Australian Mist — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiencycan shorten life or cause chronic pain
The same inherited haemolytic anaemia documented in the Abyssinian is also listed by UC Davis as appropriate for testing in the Australian Mist, consistent with the breed's foundation stock (roughly one quarter Abyssinian ancestry).
Ask to see: UC Davis VGL PK deficiency DNA test result, on both parents
UC Davis VGL — PK deficiency test (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pk-deficiency-cat)
Burmese head defectcan shorten life or cause chronic pain
A fatal skull and facial malformation traced to the Burmese side of the breed's ancestry (the Australian Mist was founded on roughly half Burmese stock). A cat with two copies of the mutation is stillborn or requires euthanasia; a single copy causes no defect but can shorten the face.
Ask to see: UC Davis VGL Burmese head defect (ALX1) DNA test result, on both parents
UC Davis VGL — Burmese head defect test (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/burmese-head-defect)
Burmese hypokalemia
An inherited episodic muscle weakness, also traced to the breed's Burmese ancestry, that causes some cats to have trouble walking or holding their head up during a flare. It is manageable with dietary potassium supplementation and is not usually fatal.
Ask to see: UC Davis VGL Burmese hypokalemia (WNK4) DNA test result, on both parents
UC Davis VGL — Burmese hypokalemia test (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/burmese-hypokalemia)