When considering a Birman kitten, you will hear breeders mention HCM, PKD, and PRA. But what do these actually mean, why do they matter, and how do you know if a breeder is genuinely testing for them?
HCM — Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. HCM is the most common heart disease in cats, and Birmans carry a known genetic variant that increases risk. It causes the heart muscle to thicken, reducing the ability to pump blood effectively. In severe cases it leads to heart failure. DNA testing identifies whether a cat carries the mutation. At CWPX Birman, Phoenix and all breeding partners are tested and confirmed clear before any pairing.
PKD — Polycystic Kidney Disease. PKD causes fluid-filled cysts to develop in the kidneys, progressively reducing kidney function. It is an autosomal dominant condition — one copy of the mutated gene causes disease. A DNA test can definitively confirm whether a cat is clear, a carrier, or affected. Ethical breeders only breed PKD-negative cats.
PRA — Progressive Retinal Atrophy. PRA causes gradual degeneration of the retina, eventually leading to blindness. Like PKD, it can be identified through DNA testing before any clinical signs appear — giving breeders the ability to eliminate it from their lines through responsible pairings.
Ask for actual test certificates, not verbal confirmation. Results from UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory are the gold standard. The certificate should show the cat registered name, microchip number, and a clear result for each condition. Our full results are at cwpxbirman.com/cattery/dna-health-testing/