The Singapura screen is 2 swabs and 3 checks: PK and PRA DNA tests, a dilated eye exam, a CBC, and a baseline echo at 12 months. Budget 400 to 600 dollars for the first visit and 200 to 350 dollars a year after that. The gap is the breed's hereditary myopathy, which has no commercial test and changes how the cat is handled under anesthesia.
4 risks, sorted by what a test can prove
PK deficiency has a clean answer: a recessive PKLR variant, so 2 carriers can produce an affected kitten that looks normal at birth. PRA is a retinal degeneration that starts in dim light, and a validated DNA test covers some forms but not all, so the eye exam stays in the plan. The myopathy is diagnosed by exam, creatine kinase (CK) and sometimes a muscle biopsy. Litters of 2 to 3 kittens are not a disease, but they make breeder records the scarce item.
The 12 month baseline, 4 items in 1 visit
Ask for 4 things: an echo, a CBC with reticulocytes, a urinalysis with specific gravity, and a dilated fundus exam. The echo takes 20 to 30 minutes and reports wall thickness, where under 5.0 mm is normal, plus the left atrium to aorta ratio, where 1.5 is the ceiling; the same logic is set out in the Maine Coon heart screen. The CBC costs 60 to 120 dollars and is the cheapest way to catch a falling red cell count. The urinalysis costs 40 to 90 dollars and catches dilute urine early. The eye exam costs 90 to 180 dollars and takes 2 to 5 minutes.
The calendar by age
| Age | What to run | Interval (months) | Cost USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | PK and PRA swabs on both parents | 6 | 90 |
| 12 months | echo, CBC, urinalysis, dilated eye exam | 12 | 520 |
| 24 months | CBC, urinalysis, eye exam, CK | 12 | 300 |
| 3 to 6 years | CBC and eye exam yearly, echo every 24 months | 12 | 260 |
| 7 years and up | add blood pressure and UPC to the yearly panel | 12 | 340 |
One item is missing on purpose: radiographs. A cat with no lameness and no pain on palpation gains nothing from a hip or spine film, so that 150 to 300 dollars is better spent on blood. Book an X-ray if a limp lasts past 10 days, or before anesthesia in a cat over 10 years.
PRA: what the eye exam catches
Degeneration starts at the edge of the visual field and moves inward, so a cat in a familiar room hides it for months. The first sign is usually hesitation on the stairs after dusk. The report should state whether the tapetal reflex is dull and the vessels thin. If the exam is equivocal, an electroretinogram (ERG) gives a functional answer in about 30 minutes under sedation for 250 to 450 dollars. Repeat the exam every 12 months from age 1, and every 6 months after any change is recorded. The house is the treatment: lights on timers, furniture left where it is, a litter box on every floor.
PK deficiency: 2 numbers on a panel
An affected cat destroys red cells faster than the marrow replaces them, so the panel shows a hematocrit under the reference range and a reticulocyte count that is high for the degree of anemia, with bilirubin mildly up. The swab confirms it, 60 to 120 dollars, results in 10 to 21 days. Test once as a kitten or at purchase, and do not retest a carrier every year; test its kittens instead. A confirmed cat gets a CBC every 6 to 12 months, a line in the anesthesia file, and a drug list agreed with the vet. Steroids and other prescription drugs belong to the veterinarian, by prescription only; human painkillers are on the toxicity list for a reason.
The myopathy: no swab, so the exam carries it
Affected cats tire after 5 to 10 minutes of play, carry the head low, and move with a short stiff stride that reads as laziness. Screen with 3 things: a 15 minute neurologic exam, a CK level, and 2 days of video of the cat walking and jumping at home. A cat can hold composure for 90 seconds in a clinic. Add CK at the 24 month visit, and any time the cat is quieter than usual for 2 weeks.
4 signals you can check at home
Dusk behaviour: compare the route across the room 30 minutes after sunset with the noon route. Gum colour: photograph the inside of the lip weekly in daylight, since pale pink to white is the fastest visible sign of anemia. Play tolerance: note whether 10 minutes ends in walking away or lying down. Water and clumps: above 45 ml per kg per day, or clumps that double in 4 weeks, both go in a weight and water log.
Call within these hours
| What you see | Call within | Why the clock matters |
|---|---|---|
| Gums white or grey, cat collapsed | 0 to 1 hour | severe anemia needs oxygen and blood work now |
| Yellow gums, ears or sclera | 6 to 12 hours | red cell breakdown, needs a CBC the same day |
| Open-mouth breathing at rest | 0 to 1 hour | fluid in the lungs or a failing heart |
| Collapse or heavy panting after 5 minutes of play | 1 to 2 hours | anemia or a weak muscle load on the heart |
| No food for 24 hours plus hiding | 24 hours | fatty liver risk after 48 to 72 hours |
What a 2 to 3 kitten litter changes
Wait times of 6 to 12 months are normal, and the wait is leverage. Ask for both parents' swab results in writing, the dam's age at mating, where 2 years is the usual floor, and how many litters she has had in 24 months. A breeder who tests both parents can say before pickup whether the kitten is clear, carrier or affected. Register the chip and the insurance in the same week, because hereditary cover is often excluded after the first 12 to 24 months.
5 steps for this month
- Get both parents' PK and PRA swab results in writing before paying a deposit.
- Book the 12 month visit: echo, CBC, urinalysis, dilated eye exam, 400 to 600 dollars.
- Photograph the gums in daylight weekly, so pale has a comparison.
- Film 2 minutes of walking and 1 jump for the next exam.
- Set the 24 month CBC and CK now, and file the result with the anesthesia notes.
None of this treats anything. The swab says what the cat inherited, the eye exam says what the retina is doing this year, and the CBC says whether the marrow is keeping up. For a breed this rare, 1 documented baseline beats 5 opinions.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
Is there a DNA test for the Singapura myopathy?
No widely available commercial test covers it, so the screen is a clinical one: a 15 minute neurologic and orthopedic exam, a creatine kinase level, and video of the cat walking and jumping at home. That matters because a cat can look composed for 90 seconds in a clinic and still tire after 5 to 10 minutes of play, which is the pattern owners notice first.
How often should the eyes be checked?
Once at 12 months with a dilated fundus exam, then every 12 months, and every 6 months once any change is recorded. If the exam is equivocal, an electroretinogram under sedation gives a functional answer in about 30 minutes for 250 to 450 dollars. Between visits, watch dusk behaviour on stairs, since retinal change starts at the edges of the visual field.
What do the first-year screening costs add up to?
Plan on 400 to 600 dollars for the 12 month visit: an echo at 220 to 450 dollars, a CBC at 60 to 120 dollars, a urinalysis at 40 to 90 dollars, and a dilated eye exam at 90 to 180 dollars, which often lands nearer 520 dollars together. The parent swabs cost 60 to 120 dollars each, and the annual cycle after that runs 200 to 350 dollars.