Thread: Tangaloor warning

Just a warning really. Nice enough people but my Maine Coon from Tangaloor, nr Gainsborough, died of HCM aged 3. The breeders denied any knowledge of HCM in any of their breeding cats and told me mine was the first cat theyve ever bred to die from it.

The website has stated for the past 6 years that they are testing, but no update or results have ever been posted. I would never trust them, or buy a kitten from these people again.

Sorry for a negative post here but I wouldnt wish what we went through on anyone.

I have one of their Kittens, he was 1 in May, and am supposed to be going on saturday with a view to getting another one. can you tell me the names of the parents of the cat you had from them please? if the parents are the same as the one i have i really dont want to risk having another one (im looking at the sister of the one i already have). I am so sorry for your loss, I know i would be devastated if this happened to mine. I look forward to hearing from you

Thankyou, It was horrendous. My boy was born in 2001. His sire was Jasper, and I think his mother was either Gypsy or Nina, either way I assume they are all now retired from breeding. However since offspring of theirs will still be used as breeding cats I would suggest you ask to see the results of HCM testing for both parents of any prospective kittens. Whilst you're there I would ask about the parents HCM testing of the kitten you already have, If they cant reassure you with genetic testing then I would take your 1 yr old for a thorough health check by your vet, maybe a heart scan to detect any problems early on when the medication is more effective. I dont want to scare you, more than likely your cat will be fine but its better to be safe.


If Tara isnt testing her cats, then steer clear. Having been told by me all those years ago that her kittens carry the HCM gene then I would have hoped she would be testing by now. If not, we have to ask ourselves why?

What are the parents of your cat and possibly cats? I really do hope you get some reassurance on Saturday.

i've just got out his pedigree and sure as hell there is one with Jasper in its name that is showing as great great great grandad on his mothers side! mother Crystal, father Riley. There is no mention in any of the paperwork of HCM. I didnt get him from Tara, his previous owner sold him to me and I called her straight away to let her know that I have him and gave her all my details. i've had him 3-4 months and want another one so he has someone his own size to play with. It seemed to make sense to call her first as I already have one of her kitties, and she told me she still has his sister. It was only today I called her.

I have looked on the HCM Negative Register and there is no mention of her or her cats so I'm thinking they are possibly not being tested? I dont know much about it to be honest, but i need to try and find out because its a lot of money to spend if there is a chance of her having this. I dont think i would cope with the heartache!! my boy has taken over my entire world in the last few months - who knew a cat could do that? lol. I will defiinately be asking her about it when I go.

I just found this on her website "We are at present testing our breeding cats for HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). not sure why its not showing her cats on the register? or is this just for cats tested at the feline advisory bureau? As i said, i dont know very much about it

Yes its said that on the website for 6 years

I have no knowledge of the register or what it means if you aren't on it im afraid. The best you can do is ask to see the test results...if there arent any as i said before i wouldnt bother personally but thats just me.

What reason did the previous owner give to you for rehoming the kitty? I have had a look on the site and noticed that Riley and Jasper (Kititas Tangle Awjasper) are bred by the same lady (kititas). No sign of crystal on the website anymore.

MC's do definitely take over! I thought I could never bear to have another after what happened, but I'm hopefully picking up my new boy this weekend. (He is 2 years old and his parents have been tested )

My advice to anyone getting a MC is to get them insured! My mum spent nr £2000 in vets fees, then we lost him anyway. Its not all about money but its a big factor!

Hi,

I'm so sorry for your loss. If the sire to your Maine Coon was Kititas Tangle Awjasper (Kititas Tangle Awjasper) - well, the Coonyham lines are a well-known source of HCM. The possible dam Gypsy (Tangaloor Kalua-http://www.pawpeds.com/db/?a=p&id=253278&g=4&p=mco&o=substring) has Coonyham as well.

Maine Coons commonly develop HCM when they are mature adults, so negative echocardiogram results at ages 2-3, etc., do not insure that a breeding cat is HCM free. There is a DNA test available now for one HCM-causing genetic defect, however we know there are other defects that cause HCM as well, since many Maine Coons with HCM do not carry the known defect. In purchasing a Maine Coon, it is best to be very careful about ancestry, avoid DNA-positive cats, and insist on a multi-year history of serial negative echocardiograms.

Ellie

Wow very interesting to know, thankyou! It was indeed Kititas Tangle Awjasper that sired my first baby, I now know to avoid Coonyham descendents in future. luckily theres no sign of any of them in my new boys pedigree so thats a bit more peace of mind. Theres never going to be a guarantee that any cat will live a long healthy life but the right knowledge and precautions go a very long way! x

I have a Coonyham descendant in my crowd & very pleased to say he gene tested HCM negative,only done them as a matter of interest but....!

Hi Folks, following this with interest....the FAB Register is for breeders/owners who have their test swabs taken by a vet and sent in to Langfords for testing. Due to the extra cost of paying for your vet to take the swab and then the DNA test, a lot of breeders send the swabs direct to save on additional vet fees. You still receive a certificate of testing from Langfords but do not go on the FAB register. All our cats are tested Negative for 3 generations and we retain all certificates and provide copies for new owners as do some other breeders. A common misconception with HCM though, is that it can be a secondary sympton to Hyper Thyroidism and is often mis-diagnosed due to the expense of veterinary testing. As Ellie said earlier, the line history is equally important, as cats with 1 gene can still live a full healthy life unlike a cat with 2 positive genes. Although reputable breeders do test, it can cost over £400 per breeding cat to test for HCM, FIV, FeLV, SMA, PKD and HCM Doppler. This is why some breeders claim to test but don't, and others do irrespective of the cost, as their cats are still their own pets as well as breeding cats. The above diseases are the main ones affecting Maine Coon/Cat lines at present, although HCM is the most prevalent due to insufficient testing by some breeders.

Regards Myke