Three problems drive every Pixie-Bob screening decision: a heart muscle disease that shows up on echo, a testicle that may never descend, and a uterus that can fill with cysts and then fail in labor. The plan is 3 checks in the first year, a 12-month loop after that, and a hard rule that a cat straining in labor for 20 minutes without a kitten goes to a vet. Evidence for the breed is limited and published rates are scarce, so the intervals below follow general feline practice and your cat's own trend.
Year 1: three checks, in this order
At 4 months, the vet palpates both testicles and records what is felt; at 6 months, the same exam is repeated, because descent can still happen up to 6 to 8 months. At 12 months, a cardiac ultrasound measures the interventricular septum and free wall and reports the left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao). A urinalysis at 12 months gives a baseline urine specific gravity (USG) and sediment. Dental and general bloodwork join the loop at 24 months. There is no validated DNA test for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in this breed, so echo is the screen; the gene test worth ordering is blood type, done once, because a transfusion decision later depends on it.
HCM: the numbers that set the interval
Septal thickness under 5.0 mm is normal, 5.0 to 5.9 mm means a recheck in 6 months, and 6.0 mm or more meets the usual definition of HCM. If LA/Ao climbs past 1.5 the next echo comes at 6 months instead of 12, and past 1.7 the cardiologist takes the plan over inside 7 days. The echo costs 280 to 420 dollars and takes 20 to 30 minutes. Ask for the measurements in writing and keep every report in 1 folder, because a wall that moves from 4.6 to 5.4 mm over 3 years matters more than any single scan. Most cardiologists screen at 12 months, then every 12 months to age 6, then every 6 to 12 months.
A testicle that has not arrived by 6 months
Palpate at 4 months and again at 6 months. If one side is empty, the next step is ultrasound of the inguinal canal and abdomen, with X-ray or CT if ultrasound cannot find it. A retained testicle does not descend after 8 months in practice, and it carries a higher tumor risk later, so removal is usually advised; the timing is decided by the vet, not by a calendar on the internet. Until then, check the scrotum once a month for size change and note any licking or a swelling that appears over weeks. A cat with 1 testicle should never be assumed to be sterile.
The uterus: cysts, then the labor clocks
Cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) is a disease of the lining that can progress to pyometra. In an intact queen, start uterine ultrasound at 24 months and repeat every 12 months, adding a check 4 to 8 weeks after any heat cycle that looked unusual. On the labor side, these are the clocks that decide a drive to the clinic: 12 hours of stage 1 (restlessness, nesting, no kitten), 20 to 30 minutes of strong straining with nothing produced, more than 2 to 4 hours between kittens, or green-black discharge before the first kitten. A kitten not delivered 30 minutes after the sac is visible is the same emergency.
The schedule in 2 currencies
| Age | Testicle exam | Echo | Urine | Cost USD | Cost CNY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 months | 1 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 612 |
| 6 months | 1, plus ultrasound if empty | 0 | 0 | 120 | 864 |
| 12 months | 1 | 1 | 1, USG and sediment | 430 | 3,096 |
| 24 months | 0 | 1 | 1, plus bloodwork | 520 | 3,744 |
| 3 to 6 years | 0 | 1 per year | 1 per year, uterus every 12 months | 480 | 3,456 |
| 7 years and up | 0 | 2 per year | 2 per year, plus blood pressure | 700 | 5,040 |
Two flags move the loop: a USG under 1.020 after 12 hours without water, and any LA/Ao reading above 1.5. Either one earns a recheck in 4 to 6 weeks, not 12 months.
Four signals to log at home
Weekly, 5 minutes: (1) sleeping respiratory rate, counted over 30 seconds while the cat is asleep and doubled; 30 breaths a minute or more on 2 days earns an echo. (2) One side of the scrotum empty, or a groin swelling that grows over 4 weeks. (3) Straining in the litter box for more than 2 minutes, or urine with visible blood. (4) For an intact queen: discharge, drinking more, a belly that looks pregnant without a mating date, or any of the labor clocks above. Write the date next to each entry; a single number is noise, a trend over 3 weeks is a decision.
When it cannot wait
| Window | What you see | Resp rate | Call within |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 hour | open-mouth breathing, collapse, blue gums | 60 or more | now, drive |
| 1 to 6 hours | no urine in 12 hours, or 20 minutes of hard straining | 40 to 60 | 6 hours |
| 6 to 12 hours | 2 hours between kittens, green discharge | 30 to 40 | 12 hours |
| 12 to 24 hours | fever, foul vulvar discharge, refusing food | 30 or more at rest | 24 hours |
| 24 to 72 hours | drinking more, weight down 200 g in a week | under 30 | 72 hours |
Drug categories that come up here, always by veterinary prescription and never from a shelf: diuretics for fluid on the lung, beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers for outflow obstruction, antibiotics for pyometra, and pain relief after surgery. A queen with a closed pyometra can go from dull to critical inside 24 hours, so a fever plus a distended abdomen is a same-day visit.
Five steps for this week
1) Count the sleeping respiratory rate tonight and write it down. 2) Book the 6-month testicle exam if it has not happened. 3) Put the 12-month echo in the calendar with a note to ask for measurements. 4) If the cat is intact and over 2 years, schedule the first uterine ultrasound. 5) Save the labor clocks on your phone. For a breed with a longer heart history, see the Turkish Van plan; for a breed screened mainly for kidneys and eyes, see the Tonkinese plan. The breed quiz shows which checks each breed needs.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
At what age should a Pixie-Bob have its first heart echo?
At 12 months, then every 12 months until age 6, then every 6 to 12 months. Septal thickness under 5.0 mm is normal, 5.0 to 5.9 mm means a recheck in 6 months, and 6.0 mm or more meets the usual definition of HCM. An LA/Ao above 1.5 shortens the interval to 6 months.
What happens if one testicle never descends?
Palpate at 4 and 6 months. If one side stays empty, ultrasound the inguinal canal and abdomen, with X-ray or CT if needed. A testicle retained past 8 months will not descend and carries higher tumor risk later, so removal is usually advised; the vet sets the timing.
When does labor become an emergency?
Call at 12 hours of stage 1 with no kitten, 20 to 30 minutes of strong straining with no result, more than 2 to 4 hours between kittens, or green-black discharge before the first kitten. A kitten not delivered 30 minutes after the sac appears is the same emergency.