How To Tell What Breed My Cat Is
We will go over how to search for your cat’s breed on the internet. Your query will look something like this :
cat + torbie + bob tail + friendly + short legs + medium fur
Cats, in my opinion, are a little bit more challenging to identify than dog breeds. But, some traits that can help you determine what your cat is made of are:
- behavior
There’s a lot to go over, so let’s get started.
How To Identify Cat Body Types
As written by Michael Broad on Pictures-of-Cats.org, these are the common cat body types. Included are examples of breeds exhibiting these characteristics:
- The “Oriental” Type: Slender bodies, triangular heads, long appendages. These cats include: Cornish Rex, Siamese, Oriental Shorthair and Longhair.
- The “Foreign” Type: These cats have long, lean bodies, almond or oval eyes, and slim builds: Abyssinians, Japanese Bobtail, Russian Blues, Turkish Angoras.
- The “Semi-Foreign” Type: Middle-sized bodies, standard shape: American Curl, Devon Rex, Havana Brown, Munchkin, Sphynx, Showshoe.
- The “Semi-Cobby” Type: Thicker build, big-boned: American Shorthair, Bomba, British Shorthair, Scottish Fold.
- The “Cobby” Type: Described as short and compact, these breeds have round features and are muscular: Burmese, Persian, Himalayan.
- The “Substantial” Type: Large breeds with built body types. These breeds include: Maine Coon, Bengal, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ragdoll, Turkish Van.
How To Take The Test
The samples are collected from the cat’s hair and cheek cells collected from a cotton swab. The results are mailed in, and you receive a printed report.
Curious about checking out your cat’s DNA? Lookup BasePaws. Otherwise, your veterinarian is also another awesome resource for identifying the breeds in your cat. Happy searching!
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Tracing The Lineage Of Your Feline
Cat breeds were developed from random bred cats and most breeds are less than 100 years old. Random bred cats from around the world can be traced back to 8 geographic regions of origin: Western Europe, Egypt, East Mediterranean, Iran/Iraq, Arabian Sea, India, South Asia and East Asia. The Cat Ancestry test will determine if a cat descends from one or more of the 8 ancestral groups. Once the ancestral origin is determined, comparisons are done with 29 breeds of cats to determine if the cat has similarities to any of the reference breeds.
Cats are not like dogs. Dog breeds have a long history of development and selection for specific tasks such as herding, retrieving, and hunting. Today, most mixed dogs descend from crosses between different breeds. Wild cats were originally tamed to provide vermin control for human settlements. Cat breeds were more recently developed from these tamed, random-breeding cat populations. Cat breeds were selected more for their appearance than performance. Today, most mixed cats descend from crosses between random bred cats and not from crosses between breed cats.
The Cat Ancestry test traces the lineage of your cat and provides results for common physical traits of coat color, fur length, and coat type.
Note:
What To Watch For
An abnormal symptom in your pet could be just a minor or temporary issue, but it could also be the sign of serious illness or disease. Knowing when to seek veterinary help, and how urgently, is essential to taking care of your cat. Many diseases can cause cats to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your mixed breed cat needs help.
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How Many Different Breeds Can A Dna Kit Test For
Depending upon the cats genetic similarity, cats across the world can be categorized into four foundational breed groups. These breed groups include Persian, exotic, eastern, and western. These breed groups are further divided into key breeds such as ragdoll, Burmese, Himalayan, Egyptian Mau, etc.
Cat DNA tests such as the Basepaws test help you determine which of these breed groups your cat belongs to. Based on specific traits and personality quirks, the DNA test will also be able to tell you which breed your cat is most similar to within the breed groups.
That being said, the exact number of breeds that are tested depends upon which company you choose for your cats genetic testing.
How Do Cat Dna Tests Work
When it comes down to it, the process of testing your cats DNA is the same, no matter which test you choose. First, you can order a test from Amazon, Chewy, directly from the company, or from another online retailer.
Once your DNA test kit arrives, youll use the swab provided to take a sample of your cats DNA swabbing the inside of their cheek for a few seconds. Next, youll secure the cheek swab and send the DNA sample back to the company for testing.
With Basepaws, for example, youll return the sample to their Los Angeles laboratory, where theyll extract your cats DNA. After sequencing the DNA, theyll work on compiling a report to send to you with information about your cats genetic profile.
Basepaws test results are usually available within four to six weeks after your cats DNA sample arrives at the laboratory.
With Basepaws, Orivet, and Optimal Selection, youll be able to create and log in to your account and view your results online. Each company also provides updates as they receive new information or research.
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Not Sure Of Your Cats Breed
Luckily, its not essential to know your cats breed in order to properly care for them. Working with your vet by scheduling regular check-ups allows you to better understand your cats needs, whether they are related to temperament or bodily health. At Catonsville Cat Clinic, our veterinary specialists are here to provide quality, affordable healthcare for your feline friend. Whether you have a concern about your cats behavior or want to find out the best food to give your new pal, we can help. Give us a call today to learn more.
About The Abyssinian Cat
Abyssinians are highly intelligent and intensely inquisitive. They love to investigate and will leave no nook or cranny unexplored. Theyre sometimes referred to as Aby-grabbys because they tend to take things that grab their interest. The playful Aby loves to jump and climb. Keep a variety of toys on hand to keep her occupied, including puzzle toys that challenge her intelligence.
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Take Care Of Future Kitties
It is inevitable for genetic disease to pass down from one generation to another. If you are a cat breeder, you need to understand the health markers through cat DNA testing to take care of your future kittens. The health report of DNA tests will enable you to understand how much each of these genetic diseases will affect future generations and how you can prevent them, if possible.
Cat Dna Tests And Your Cats Breed
Unlike dog DNA tests, most of the cat DNA tests on the market do not provide information about your cats breed and ancestry.
As weve discussed, Basepaws is perhaps one of the only established companies that offers this capability. In addition to receiving information about your cats genetic health markers, your Basepaws results will contain:
- Breed analysis: Shows your cats chromosome pairs with regions of genomic similarity to different breed groups
- Wild cat index: Shows your cats genomic similarity to different wild cats
- Feline breeds: Gives more information about the different breeds that makeup your cats heritage and their personalities
So, why is it so difficult to tell if a cat is a Siamese compared to a Burmese or a Bengal?
In short, unlike dogs who have been bred for specific tasks for thousands of years cats have a much more muddled ancestry.
Most cat breeds are less than 100 years old and those that were bred were chosen randomly based on their appearance. Therefore, its difficult to pull breed information from a cats DNA when there isnt a clear and established ancestry in cats to begin with.
All of this isnt to say that you cant learn anything from Basepaws or a test that provides breed information its just not a perfect science.
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Breed Clues From Your Cats Behavior
Cats are all individuals, so although different breeds have different personality attributes, its not a reliable way to determine your cats breed. Even so, certain behaviors and personality types might make a particular breed more likely.
For instance, theres no mistaking the unique sound of a Siamese cats meow! Similarly, Ragdolls were given their name for good reason their tolerant temperament and cuddly nature make them great snuggle buddies.
How Does A Cat Dna Test Work
As soon as your kittys cheek swab sample arrives at the laboratory, we set to work on extracting the DNA and starting the discovery of what makes your cat special. Did you know that your cats DNA contains more than 20,000 genes? Whats more, theyre spelled out in a unique genetic code thats around 2,700,000,000 letters long. Basepaws uses state-of-the-art sequencing machines to read and record these letters. We then compile the results into a one-of-a-kind report packed full of valuable information about your cats unique genetic profile.
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S To Testing Your Cat’s Dna
Each genetic testing kit is quite different, with specific goals, options, and strengths. Therefore, they’re not listed in any particular order. Choose the best one for you and your domestic cat.
Basepaws is one of the larger companies that focuses on cat genetics. Their test covers everything – your cat’s health, breed, traits, and the wild cat index.
The test results feature a breed report that is more in-depth than much of the competition’s offerings. The Basepaws report covers the four major breed groups, including the key cat breeds that are found in each group.
With Basepaws’ cat health screening, their test results will tell you if your cat has one of 39 genetic mutations. These mutations are responsible for 17 common kitty conditions and diseases. This includes polycystic kidney disease , a potentially deadly condition found in an estimated 30% to 38% of Persians across the globe.
Key Features:
The Whole Genome Sequencing report by Basepaws delivers 10,000 times more raw data than any other DNA kit on the market.
All this data allows you to fully explore your feline’s genetics so you can find variants you may have missed otherwise.
The entirety of this information will be sent to you on a USB flash drive.
Key Features:
Key Features:
See A Cat But Dont Know Its Breed
Just take a quick picture or video of a cat with your Cat Scanner app you can identify a cats breed reliably in just a few seconds! Our integrated camera with Pinch To Zoom and Tap to Focus makes identifying cat breeds a walk in the park!Of course, the Cat Scanner app also supports uploading images from your gallery.
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Should You Test Your Cats Dna
Cat DNA testing is a new science and the technology is constantly evolving. So, if youre wondering: Is it worth it to test my cats DNA? You might turn to the internet for answers.
Although some of these cat DNA tests can be a little pricey, most of the online reviews are very positive. In addition, Basepaws has been featured in a number of publications with writers sharing their fun experiences with the tests.
Ultimately, even if you wont be able to find out with 100% certainty the different breeds that make up your cats ancestry, youll learn a little bit more about how feline DNA works and gain some new and interesting information about your favorite furry companion. And isnt that what being a cat owner is all about?
Domestic And Purebred Cat Differences
Most house cats are simply considered to be domestic short-haired, domestic medium-haired, or domestic long-haired cats and are not pure breeds. But that doesnt mean youll never come across a purebred cat or that your cat cant be a pure breed.
A purebred is defined by The Cat Fanciers Glossary as “a cat whose ancestors are all of the same breed, or whose ancestry includes crossbreeding that is allowed in the breed standard. For example, a purebred Bombay may also have Burmese cats in its background.” Generally, a cat’s pedigree must be certified by the cat breed registry before it can rightfully be called a purebred.
The American shorthair cat breed was originally called the domestic shorthair breed, but the name was changed to avoid confusion among cats with an unknown history, among other reasons. Lacking the necessary pedigree, a domestic shorthair cat cannot simply be referred to as an American shorthair cat, despite looking like one, unless the breeding history is known.
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Wisdom Panel Cat Test Kit
The Wisdom Health DNA test is yet another simple and easy cheek swab test. All you need to do is hold the swab against your cats cheek for at least 30 seconds to collect your cats DNA sample and then allow the swab to dry. You then send the DNA sample to Wisdom where they will perform laboratory analysis to understand the genetic makeup of your feline companion.
One of the main disadvantages of the Wisdom Health DNA test is that it is aimed mainly at breeders to analyze the extent of inbreeding in their cats. Further, the test only seems to work with purebred cats and does not work with mixed breeds. Much like the Basepaws cat DNA test, the Wisdom health DNA test is also unable to guarantee your cats breed.
However, despite these disadvantages, the Wisdom Health DNA health report is excellent for providing an extensive and comprehensive health breakdown of your cat. The Wisdom test helps you understand your cats genetic makeup and uncovers your cats risk for around 40 genetic diseases. This test also offers lifetime breed updates where you can find a host of information regarding your cats health.
Wisdom Health test kits are known for being extremely affordable and highly accurate at the same time. This is why this DNA test kit comes highly recommended for our domestic companions.
The price of the Orivet DNA tests depends upon which type of test you choose. You can purchase the DNA test either on Amazon or on the official Orivet website.
Taking Care Of Your Mixed Breed Cat At Home
Much of what you can do at home to keep your cat happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Watch her diet, make sure she gets plenty of exercise, regularly brush her teeth and coat, and call us or a pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual . Be sure to adhere to the schedule of examinations and vaccinations that we recommend for your pet. During your cat’s exams, well perform her necessary check-ups and test for diseases and conditions that are common in mixed breed cats. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing her up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs.
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Choosing The Best Food For American Shorthair Kittens
Like several other breeds, American Shorthairs are slow to mature, with many not reaching their full size until 3 or 4 years of age. To support your American kittens growth and development, select a complete and balanced kitten food such as Purina Pro Plan Kitten Chicken & Rice Formula or Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula during her first year or so of life. Switch her to a complete and balanced adult cat food after her first birthday.
Clues About Your Cats Breed
When you are wondering what breed is my cat? and you dont know what breed your cat is, you need to use certain clues to try and figure it out. Many clues can help to point you in the right direction becacuse each breed has specific traits that help to define it. If you can identify what breeds display the traits that your at exhibits, then you should be able to narrow it down to just one or a few possible breeds that your cat might be. Weve added some helpful information below as our cat breed identifier to help you determine your cats breed.
We will take a closer look at each of these characteristics so that you can use them to help identify your cats breed and help you answer your question, what type of cat do I have?
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Get Your Premium Upgrade
With our premium version, the app will no longer show ads and your results will be available faster. Furthermore, you can now choose whether your cat breeds should be recognized rather quickly or with higher accuracy. With the premium version, scanning cats is also possible in offline mode, so you no longer need an active internet connection to identify their breeds. With the optional in-app purchase of our premium version, you will also help to support this app.
Prevent The Risk Of Inbreeding
This is especially useful for cat breeders who wish to prevent inbreeding amongst cats. It is also useful for cat breeders to perform selective breeding with the help of chromosome maps that test kits usually offer. Breeders can also perform add-on tests to understand their cats breed traits and personalities better.
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