Health Transparency at BearMary
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common feline heart condition. BearMary uses echocardiographic screening as part of our breeding decisions and publishes screening results so families can review dated evidence.
Screening does not eliminate HCM risk or guarantee a cat’s future health. It provides information about the heart at the time of examination and helps guide informed breeding decisions.
Our HCM Screening Approach
Cardiologist-Performed Echocardiograms
BearMary’s HCM echocardiographic examinations are performed and interpreted by veterinary cardiologists.
Repeat Screening
We aim to repeat echocardiographic screening approximately every two years, subject to veterinary cardiology availability.
Breeding Decisions
Cats with equivocal or abnormal HCM screening results are not continued in BearMary’s breeding program.
Transparent Results
BearMary publishes dated screening results so families can review the evidence directly.
What a Normal Result Means
Normal at the Time of Examination
A Normal result—reported as “No evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy”—means no evidence of HCM was identified at the time of that echocardiographic examination.
It does not mean:
- the cat is guaranteed never to develop HCM;
- the cat’s descendants are guaranteed never to develop HCM; or
- one examination replaces future monitoring.
A normal echocardiogram is a point-in-time finding, not a lifetime guarantee.
Why Echocardiography?
An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to evaluate the heart’s structure and function. It is the primary imaging test used to assess feline cardiomyopathy, while individual findings must be interpreted in the context of the complete examination.
For a plain-language explanation of common measurements and report terminology, see our Feline Echo Measurement Guide.
BearMary currently relies on echocardiographic screening rather than an HCM DNA test for this British Shorthair and British Longhair breeding program.
Known HCM-associated genetic tests are breed- and variant-specific, so genetic testing is not a universal substitute for echocardiography.
Veterinary references: Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell Cardiology, and the ACVIM consensus statement on feline cardiomyopathies.
View Published HCM Screening Results
BearMary publishes individual-cat HCM screening records so families can review each examination date and reported conclusion.
HCM Resource Hub
Our Cats’ HCM Screening Results
Review published individual-cat examination dates and result evidence.
Understanding HCM in Cats
Learn more about HCM, possible signs, diagnosis, and broader breed-risk context.
Feline Echo Measurement Guide
Understand common echocardiogram measurements and report terminology in plain language.
Common Questions
Does a normal echocardiogram mean a cat can never develop HCM?
No. A normal result means no evidence of HCM was identified at the time of that examination. It is not a lifetime guarantee.
How often does BearMary repeat HCM screening?
We aim to repeat echocardiographic screening approximately every two years, subject to veterinary cardiology availability.
Who performs the echocardiograms?
BearMary’s HCM echocardiographic examinations are performed and interpreted by veterinary cardiologists.
What happens if a screening result is equivocal or abnormal?
Cats with equivocal or abnormal HCM screening results are not continued in BearMary’s breeding program.