Highlander — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Progressive retinal atrophy (rdAc / CEP290)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A recessive CEP290 mutation causes late-onset, progressive blindness, usually starting around seven months of age and reaching blindness by three to five years. First characterised in the Abyssinian and Somali; UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory's test page states the variant has also been detected directly in the Highlander.
Ask to see: PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test on both parents
UC Davis VGL — PRA rdAc (Abyssinian), breed list includes Highlander (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pra-rdac)
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-b, Bengal-type)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A separate, Bengal-derived recessive mutation causes photoreceptor loss from around seven weeks of age, leading to substantially compromised vision by about two years old. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists Highlander directly among the breeds this test applies to, alongside Bengal, Savannah and Toyger.
Ask to see: PRA-b (Bengal-type progressive retinal atrophy) DNA test on both parents
UC Davis VGL — PRA-b (Bengal), breed list includes Highlander (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pra-bengal)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, Ragdoll-type mutation)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A specific mutation in the cardiac gene MYBPC3 (R820W), first identified in the Ragdoll, thickens the heart muscle; cats with two copies are at high risk of severe disease and early cardiac death, usually between one and two years old. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory states this variant has also been detected in the Highlander (as well as the American Bobtail Longhair and Munchkin).
Ask to see: Ragdoll-type HCM (MYBPC3 R820W) DNA test on both parents
UC Davis VGL — HCM in Ragdolls, breed list includes Highlander (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/ragdoll-hcm)