Why it is risky to exclude recessive disease carriers too quickly from breeding

While Burmese cats are generally healthy, certain inherited conditions are known in the breed. Two recessive diseases in Burmese are GM2 gangliosidosis and hypokalemia (BHK). With the availability of DNA tests, breeders can identify carriers of these conditions. However, removing all carriers immediately from breeding programs may sound like the safest option but is, in fact, dangerous for the breed’s long-term health.

Understanding recessive inheritance

A recessive disease only appears when a cat inherits two copies of the mutation, one from the mother and one from the father. A cat with one copy is a carrier. Carriers are not sick and live completely normal lives. The only risk appears if two carriers are bred together, as 25% of their kittens, on average, could be affected.

Why immediate elimination is a problem

If breeders remove all carriers in the very first generation, the result is a dramatic reduction in genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is vital for the health of the breed: it helps protect against inbreeding depression, fertility problems, immune weakness and the accumulation of new harmful mutations. Losing entire lines of cats also means losing valuable traits, such as good type, temperament, fertility and robust health, that have been carefully built over decades.

A Balanced breeding strategy

Thanks to genetic testing, carriers can be used responsibly in breeding. When a carrier is bred to a clear (non-carrier), none of the kittens will be affected, though some may also be carriers. This approach allows breeders to safely preserve valuable genetic lines in the population. Over several generations, the number of carriers can then be gradually reduced in a controlled way, without sacrificing genetic diversity.

The Big picture

Carriers are not sick, and they should not be treated as a threat to the breed. The real danger lies in shrinking the gene pool too quickly. Responsible use of carriers ensures that no affected kittens are born while protecting the long-term health and sustainability of the Burmese breed.