Health Testing

Health testing is one of the most important responsibilities of an ethical breeder. It allows known inherited conditions to be identified before breeding takes place and helps breeders make informed decisions that support the long-term health and welfare of future generations.

While no breeder can ever guarantee that a kitten will never develop a health condition, comprehensive health testing significantly reduces the risk of passing on recognised hereditary diseases and demonstrates a commitment to responsible breeding.

At CloudNine, health testing forms an important part of our breeding programme and is one of the many ways we strive to produce healthy, well-socialised Ragdoll kittens with excellent temperaments.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited heart disease affecting cats. It causes the muscular walls of the heart to become abnormally thickened, reducing the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently.

Some affected cats may never develop obvious symptoms, while others can experience breathing difficulties, lethargy, heart failure or, in severe cases, sudden death.

Responsible breeders help reduce the risk of passing on inherited forms of HCM through appropriate health testing and careful breeding decisions.

All of our breeding cats are DNA tested clear for the recognised Ragdoll Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy mutation (HCMrd) before entering our breeding programme.

DNA testing allows us to identify whether a cat carries the recognised inherited mutation associated with HCM in the Ragdoll breed. By only breeding from cats that are clear of this mutation, we significantly reduce the risk of passing it on to future generations.

DNA testing forms an important part of our health screening programme and supports our commitment to responsible breeding.

Although Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is not routinely associated with the Ragdoll breed, we choose to go beyond the minimum recommendations by including PKD within our health testing programme.

PKD is an inherited condition that causes fluid-filled cysts to develop within the kidneys, potentially affecting normal kidney function over time.

While the condition is uncommon in Ragdolls, we believe additional testing provides further reassurance for ourselves and our families, while reflecting our commitment to responsible, ethical breeding.

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKDef) is an inherited condition that can result in chronic anaemia due to the premature destruction of red blood cells.

Although PKDef is not considered routine health testing for the Ragdoll breed, we choose to include it within our health testing programme because we believe responsible breeding should go beyond the minimum recommendations wherever possible.

Additional health testing provides further reassurance and supports our commitment to producing the healthiest kittens possible.

Blood typing is an important part of responsible breeding and helps ensure informed and compatible breeding decisions are made.

Knowing a cats blood type helps reduce the risk of Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI), a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that can occur when kittens inherit an incompatible blood type from their parents. Responsible breeders should carefully consider blood type compatibility when planning a mating to help prevent this condition.

All of our breeding cats are feline blood typed (Type A) before being included in our breeding programme as part of our commitment to responsible breeding, kitten welfare and the long-term health of the Ragdoll breed.

Although the vast majority of Ragdolls are Blood Type A, we believe blood typing should never be overlooked. We choose to include it as part of our comprehensive health testing programme because responsible breeding is about taking every reasonable step to protect the health and welfare of future generations.

The health and welfare of our cats and kittens will always be one of our highest priorities.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) are contagious viral diseases that can compromise a cats immune system, increasing their susceptibility to infection and other serious health conditions.

Our breeding cats are routinely tested and monitored to ensure they remain negative for both FIV and FeLV. Together with excellent biosecurity, regular veterinary care and responsible management, helps us maintain a healthy breeding programme while protecting both our adult cats and the kittens raised within our home.

By maintaining a closed, routinely monitored breeding programme, we strive to provide the safest possible environment for every CloudNine Ragdoll Kitten and offer additional reassurance to the families who welcome them into their homes.

Absolutely. We believe transparency is an essential part of responsible breeding and are always happy to discuss the health testing carried out within our breeding programme.

Copies of our breeding cats' DNA test results, and other relevant health documentation are available for prospective families to view during their visit.

We encourage all prospective families to ask breeders about health testing and to request evidence of any testing that has been carried out before making the decision to welcome a kitten into their home.