We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.
In recent years, DNA testing has become increasingly widespread. People are interested in learning more about their ancestors and how genomes can affect their health.
Similarly, pet cat owners have recently started to test their pets’ DNA. Products like the Wisdom Panel cat DNA test and other DNA have made it possible for people to understand so much about their pets’ ancestry and health threats than ever before. These DNA tests provide cat owners details related to their breed, along with which of the large cats your cat is closely related to.
The cat DNA test kit also enables you to determine the health risks that your pet may be exposed to. Testing companies are expected to break down this information for you in the future. While they do so, you can consult your veterinarian over your cat’s test results to see if any changes in his or her lifestyle need to be made to improve his or her overall health.
About Wisdom Panel DNA Tests
Wisdom Panel’s Optimal Selection cat DNA test kit is primarily targeted at cat breeders. This test is appropriate for both pedigree and mixed-breed cats as is the case with Basepaws cat DNA test. It checks for genetic mutations as well as physical characteristics like coat colors and types.
The analysis also determines the genetic variation of the cat being examined as well as its blood type. However, the Optimal Selection test does not reveal much about a cat’s breed composition or history.
How Wisdom Panel’s DNA Tests Work
At the end of the day, no matter which cat DNA kit you pick, the method of DNA testing your cat’s DNA is the same.
When you have purchased and received the DNA test kit, whether bought from a store or an online retailer, take a sample of your cat’s DNA with the swab supplied by swabbing the inside of their cheek for a few seconds. After that, you will have to seal the cheek swab and return the DNA sample to the lab for processing.
Within two to three weeks of sending in the sample, you can access the DNA results online. Often, the companies frequently update these results as new insight or analysis is discovered.
Cat’s Ancestry and Pedigree
Your cat’s pedigree is essentially the breed group it represents. Cats may be bred by ethical breeders for a variety of reasons. Obtaining exotic characteristics, habits, and other aesthetics are some of these factors.
A purebred cat is referred to as a pedigree cat. These cats are designed to maintain unique breed traits and behaviors.
Pedigree cats are hand-picked and only able to mate with other pedigree cats. Some pedigree cats reproduce only in a particular area to maintain their genetic pool.
These cats can be chosen and bred by ethical breeders using legitimate genetic guidelines. The purebred Siamese cat, which is noted for its blue eyes, is a pedigree cat. Pedigree cats are in high demand and can be very costly.
Your cat’s ancestry refers to the geographic area where your cats once resided. It is the lineage of the cat’s ancestors.
Within certain cat breeds, some traits are well-known and familiar. Limbs, coat color, fur length and type, and other characteristics are among them. These attributes will help you figure out who your cat’s ancestors are and will let you learn further about them.
DNA testing allows you to do all of these things.
Cat’s Health Risks
Several of the successful cat DNA experiments reveal health hazards that could be hereditary. This factor is incorporated in the base price for certain cat DNA tests, but it is an extra option for others.
Many of the health-related findings these studies produce are based on the fact that certain infections and ailments are more common in particular breeds, like polycystic kidney disease. Some people, therefore, go a little further and screen for disease-causing mutations beyond the breed research.
These findings can enable you to take preventive measures to avoid diseases and a brace for unavoidable circumstances such as blindness or deafness. DNA testing, in any case, could be critical to your cat’s welfare and is something that any conscientious pet owner should think about.
Wisdom Panel Cat Test Kit
Pros
Both pedigreed and mixed-breed cats will benefit from the DNA test. It can screen for more than 40 genetic diseases and will tell you what blood type your cat is. Optimal Selection will provide you with more information on particular characteristics of your cat, such as coat texture, the color of fur, and the general physical appearance. It can also assess the genetic variation of your cat.
Cons
The disadvantage of this DNA test is that it can only be used on purebred cats and does not identify the breed.
What’s in the Box
The DNA test package includes two swabs, a shipping container for returning the extracted DNA sample, and instructions about proceeding with the testing process.
The Bottom Line
Even if the Optimal Selection Feline test is intended for breeders, it can deliver invaluable fitness information as well as fascinating details about your cat’s physical characteristics and blood type.
Wisdom Cat DNA Test: Key Considerations
Number of Breeds Detected
Optimal Selection by Wisdom Panel does not offer breed detection as this DNA test focuses on genetic screening and diseases rather than breed mapping.
Health Screening
The DNA test checks for more than 40 diseases, depending on your cat’s type. It also includes information on coat color, kind, anatomy, and blood type. Then it displays the cat’s genetic variation, the breed community as a whole, and which breed classes are related.
Turnaround Time
Optimal Selection has a continually growing database, so there might be changes in your results over time. The results, nevertheless, should be available to you in 2-3 weeks.
Accuracy
It provides 90% reliable DNA outcomes for a variety of problems and accurately identifies pet health conditions.
Price
Wisdom Panel combines most individual tests that breeders would want into a single economized, reliable test package. As a result, it does rigorous testing with a one-time price of $99.99. It costs a little more than the Orivet test but less than the Breed + Health Basepaws test but delivers good results.
Our Final Thoughts
Optimal Selection by Wisdom Panel is potentially your safest choice for the most provable and practical facts about a cat’s breed even if you are a breeder or veterinarian. It does not need any prior knowledge of your cat’s ancestry and provides you with a complete genome image of your cat companion. Although information on cat’s genes may not be entirely helpful at the present, outside of a few cases, it can only become more so as science progresses.
Lastly, there are several grounds for treating your furry friend as though it were a part of your family. You could prevent unpleasant complications when it comes to sickness and you could perhaps also confirm the gene divisions of your cat and identify if she is genetically predisposed. These types of tests will help you gain high regard for your pet’s ancestors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cat DNA tests accurate?
Not only is pet DNA testing unchecked, but it is also still a recently developed methodology. DNA research for cats, in fact, is only in its infancy. In the United States, 95 percent of cats are Domestic Shorthair, which means they are not descended from many of the breeds. As a result, a DNA test will only tell you which type your pet carries the greatest amount of genetic material with.
With the advancement in technologies and the expansion of databases, these assessments are expected to become more reliable and systematic in the future.
Other elements of feline DNA research, on the other hand, maybe useful in predicting which genetic disorders your cat is threatened with. Also, the test does not guarantee that your cat may or may not have a certain illness. If the findings indicate that your pet is in danger, you can contact your doctor for more precise medical tests.
How accurate is a mouth swab DNA test?
Best cat DNA test with a mouth swab are reasonably successful. Only if the cat’s DNA sample is tainted by something like your pet having a meal before being swabbed or if the testing facility is not of the best quality would you encounter a mistake.
What breeds does wisdom DNA test for?
The Wisdom Panel 2.0 database contains details on over 200 individual dog breeds, while the Wisdom Panel 3.0, 4.0, and Health tests include over 350 different breeds, forms, and varieties. The tests for felines, on the other hand, look for hereditary defects. Since the company understands what breed your cat is, it will match his or her DNA to breed requirements and screen for genetic disorders that are more prevalent in that breed.
How much does it cost to get your cat DNA tested?
Basepaws CatKit is a robust and precise feline DNA testing, similar to Basepaws cat DNA test, but it is one of the better options on the market even though it is on the expensive side at $95. Wisdom Panel’s Optimal Selection, however, is costlier $99.99 and is aimed at pet breeders. Despite its high price, it delivers more information. Other DNA experiments cost between $45 and $500, and the findings contain differing amounts of detail.