Dermatological conditions

Congenital hypotrichosis (reduced amount of hair) (*)

Hypotrichosis means a lack of hair. In some cases it is believed to be inherited as a monogenic recessive trait. For this breed the coat is always fine but some cats have significantly less hair and these are described as hypotricotic.

Musculoskeletal conditions

Umbilical hernia - see general section click here...

An umbilical hernia occurs when there is a defect in the abdominal wall in the area of the umbilicus. Because of this defect part of the intestine or other abdominal organs can protrude through the abdominal wall, with the protrusion being covered with skin and subcutaneous tissue. In severe cases, much of the abdominal wall may be absent, and the animal’s intestines may be seen outside of its body. A report from 1997 stated that the incidence of umbilical hernia in a family of Cornish rex cats approximated monogenic proportions, and the defect was probably a polygenic threshold character, possibly involving a major gene whose expression was mediated by the genetic (breed) background. However, there are no more recent reports, and it is important to remember that umbilical hernias can be seen commonly in all breeds of cat where they can result from problems with management (e.g. excessive tension of the umbilicus when an overzealous carer tries to cut it), conformation (e.g. excessive tension on the umbilicus when a queen with poor jaw formation tries to chew through it, something which is seen most commonly in brachycephalic breeds), or teratogenic exposure (exposure of the pregnant queen to a toxic substance e.g. methotrexate).

Robinson R (1977) Genetic aspects of ubilical hernia incidence in cats and dogs. Veterinary Record 100, 9 – 10. 

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

A familial incidence of HCM has been hypothesised and anecdotally reported in both Cornish and Devon Rex Breeds. However, to the authors knowledge there are no reports within the scientific literature, and as yet, no defects have not been identified in the Rex. 

See Screening scheme info on www.fabcats.org/hcm

Inherited Heart Disease in the Cat.  Tufts' Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference, 2003 Kathryn M. Meurs, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Cardiology)