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VetRecord recently published an article exploring the health risks cats face and found notable variations in disease rates between mixed breed cats and purebred cats. The study, funded by the Morris Animal Foundation, took place at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.
“The results of this study provide important information to cat owners, veterinarians, breeders and researchers, providing comparative insight into disease patterns in purebred and mixed-breed cats,” said Barr Hadar, DVM, BS, one of the authors of the article and a researcher involved in the study, in an organizational version.1 “Information on the frequency and risk of feline diseases is a valuable tool that can help guide clinical decision-making, assist in the monitoring and planning of breeding programs, educate cat owners and prioritize research. A more granular examination of specific causes of morbidity would be beneficial.”
For the study, the researchers explained data from Agria Pet Insurance Company, the largest pet insurance provider in Sweden. According to the release, the data included information on insurance policies, claims, breed, age and gender of approximately 550,000 cats.1 The results revealed that purebred cats were more likely to develop diseases in most categories than domestic crossbred cats. Purebreds had the highest relative risk in the following categories:1
- Female reproductive problems
- Cardiac disease
- Complications of surgery
- Lower respiratory tract infections
- Immunological diseases
Researchers also found that domestic crossbred cats were more likely to develop endocrine, mobility and skin problems than purebred cats. The team is analyzing the insurance database to develop predictive models in hopes of implementing them in clinical settings to help predict the likelihood of specific diseases in cats.
The references
A new publication describes differences in disease risk between purebred and mixed-breed cats. Press release. Morris Animal Foundation, June 27, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/feline-study-uses-pet-insurance-data-to-examine-health-risks