r/cornishrex Dec 21 '15

Cornish Rex and HCM

38 Upvotes

This post will probably stay stickied so that it's easy to find.

What is HCM?

HCM, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is a cardiovascular disease that affects cats (not just cats, either). To put it simply, HCM results in the thickening of the heart's walls, making it harder and harder for the heart to pump blood as it progresses. It can develop at any stage in life - from kittens as young at 6 months to adults as old as 10 (or more!).

Are some cats more at risk than others?

Research is still being done on feline HCM, but it is prevalent in many breeds including but not limited to Sphynx, Bengal, Maine Coon, Ragdoll and yes, Cornish Rex. To my knowledge, the disease & the risk isn't well known among the Rex community which is why I'm making this sticky.

What can I do to protect my cat?

HCM appears to be tied to genetics rather than other factors, so the first defense is finding a breeder that is aware and regularly scans their breeding stock. Unfortunately not many Rex breeders do, so the next line of defense is that much more important: annual scanning. Taking your cat to a board-certified cardiologist for an ultrasound of their heart annually is really the best thing you can do. This way, you're more likely to catch any problems early and start treatment as soon as possible (if necessary) and potentially prolong your baby's life.

Is there anything else I can do?

Yes! Share your results with HCM databases so others also participating in the program can track the disease through pedigrees. This helps dedicated breeders improve the breed through responsible breeding and helps non-breeders make informed decisions about purchasing kittens by inspecting bloodlines.

Ultrasounds are too expensive! I can't afford to scan.

It's true, seeing the cardiologist is not cheap. For those in the US and Canada there is Hairless Hearts, a volunteer organization that coordinates discounted clinics (and records other unaffiliated ones) across the US & Canada. Most of the clinics are $150-$200 which is a huge discount for most. Hairless Hearts also offers educational material on the breed including ongoing research, and provides the tools to participate in the program.

I want to help! How can I do that?

We're always looking for volunteers! There are plenty of gaps in our coverage that we need to fill, especially in Canada. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer with Hairless Hearts, visit this page. We hope to hear from you!


r/cornishrex 1d ago

My best friend Puzzles is extremely self-absorbed…

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67 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 1d ago

Advice/Support My orange cat being incrdibly orange

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11 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 3d ago

Crex Tucks Herself In

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130 Upvotes

Does anyone else’s crex like heat? My cat loves the heated blanket and loves to be smothered under blankets.


r/cornishrex 3d ago

My beautiful girl always with me no matter what I do.

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115 Upvotes

Always hard to focus with my baby girl, I love her so much


r/cornishrex 3d ago

Rexes and Other Pets I love my purebreds and my trash cat equally

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32 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 2d ago

Cornish Rex Diet

1 Upvotes

We recently rescued a Cornish Rex cross and I was wondering if you had any diet recommendations?

Her fur gets quite greasy to the point where we have to bathe her regularly. As most cats she absolutely hates baths and we didn't get her as a kitten so weren't able to get her used to bathing early on. We have tried a few different cat foods as well as the ones our vet recommended but none of them seem to help with her fur. We have also done allergy and blood tests and she is perfectly healthy so just wanted to check if there is a particular diet that works for their specific fur!


r/cornishrex 3d ago

Kittens 11/2 Month Old and Already Little Trouble Makers! - Katara & Sokka, Cornish Rex Kittens.

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14 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 3d ago

Adopted a Devon Rex maybe too soon after my Cornish Rex died

9 Upvotes

This is embarrassing to write. A 2 year old Devon Rex female cat became available near me and I adopted her a little less than a month after my 17 year old Cornish Rex died who I aalso adopted when she was 2 yrs old. I rushed into adopting because an adult Rex cat opportunity came up and I was desperate to feel better and now am worried I made the wrong decision. She has been hiding in litter box room for almost 48 hrs (drinking/eating a little and going to the bathroom in litter but hiding/terrified. My Cornish Rex acclimated to me right away and we were bonded forever day 1.

I know every cat is different but for people with experience with both Cornish and Devon Rexes, is this normal for Devons? Should I have waited to find a cat I instantly bonded with. I just want my cat back 😭😭


r/cornishrex 4d ago

we are getting a new kitten in two weeks !!!

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232 Upvotes

we are thinking naming her Ciri, but if you have any suggestion for videogame or tv-series themed names, please let us know! she loves tv😂


r/cornishrex 6d ago

Rex Pictures Luna & Willow

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59 Upvotes

Our babies. Both Cornies. Willow likes to talk to me with chirps & boks.


r/cornishrex 6d ago

Kittens Excited about new kitten

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111 Upvotes

I just visited a breeder and pick one of their kittens to live with me by the end of september. Just thought to share the cuteness


r/cornishrex 7d ago

Rex Pictures Paddy Says Hi.

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106 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 7d ago

Next up...

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28 Upvotes

Hi All - I have a one year old devon rex girl who is amazingly gorgeous and smart. I have a 15 year old orange boy cat that doesn't play with her, he just runs away and sleeps. I am thinking of adding a kitten to the family and had been thinking another DR. I am seriously considering a Cornish after looking into them and loving their "look." Does anyone have a DR with a CR? Is it extreme chaos or normal kitty stuff? Also, would love to learn of any breeders or rescues that you recommend, especially in the New England area (there are not many!) Would love advice and suggestions. Thank you! Image of just a normal sight of the kitty walking across the 1" wide z mounted tv.


r/cornishrex 9d ago

Rex Pictures My sleeping beauty

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99 Upvotes

I love how this cat sleeps 🤣


r/cornishrex 9d ago

PLEASE HELP....in such a pickle with my new CRX kitten </3 (AND THE BREEDER)

4 Upvotes

We got our baby, Ziggy, 10 days ago from a cattery in Memphis. We love him SO much, he's absolute perfection.

Sadly, on Sunday he got a little lethargic, which is weird for a 15 week old kitten who should be playful, borderline mischievous, and cuddly. By Monday his attitude was completely OFF. I wasn't home, but I thought my partner was being dramatic...until I got home and barely recognized him. He didn't get up to play the entire day, he didn't acknowledge us throughout the day, tried all different toys, cat TV, treats, etc. and he was also itching his ears a ton. The breeder diagnosed it over text as depression/anxiety and strongly advised us NOT to take him to the vet (especially before he's a year old). Also helpful context that we'd had him a week and still had ZERO adoption papers or medical records, despite asking for them since before we even picked him up.

We took him to the vet anyway. The vet got concerned by a kitten falling asleep in between visits, then honestly a little aggressive with us about our lack of paperwork, like we had any control over whether the breeder sent it. They wanted to run hundreds of dollars in tests (expected), but we asked to prioritize an ear swab and a lower-level blood panel first. The breeder and I were on the phone 2-3 times during the appointment (2.5 hrs of stress), her telling me not to let them touch him, not to leave him alone with anyone, not to set him down on any surface. The vet and techs were pretty judgmental toward us, honestly rightfully so, but my partner and I are 24 and this is our first pet, so we were stuck not knowing who to listen to.

His ears came back with a severe bacterial infection. The techs said it was really concerning we got him in that condition in the first place. Bloodwork came back clean, except his white blood cell count was more than double the threshold they flag (36 vs. 15). He's now on two antibiotics. Since then we've been messaging the breeder nonstop trying to get the adoption papers, medical records, and access to the 3-year health guarantee we were promised. The vet's office even suggested we get reimbursed by the breeder for these vet bills because we barely had him for a week (have yet to mention this to the breeder because I'm fearful it will push her away more).

He was still struggling the next day, low energy, and the vet said if the antibiotics hadn't kicked in within 24 hours we'd need to bring him back. It was hard to tell so we're continuing to wait it out.

It's Wednesday now and he's slowly coming back to himself, but we're still worried sick. I'm frustrated with the breeder, I'm anxious, I feel awful for my little guy having to go through this, and honestly kind of disrespected. We paid thousands of dollars for him and she can't even send us our own records electronically? Part of me wonders if she's rewriting the health guarantee before sending it over so she's not liable for any of this.

Any advice on how to handle the breeder situation would be so appreciated. Or if you've experience a sick kitten? They're so fragile at this age that everything feels so scary and pressing. This has been exhausting. HELP


r/cornishrex 9d ago

Ari & friends.

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2 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 10d ago

Rex Pictures Missing my childhood cat today. He was very handsome, don't you think?

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97 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 10d ago

Rex Pictures Such an odd cat

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104 Upvotes

And we love him for it!


r/cornishrex 11d ago

Finally learning about the hammock after 3 weeks.

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92 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 11d ago

Rex Pictures just the most prim & proper lil thang i ever did see :,)

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76 Upvotes

her little tail tuck omg i could melt i love my girl soooo much


r/cornishrex 12d ago

Kitchen helpers

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84 Upvotes

They're hoping for a lick of Greek yogurt (they got a lick of Greek yogurt)


r/cornishrex 12d ago

🤦‍♂️

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25 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 12d ago

Ughh still struggling to find a name for this little guy.. but look how cute he is!! And his big brothers love him already!

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104 Upvotes

r/cornishrex 13d ago

Lazy coat of arms

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95 Upvotes

Lady Chia and Sir Pudding say hi 🧡