Health Testing

Siberians are, by nature, a hardy and resilient breed. As a natural breed that evolved without extreme modification, they tend to enjoy good overall health and longevity when bred responsibly.

Nevertheless, we follow a comprehensive approach to health, combining genetic screening, specialist testing and good day-to-day care. Our goal is to nurture kittens that are not only healthy and well-adjusted, but also contribute to the long-term resilience of the breed.

Health testing is a significant investment, but it's one we consider essential. These tests, some of which require specialist veterinary expertise, reflect our commitment to breeding for long-term wellbeing over short-term profit.

Every decision is made with the health of the kittens, their future families and the breed itself in mind.

By following this philosophy, we aim to minimise avoidable risks and give our cats the best possible start in life, so they can go on to live long, healthy lives with the people who love them. We test for the following -

  • Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy (HCM)

    Regular heart scans (echocardiograms) are performed by an expert feline cardiologist. Cats with abnormal results will not be used in a breeding programme.

  • Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

    DNA testing for PKD, a hereditary kidney disorder, is included in our screening.

  • Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKDef)

    A genetic disorder that can cause anaemia. All cats are tested to ensure they are clear or not at risk.

  • Blood Group Typing

    Knowing a cat’s blood type is important to avoid neonatal isoerythrolysis, which can occur if a kitten’s blood type is incompatible with its mother’s. Most Siberians are type A, but rare b/b cats do exist. We test all breeding cats.

  • MyCatDNA Panel

    Our cats are DNA screened for over 40 inherited conditions, including coat traits and genetic diversity markers. This helps guide ethical, sustainable breeding decisions.

  • Infectious Disease Screening

    Before breeding, our cats are also tested for the following as part of our sanitary protocol:

    FIV & FeLV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukaemia Virus)
    All cats are tested negative before entering the breeding programme.