Health Testing at Solstice Maine Coons
Health testing is an important part of the responsibility we accept when planning a litter. Maine Coons are a remarkable breed, and thoughtful breeding requires more than selecting cats for appearance, color, or pedigree alone.
At Solstice Maine Coons, we use multiple forms of health screening to gather meaningful information about the cats in our breeding program and to help us make informed breeding decisions. This includes DNA testing, cardiac echocardiograms, hip evaluations, and additional screening when appropriate.
We also believe families should be able to ask questions, review available records, and understand what each type of health screening can, and cannot, tell us.
What Health Testing Can and Cannot Tell Us
Health screening provides valuable information about a breeding cat’s genetics, cardiac health, structure, and other aspects of their health at the time testing is performed. It gives us additional information to consider when planning pairings and allows us to identify certain concerns that may not be apparent during a routine veterinary examination.
However, no health-testing protocol can guarantee that a cat or kitten will never develop a health condition. Genetic testing evaluates specific known variants, while imaging such as echocardiograms and radiographs evaluates a cat at a particular point in time.
Our commitment is to use meaningful screening, maintain transparent records, consult veterinary professionals, repeat testing when appropriate, and continue evolving our program as veterinary knowledge and screening options develop.
HEART HEALTH
Cardiac Screening & Echocardiograms
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, commonly called HCM, is an important health consideration in the Maine Coon breed. HCM causes abnormal thickening of the heart muscle and cannot be ruled out through DNA testing alone.
Our breeding cats receive cardiac echocardiograms as part of our ongoing health-screening program, with repeat screening generally performed every 12 to 18 months while they remain active in our breeding program.
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound examination of the heart that allows its structure and function to be evaluated at the time of screening. It can provide information that cannot be obtained from a DNA panel or routine physical examination alone.
We use cardiac imaging alongside genetic screening because the known Maine Coon HCM-associated genetic variant represents only one piece of a much larger cardiac health picture.
Why both DNA testing and an echocardiogram?
A negative result for a tested HCM-associated genetic variant does not mean a cat can never develop HCM. DNA screening and cardiac imaging provide different information, which is why we incorporate both into our health program.
GENETIC SCREENING
DNA Testing for Inherited Conditions
Our breeding cats undergo DNA testing for inherited variants relevant to the Maine Coon breed and our breeding program.
Our genetic screening includes testing for:
- SMA | Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- HCM | Maine Coon HCM-associated mutation
- PKDef | Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
- PKD | Polycystic Kidney Disease
Our breeding cats are clear for the tested variants listed above.
Genetic screening is an important tool, but DNA results should be interpreted for exactly what they represent: the specific genetic variants included in the test. For this reason, DNA screening does not replace cardiac imaging, hip evaluation, routine veterinary care, or other health screening.
STRUCTURE & MOBILITY
Hip Evaluation Through PawPeds
Maine Coons can be affected by hip dysplasia, a condition involving abnormal development of the hip joint. Because Maine Coons are a large, substantial breed, structural health is an important consideration within our breeding program.
Our breeding cats have hip radiographs performed and submitted to the PawPeds Hip Dysplasia Health Programme for independent evaluation and classification.
These evaluations give us additional information about the hip structure of the cats in our program and become part of the overall health picture we consider when making breeding decisions.
Individual hip-testing results are displayed on our queen and sire profiles, along with supporting documentation where appropriate.
PawPeds hip screening radiograph from the Solstice Maine Coons breeding program.
CONTINUING TO LEARN
Renal & Kidney Screening
Our health-testing program continues to evolve as we learn, consult with veterinary professionals, and evaluate additional screening tools available to us.
In 2026, Indigo completed a renal ultrasound in addition to her cardiac screening, with normal results. Beginning in 2027, we plan to incorporate renal ultrasound screening alongside updated cardiac echocardiograms for additional cats in our breeding program.
Renal ultrasound allows the kidneys to be evaluated structurally and provides information beyond screening for a specific inherited genetic variant. We view this as another opportunity to gather meaningful health information about our breeding cats and continue building upon our existing protocol.
REAL RESULTS. REAL RECORDS.
Health Records for Our Breeding Cats
ransparency means more to us than simply stating that our cats are “health tested.”
Each of our active queens and sires has health-testing information listed on their individual profile, including testing dates and results. Supporting documentation is also displayed where appropriate so families can see health information connected to the actual cats behind our litters.
We welcome questions from prospective Solstice families about our testing protocol, individual results, pedigrees, and the health history of the parents behind their kitten.
DOCUMENTATION MATTERS
Pedigree & Registration
Pedigree and registration records document a cat’s breed identity, ancestry, and lineage. Solstice Maine Coons is a registered cattery, and our breeding cats and kittens are registered with recognized feline registries, including TICA and CFA, as applicable.
For families welcoming a purebred Maine Coon, registration and pedigree information provide important context about the kitten’s ancestry and the cats behind each breeding.
Registration alone does not demonstrate the quality of a breeding program, nor does it replace appropriate health screening, veterinary care, thoughtful breeding decisions, or responsible kitten raising. We view pedigree documentation as one part of a larger commitment to transparency.
I would then add your exact kitten-registration process here once we decide how you want to word what they receive and when.
BUYER EDUCATION
Questions to Ask a Maine Coon Breeder
Choosing a breeder is an important decision, and prospective families should feel comfortable asking thoughtful questions before placing a deposit. Whether you are considering a Solstice kitten or speaking with another breeder, understanding the health testing, documentation, and practices behind a breeding program can help you make an informed decision.
QUESTIONS
- What health testing has been completed on the actual sire and dam of the litter?
- May I review their most recent cardiac, DNA, and hip-testing results?
- When were the parents’ most recent echocardiograms performed, and what were the results?
- Is health testing repeated as breeding cats age?
- What registry is used, and what registration documentation will my kitten receive?
- What health protection or guarantee is included in the contract?
- How are kittens raised and socialized before going home?
- What veterinary care do kittens receive before placement?
- What support is available after a kitten goes home?
- What happens if a family can no longer keep their cat?
A breeder should be able to explain not only what testing they perform, but also why they perform it and what the results mean. We are always happy to discuss our program and answer questions from families considering a Solstice Maine Coon.
THE SOLSTICE STANDARD
Health Is Only One Part of the Story
Health testing is an important foundation of our breeding program, but it is only one part of raising exceptional Maine Coons. Temperament, structure, genetic diversity, veterinary care, nutrition, socialization, and thoughtful placement all play a role in the decisions we make.
Our goal is not to promise perfection. It is to approach each breeding thoughtfully, use the information available to us, remain transparent with our families, and continually work toward producing healthy, well-adjusted Maine Coons we are proud to have carry the Solstice name.
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