In the past, we told you that, in addition to tellmeGen, you had Koko Genetics available for genetic analysis of dogs.
We are now pleased to introduce our genetic analyses for cats.
Alongside the 23 pairs of human chromosomes and the 39 pairs of dog chromosomes, the 19 pairs of cat chromosomes are now the focus of our science.
Studying a cat’s DNA (Felis catus) is not as recent as it might seem.
The first draft of a cat’s genome was obtained in 2007 from a four-year-old Abyssinian domestic cat named Cinnamon. It was the seventh sequenced mammal, following the human, chimpanzee, mouse, rat, dog, and cow.
In that battle, dogs beat cats.
Scientists managed to cover approximately 65% of the cat genome’s euchromatin. Euchromatin is the less compact part of chromatin (the structure that forms chromosomes), containing most genes and the most active regions of DNA.
This research was not purely altruistic. At the time, over 200 diseases in cats had already been identified as analogous to human pathologies. The project was part of a broader plan to investigate the genomes of animal species that could serve as models for human diseases.
The extensive veterinary literature on cats made them ideal for such studies. The same happened with dogs.
In 2014, Cinnamon’s genome was fully sequenced, along with two additional feline genomes: a Russian cat named Boris and a European wildcat named Sylvester.
This sequencing included up to 21,865 protein-coding genes.
A fun fact: the genetic similarity between domestic cats and their wild counterparts is much greater than that between dogs and wolves. Not too surprising, right?
The most ambitious project on cat DNA is 99 Lives. Taking advantage of the massive decrease in sequencing costs over the years, Dr. Leslie Lyons aims to study the genomes of over 100 domestic and wild cats.
Who better for this job than one of the world’s leading feline geneticists, who also worked on Cinnamon’s genome?
Many of her findings have been published in high-impact journals, identifying genetic variants related to both diseases and physical traits.
Dozens of volunteers have generously shared their cats’ genetic information to support the project.
Standing on the shoulders of these giants, Koko Genetics is now riding forward.
What do we offer your cats?
If you have taken the test yourself or had it done for a dog, you can expect something similar for your cat. If not, we can tell you that your results will be divided into three sections and offered in two models, following the structure of our other products.
In the Starter kit, you’ll find:
- Breeds. Cats closely resemble their wild ancestors. The popularity of creating new breeds is relatively recent. But there is enough genetic diversity for Koko Genetics to identify these unique genetic variations and determine your cat’s breed composition.
Plus, as a bonus, your cat’s family tree—showing the breeds of its closest ancestors.
- Physical traits. Cats are incredibly diverse in coat colors and patterns. The same goes for tail length, fur length, and many small details you may not have noticed—but their genetics will reveal them.
For those who want more, the Advanced kit includes:
Diseases. Like dogs, predicting diseases in cats is more challenging than in humans. This makes genetic testing for them significantly more complex than for people. That’s why, for cats, we focus only on monogenic diseases—to provide you with reliable and confirmed information. From a list of diseases, you’ll know whether your cat is healthy, a carrier, or affected by a specific condition.
Working with cats
If you’ve used our tellmeGen kit, you’ll have a general idea of the process and results we offer.
If you’ve used our Koko Genetics kit for dogs, you’ll have an even better idea of how it works.
Though instead of making sure your cat doesn’t eat the kit, you’ll need to watch out that they don’t knock it off the table!
The rest is the same—creating an account, registering your sample, shipping and returning the box, and finally, receiving your results via email.
Throughout the entire process, we’ll keep you updated on the status of your sample. Luckily, cats are not in a rush for anything, so you’ll only need to manage your own impatience.
You can always reach out to our Customer Support team if you have any questions or suggestions.
If your question is about which new animals we’ll add next and whether one of them will be the horned dragon, we still don’t have an answer.
For everything else—Koko Genetics genetic testing.
