Inherited health problems in American Curl cats. Infographic.

I am grateful to the International Cat Care (ICC) website for this information as I could not rely, in this instance, on ChatGPT an AI chatbot as I felt that its information was muddled. This may be because certain inherited disease can affect all domestic cats, non-purebred and purebred alike such as HCM. Also, the American Curl has ears that curl backwards; almost the opposite to the Scottish Fold where the ear flaps fold forwards. Both are due to a change in the structure of the cartilage as the ear flaps are made of cartilage.

It is known that the Scottish Fold can suffer from severe and painful joint problems as the cartilage defect also affects the joints. We are currently unsure according to the ICC website if something similar occurs in the American Curl but it seems highly unlikely as breeders and the cat fancy would have discovered this by now as the cats would demonstrate that they were in pain which would affect their gait. Bing’s Copilot, another AI bot, provided a better response

That introduction said, it appears that, at this time, the American Curl is predisposed to inheriting a single disease: Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). The infographic below covers the above points.

Also, ICC mentions that anecdotally some breeders say that the ear flaps are brittle and that the ear canal is reduced in diameter. This latter problem might lead to ear wax problems as ear was normally and naturally migrates to the outside. A narrower canal might prevent this. A vet check-up would be the sensible course of action. This would apply to all cat breeds in fact. There is a greater need for veterinary involvement with purebred cats as inbreeding in general makes them more susceptible to inherited diseases and health care demands.

The American Curl, though, is a breed that is relatively free of inherited diseases. When you see the cat at cat shows you see a regular non-purebred cat in effect but with ear flaps that curl backwards. The cat is basically a healthy moggie with funny ears. Breeders won’t forgive me for saying that 😱💖.

More: American Curl, one of the healthiest cat breeds