Large Cat Care

6 Large Cat Breeds With Low Health Problems

Choosing the right large domestic cat is not a decision to take lightly. You want a cat that is perfect for your home, however, you also want a cat that is healthy. Having a large cat can bring on more health problems, however, there are a few Large Cat Breeds With Low Health Problems.

Large Cat Breeds With Low Health Problems

Here are issues common to most domestic cats

Weight

Any cat that is over weight can have health issues related to their weight, just like humans we need to make sure our cats are active and do not eat too much.

Urinary tract problems

About 3% of cats have urinary tract problems. It’s common enough to cause some concern. Here are the signs of a UT problem in your cat.

  • Straining to urinate
  • Bloody urine
  • Urinating in unusual places
  • Crying when urinating
  • Licking around the urinary area (often because of pain)
  • Depression
  • Dehydration
  • Lack of appetite
  • Vomiting

The good news is you can easily keep this from happening to your cat by keeping their weight down, their stress level low and making sure they have enough water.

Hypertophic Cardiomyopathy

(HCM) is a condition in which a portion of the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause. This results in the heart being less able to pump blood effectively.

Symptoms of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy vary from none to feeling tired, leg swelling, and shortness of breath.

6 Large Domestic Cat Breeds and Their Specific Health Problems

The following is a shortlist of health problems specific to these 6 Large Cat breeds. Though the list may seem like a lot, the breeds included in this list have low instances of these problems. Explanations are included if the health issue was not covered previously

Turkish Van

The Turkish Van is the healtheist large domestic cat you can own. There are no known health issues that are specific to this cat. They do however have health issues that can affect any large cat.

The British Shorthair.

Hemophilia B

Hemophilia B is a rare blood disorder in which the blood is unable to clot properly, leading to excessive bleeding.  Signs of hemophilia B include episodes of lameness, swelling, and bruising under the skin, weakness, lack of appetite, fever, and depression.

The Maine Coon

Hip Dysplasia

In a cat with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket are misaligned and loose, which prevents the femoral head from moving smoothly. This can cause your cat to start walking strangely and they could have some pain.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SPA) mostly effects Main Coon kittens, and usually becomes apparent in the first 3-4 months of life. If your Main Coon kitten has (SPA) you will notice that it will  develop an odd gait with a sway of the hindquarters. You will also notice by 5-6 months that you kitten can not jump well.

The good news is that Main Coon’s with SPA live long pain free lives if kept indoors.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 

The Ragamuffin

Polycystic kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease or PKD is an inherited condition in cats that causes multiple cysts to form in the kidneys. These cysts are present from birth in all cats.

Cystitis

Cystitis affects a cat’s bladder and urethra.  RagaMuffins may suffer from these conditions due to stress, not urinating enough, infections, and bladder stones or crystals.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 

The Bengal

Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome

Flat chested kittens are characterised by a dorsoventral flattening of the rib cage, It is a condition well recognized by breeders but is not well reported in the veterinary literature.

Affected kittens may show these signs of Flat Chested Kitten syndrome:

  • Weight loss or failure to gain weight
  • Failure to suck from the queen
  • Increased respiratory rate and effort

Cataracts

When a cat develops a cataract, the normally clear lens develops a cloudy appearance that interferes with the ability of light to reach the retina. You may notice your cat not acting like it use to. They may scare easier as they can’t see what is happening as well.

Causes of cataracts in Cats

  • trauma to the eye
  • inflammation within the eye
  • genetic or hereditary factors
  • cancer
  • metabolic diseases, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
  • nutritional imbalances
  • radiation exposure
  • infection: viral, bacterial, fungal, or protozoal

Patellar Luxation

Patellar luxation is when the knee of your cat dislocates. Bengal cats have a genetic dispositon to developing patellar Luxation, though it is not very common.

The Siberian

Hereditary Cancer

Cancer is the most common in white siberian cats, however most siberian cats run a greater rist of heriditary cancer then other cats.

Urinary Crystal or FLUTD

This condition involves formation of stone-like minerals, crystals and organic matter and reside in the cat’s urinary tract.

Symptoms may include:

  • Blood in the urine (hematuria – blood that can be seen, as opposed to microscopic which is unseen)
  • Painful urination
  • Frequent urination or straining to urinate
  • Genital licking
  • Chronic urinary tract infections
  • Urinary tract obstruction
  • Urine spraying
  • Passing urine in unusual places

Heart Disease or HCM

Kidney Disease or PKD


Though most cast do have a risk of health issues, these six large house cats are someof the helathist large cats you can find. They are also very frinedly and perfect for any home. If your are looking for a new large cat additon to your family, check out my post 10 of the Largest Domestic Cats from Largest to Smallest.