Cat breeds compared: coats, traits and inherited health risks

By the MeowWise team · Last updated 8 October 2026

There is no single best cat breed, but there are big differences in coat care and, above all, in inherited health risks. Many pedigree breeds carry known genetic conditions, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, a heart disease) or polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and several have DNA tests. Use the table below to see which conditions to ask a breeder about before you choose a kitten.

Jump to: Mixed breed · Persian · Exotic Shorthair · British Shorthair · Maine Coon · Ragdoll · Siamese · Abyssinian · Bengal · Burmese · Scottish Fold · Sphynx · Norwegian Forest Cat · Siberian · Devon Rex · Questions to ask a breeder

Breed health checklist

Breed	Coat	What stands out	Inherited conditions to ask about
Domestic shorthair and longhair (mixed breed)	Any length, any color	Mixed ancestry, so looks and temperament vary from cat to cat.	No routine breed screening. UC Davis lists its PK deficiency test as appropriate for domestic shorthairs and longhairs. Ask your vet to check the heart and kidneys at routine visits.
Persian	Long and dense	Flat face in many lines; the long coat needs daily combing to prevent mats.	PKD1 (DNA test; commonly seen in Persians and cats with Persian ancestry). Cornell lists Persians among breeds where HCM is more prevalent.
Exotic Shorthair	Short and dense	Persian type face and body with a short coat.	PKD1 (UC Davis lists it among Persian derived breeds).
British Shorthair	Short and dense	Stocky build and round face.	PKD1 (Persian derived list). HCM is more prevalent in the breed (Cornell).
Maine Coon	Long and shaggy	One of the largest domestic breeds.	HCM, including a DNA test for the MYBPC3 A31P variant. Also PK deficiency and PKD1 tests.
Ragdoll	Semi long, pointed	Large cat with a pointed coat and blue eyes.	HCM, including a DNA test for the MYBPC3 R820W variant. Also PKD1 and PRA rdAc tests.
Siamese	Short, pointed	Slim build; darker color on the face, ears, legs and tail.	PRA rdAc, an inherited late onset blindness (DNA test).
Abyssinian	Short, ticked	Each hair has bands of color, giving a ticked look.	PRA rdAc (late onset blindness), PRA rdy (early onset blindness, also in Somalis) and PK deficiency (DNA tests).
Bengal	Short, spotted or marbled	Developed from crosses with the Asian leopard cat.	HCM is more prevalent (Cornell). PK deficiency and PRA rdAc tests.
Burmese	Short and glossy	Compact, muscular build.	Burmese hypokalemia, which causes episodes of muscle weakness, often in the neck (DNA test).
Scottish Fold	Short or long	Folded ears caused by a mutation that affects cartilage everywhere in the body.	Osteochondrodysplasia: painful bone and joint disease. Any cat with folded ears carries the mutation, and two copies cause more severe disease. International Cat Care considers breeding these cats unethical.
Sphynx	Hairless	Little or no coat, so needs a warm home.	HCM is more prevalent (Cornell). Burmese hypokalemia test is listed for the breed.
Norwegian Forest Cat	Long double coat	Large, sturdy cat built for a cold climate.	HCM is more prevalent (Cornell). PK deficiency test.
Siberian	Long and dense	Large, sturdy cat with a thick coat.	HCM is more prevalent (Cornell). PKD1 and PK deficiency tests.
Devon Rex	Short and wavy	Curly coat and large ears.	PKD1, Burmese hypokalemia and PRA rdAc tests are listed for the breed.

"Test listed for the breed" means the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory considers the variant relevant to that breed, not that every cat of the breed has it. Breed lists change as research grows, so ask your vet or the lab for the latest panel.

What the main conditions are

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

A thickening of the heart muscle. Cornell notes it is more prevalent in breeds including the Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, American Shorthair, Sphynx, Bengal, Chartreux, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian and Persian. DNA tests exist only for specific variants found in Maine Coons (A31P) and Ragdolls (R820W). A negative result for those variants does not mean a cat can never develop HCM, which is why some breeders also have their cats' hearts scanned.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD1)

Cysts form in both kidneys, often before 12 months of age, and can lead to kidney failure later in life. It is inherited in a dominant way, so one copy of the variant is enough to cause disease. UC Davis lists it for Persians and Persian derived breeds and several others.

Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency

An inherited anemia that can come and go, with signs such as lethargy, weakness, weight loss and jaundice. It is recessive: carriers are healthy but can pass it on.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)

Inherited degeneration of the retina. The rdAc form causes slowly progressive blindness in adult cats; the rare rdy form causes blindness in very young Abyssinian and Somali kittens.

Burmese hypokalemia

Episodes of low blood potassium that cause muscle weakness, most obvious in the neck, so affected cats may struggle to walk or hold their head up.

Scottish Fold osteochondrodysplasia

The same cartilage defect that folds the ears also affects bones and joints, leading to painful arthritis, a stiff gait, a thickened inflexible tail and difficulty jumping. There is no cure; vets manage the pain.

Questions to ask a breeder

Which DNA tests have both parents had, and can I see the results? For a recessive condition such as PK deficiency, look for parents that are N/N (clear) or a carrier bred only to a clear cat.
Have the parents had heart screening? Especially for breeds where HCM is more common. Ask what was done and when.
Can I meet the kitten with its mother? Seeing the mother and the home gives clues to health and early socialization (see kitten care).
What vaccinations, deworming and vet checks has the kitten had? Ask for written records.
Does the breed standard favor an extreme feature? Very flat faces and folded ears come with known health costs.

Pedigree or mixed breed?

A pedigree gives you a more predictable coat and look, plus access to DNA testing for known breed conditions. A mixed breed cat from a shelter or rescue is not guaranteed to be healthier, but it is less likely to carry the specific variants concentrated in a single breed. Whichever you choose, routine checkups matter more than the label: see how often a cat should see the vet.

Cat breed FAQ

Which cat breeds are prone to heart disease (HCM)?

Cornell Feline Health Center lists HCM as more prevalent in the Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, American Shorthair, Sphynx, Bengal, Chartreux, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian and Persian. DNA tests exist for specific variants in Maine Coons and Ragdolls, but a negative test does not rule out HCM.

Are Scottish Fold cats healthy?

No. The mutation that folds the ears also affects cartilage and bone, causing painful joint disease (osteochondrodysplasia) of varying severity in folded cats. International Cat Care considers it unethical to keep breeding them.

What does a cat DNA test result of N/N mean?

N/N means the cat did not inherit the tested variant from either parent, so it will not develop that specific condition and cannot pass it on. For a recessive condition such as PK deficiency, one copy (for example N/K) means a healthy carrier. For a dominant condition such as PKD1, one copy (N/P) means the cat is affected.

Do mixed breed cats need genetic testing?

Not routinely. Regular veterinary checkups, including listening to the heart and checking kidney health as cats age, are the main safeguard for mixed breed cats.

Sources

General education, not veterinary advice. If you are worried about your cat, contact your veterinarian; in an emergency, go to the nearest emergency vet.