I dont mean as far as the parents having health checks, I mean if you had a Pedigree healthy kitten and a healthy moggie kitten, which one would likely need more vet visits for illness? I have always had pedigree dogs that seem to have more things wrong with them than friends who have mongrels/mixed breed dogs,

It's all down to the breeders. A lot of problems that occur in breeds is because careful selection of the healthiest wasn't implemented. Particularly in dog breeding as there are lots of beginners breeding to try to make money - when a reputable breeder understands that there's little profit but they do it for the love of the breed.
There are problems which are breed specific so research needs to be carried out as to what can occur. With good breeding there is less hereditary health implications. Do your research on the breed and breeder first

In theory the moggy should be healthier and have a longer life-span, as they have a much wider gene-pool.

Not always the case though.

__________________
Adopted by:

Ginge - Abby guinea piggy
Bubbles - English crested piggy
Mackenzie - English crested piggy
Skit - Standard (but cute) piggy
Max - Ragdoll x cat
The Rainbow Fish
Rest in peace my lovely furfamily that are no longer with us.

Or turn the question around - are moggies as healthy as pure breds?

I think the answer is no-one really knows - for every tale you hear of a moggy living to their 20s there will be one about a ped - one Birman I believe got to 28!

With moggies it is almost impossible to health test as you don't know their genetic background and with peds you do know and so can test. Yes moggies can have a wider gene pool but . . . there is nothing stopping old tom with a flawed HCM gene passing this on to countless kittens, whereas it 'shouldn't' happen in the ped world - you just don't breed from those cats. A lot of moggies die on the road before they get to the age health issues would rear their ugly heads - so again who knows.

I should imagine that really it is about the same for both.

__________________
please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins and Selkirk Rex

dunno but i have 2 moggies aged 10 and 8 and they have never been to the vets for anything other than neutering and innoculations

And then there is the whole nature vs nurture dimension.

Overall there is a wider gene pool. In any given area it's more likely that one or two entire toms are impregnating all unspayed females - including their own offspring or other close relatives. The most heavily inbred populations are probably farm/barn cats. Inbreeding only leads to inherited problems if a defect or potential for one through carried recessive genes is present. Keeping a gene pool as varied as possible is still worthwhile even if you could guarantee perfect, healthy genes in a population for the sake of hybrid vigour and strong immune systems.

And yet my moggy boy was so poorly as a kitten and all my peds have had a great kittenhood!

INdeed, indeed!

YOu said it so well, I meant to say that but didn't get it out.

__________________
please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins and Selkirk Rex

i dont have a clue! i will say we had a persian he was around 13 when he passed away..no history of illness.

my mums moggy is now 18 and still going bless her heart!

__________________

We've always had moggies, our eldest living to 19, and they were very healthy, but many moggies are not given a very good start in life. They are often from unplanned litters, like Treacle, who's mum was very young, probably malnourished and living in an overcrowded house. I try very hard to make up for the rough start and lack of care he got when tiny, and just hope my love can give him a long and healthy life. There was an awful flea and tapeworm infestation at the overcrowded house, and he arrived with Calicivirus and a bowel infection... from a dirty, shared litter tray.... this can be the problem with moggies!

__________________

RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008