cold indifference to the death of a kitten who she had raised - not even a note to say that she won't use these two parents together as a breeding couple in future. Personally I would think more of her if she did this.

She is not at fault for Paddy's death  - nobody attaches any blame to her but I would have thought more of her if she'd shown a little more humanity to my parents who have now lost three cats this year.

Am I being unreasonable? Breeders - give me your opinion - we are all still grieving so perhaps I am being unreasonable.