The 6 Best Cat Dna Testing Kits
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Barry Buttler
Most pet cats are not of purebred origin, and their ancestral history remains a mystery.
Mixed-breed dogs are much more visually aware of the breed's abilities than most cats.
Luckily, DNA testing is becoming increasingly popular and is now available to our feline friends, so we can solve the mystery once and for all.
Cat DNA tests can not only help identify our pets' breed, but they can also go a long way toward recognizing physical traits, possible genetic health conditions, and more.
Not all DNA tests are equally likely. After knowing what kind of information you want to learn about your cat, you can narrow down which type of DNA works best for you.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has made the decision easier for you by providing a list of the best cat dna testing kits on the market based on reviews.
Below, we'll take a look at our top picks, the information they can offer, and everything you need to know about each.
An Buying Guide for Cat DNA Tests
What Information Can Be Gleaned From a Cat’s DNA Analysis?
Understanding your cat better than ever before is possible with the help of a DNA test. Let’s take a look at all we can learn through DNA testing:
Types of Cats
If you don’t get your cat from a breeder, identifying its breed will be considerably more of a challenge than it would be with a dog.
The DNA test will provide a comprehensive look at your cat’s genetic composition and reveal the specific cat breeds from which it is descended. There’s a chance your findings will come as a shock.
Classification as a Hybrid
Your cat’s percentage of wild ancestry may be determined using a DNA kit. Everything we now consider domesticated originally evolved in the wild.
Some of the bigger, spotted cats seem to have more wild DNA, whereas your ordinary housecat may be more difficult to detect owing to so many years of domestication.
Negative Effects on Health
Having access to one’s own DNA is quite remarkable. The health concerns that your cat’s ancestors may have been predisposed to can also be revealed by these testing.
Certain dog breeds are more susceptible to particular illnesses and health problems.
Having this knowledge may be very helpful, as it can give you a head start in preventing any health problems for your cat. You may be able to get genetic health testing for free or at an additional cost with some DNA tests.
Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities
DNA testing can identify dietary and environmental intolerances, allergies your cat suffers from, and even some forms of sensitivity, in addition to heritable illnesses and health issues.
What Does a DNA Test Reveal About a Cat?
DNA testing procedures might vary widely depending on the kit you choose. The DNA is usually collected by swabbing the inside of your cat’s cheek, and then being sent off to a lab for analysis. Hair or blood samples can be used in some DNA assays.
The lab will conduct the necessary tests, and you may get the results of the genetic analysis either through their website or by mail.
In order to avoid ruining your DNA test results through contamination, be sure to follow all of the steps outlined in the kit’s instructions to a tee. The wait time for results can be weeks, and a failed sample will further add to it.
Pre-Purchase Feline DNA Analysis
Knowing what to look for while looking for the best cat DNA test can help you narrow down your options. Before making your final choice, we want to make sure you take into account the following factors.
- Keep an eye on the pricing and the attributes of the goods you want to buy. You need to make sure your money is well spent. Clearly, the capabilities of various DNA test kits vary. A test that gives you a lot more information might cost the same as a kit that only gives you a few options.
- Different Cat DNA Tests Reveal Different Information Determine What You’re Looking For Before Choosing a Cat DNA Test. Certain pet owners may simply be interested in checking for food allergies or intolerances, in which case the more basic tests would be sufficient. However, there are many who would rather learn every detail about the breed and health of their cat. Before committing to a test, it’s important to find out what data is actually being filtered.
- DNA samples may be collected in a variety of ways, including by cheek swabs, hair samples, and even blood work in some cases. You can see up top that there are no medical tests that need a blood draw that are on this list. Finding a suitable test requires you to consider what is most convenient for both you and your cat.
- It may take a few weeks for the results of a DNA test to become available, but this is the norm rather than the exception when looking up information on breed type or genetic health. However, findings from testing for intolerance and sensitivity may be available in as little as 10 days. If you don’t want to be left wondering where your report is, check the timeline for your results.
Conclusion
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) top choice for the best cat dna testing kits is Wisdom Panel’s Complete Cat DNA Test due to its wide breed range, ability to detect genetic diseases, and affordable price.
Because it only tests DNA, the Orivet Health Condition Identification DNA Test for Cats costs less and is the best cat DNA test you can get. If you’re looking for a health-only report, this is a great alternative.
One can learn about a cat’s breed and its genetic health with the use of the Basepaws Cat DNA Test Kit. This business offers more in-depth genomic tests and will keep your samples on file for future upgrades.
Reviews
All-In-One Cat DNA Test with the WisePanel – the Most Ac
- Tests Include Breed Recognition and Medical Checkups
- Swabbing the cheeks is the method of collection.
The Wisdom Panel Complete Cat DNA Test, created by geneticists and veterinarians, is the finest cat DNA test for any cat owner interested in learning more about their cat’s ancestry.
Screening for potential inherited genetic diseases, the Wisdom Panel includes over 45 separate tests.
More than 70 different cat breeds and populations may be identified by DNA testing, and the level of breed mixing can be narrowed down to less than 1%.
You may learn more about your cat’s coat type, coat color, and other physical attributes by taking advantage of the over 25 trait tests available.
The blood type of your cat may be determined by doing the Wisdom Panel Complete Cat DNA test, which is useful in case your cat ever needs a transfusion.
This option is not only reasonable in price, but it also includes comprehensive health and genetics data. There was a concern that the findings were too nebulous to draw any meaningful conclusions from. The wait time for results might be as small as three weeks.
The fact remains, nevertheless, that this is the most accurate DNA test for felines available today.
Pros
- Inexorably cheap
- Including approximately 25 characteristic assessments and 45 health-related exams.
- Cat breeds: over 70 are recognized
Cons
- Resulting in a lack of clarity
The Most Affordable Orivet Health Cat DNA Test for Positive Identification
- Dispositions for Diagnosing Medical Problems
- Swabbing the cheeks is the method of collection.
You will get a lot of bang for your buck and some invaluable insight into the potential health problems your cat may face with the help of the Orivet Health Screen & Life Plan Cat DNA Test Kit.
This is the most affordable cat DNA test available, however it does not identify breeds and is mainly for health purposes.
The blood type of your cat may be determined in addition to being screened for hundreds of hereditary disorders and features with the Orivet Health Screen & Life Plan kit.
With this kit, you may create a bespoke Life Plan to plan for and monitor your cat’s health throughout their whole life. The turnaround period for results is between three to six weeks.
The report will be revised when new data from the DNA kit is analyzed. Again, this is not the right test if you want to know the breed of your dog.
This health-related DNA test is quite reasonably priced. Since Orivet is situated in Australia, its diagnostic tools aren’t always readily available in the US.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Genetic analysis for 4 different sorts of traits
Cons
- lacks a comprehensive set of testing options
- No dog breed test here.
The Best Cat DNA Test Kit from BasePaws
- Breed Recognition & Health Checks
- Swabbing the cheeks is the method of collection.
We found that the Basepaws Cat DNA Test Kit was the best option for identifying breeds and determining the health of our cats.
Although they also sell a whole-genome sequencing test, their Cat DNA Test Kit is by far their most sought-after product. A simple cheek swab is all that’s needed for this test, and results can be back in about 4 to 6 weeks.
Compared to other test kits, this one is a touch more pricey, but it’s still far less than the genome sequencing kit. Up to 16 hereditary disorders can be detected by using the 38 genetic markers that are tested for in this kit.
The test will determine what kind of cat you have by narrowing down the possibilities to one of four broad breed categories and 21 specific breeds. An entire chromosomal map will be given to you as well.
The producer of the Basepaws Cat DNA test will save the DNA sample so that future tests may be run on it to include any new information that becomes available.
Pros
- Identifies breeds and conducts health tests
- Screening for 16 different illnesses
- There are supplementary set choices available from the firm.
Cons
- Insufficient selection of breeds compared to the competition.
- Higher in cost
Kittens Benefit Most from 5Strands Food Intolerance and Allergy Testing
- Food intolerance and allergy testing features
- Hair strands as the collection method
Using bioresonance technology, 10-15 strands of hair will be analyzed for food intolerance and allergies with the 5Strands Food Intolerance & Allergy Testing service.
Kittens can benefit greatly from this test to detect dietary intolerances and allergies at an early stage. Although this test may be performed on canine and equine subjects, it is not able to detect hereditary disorders or identify specific breeds.
The report is simple and straightforward, and the findings are accessible in 5-7 days.
The sensitivity testing takes into account both environmental factors and the 380 components often used in commercial pet food. No allergy testing of the immune system is covered.
After making the initial investment in the kit, the next steps are to register it online, take a hair sample, and ship it off for analysis.
Within a week of a sample being received at the lab, the results will be posted on the customer site. The drawback of purchasing this DNA kit is that it is more expensive than others while still not providing comprehensive testing to shed light on potential hereditary problems independent of breed.
Pros
- Verification of food allergy status
- Evaluations for hypersensitivity
- Efficiency and ease of use
Cons
- Identifies breeds incorrectly
- Doesn’t do genetic testing for diseases
- Pricey
Testing Kit for Animal Allergies and Sensitivities by UC Davis
- Intolerance and Sensitivity Testing
- Hair strands as the collection method
Another hair-only DNA test kit that can detect intolerances and sensitivities is the UCARI Pet Sensitivity & Intolerance Test Kit. Over 350 dietary intolerances, 300 environmental intolerances, and 400 nutritional imbalances may be detected by UCARI.
This DNA kit does not screen for allergies or measure the immune system in any way. To identify dietary and environmental sensitivities, this test has been developed. For anyone curious about this, here’s a low-cost and non-invasive solution.
Although, several pet owners did sound the alarm that their results for food intolerances were not what they had expected. Breed identification is not possible with this test.
Pros
- Non-invasive
- Aids in the detection of potential food allergies
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Unreliable findings were reported by several users who tested for food allergies.
- Does not do breed identification, allergy testing, or medical diagnosis.
Dr. Barry Buttler
Dr. Barry Buttler, DVM, MS, DACVIM, is an experienced veterinarian who specializes in the care of small animals, specifically dogs. Dr. Barry K. Buttler is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and holds multiple certifications in small animal emergency medicine and geriatric pet health.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Barry Buttler
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