Why should you let establish the genetic profile of your cat?

The establishment of a genetic profile means identification of a set of markers that are characteristic and unmistakable for a given individual (for example as a fingerprint).  Each individual can be unambiguously identified according to the genetic profile. If you know the genetic profile of your cat, it can be used in the following cases:

1)            Loss, theft

The genetic profile enables to prove the identity of an individual, if the cat gets lost or stolen.

2)            Lifelong identification

If a microchip that your cat is wearing fails and becomes unable to be detected, the cat´s identity can be proven and the cat can be microchipped once again.

3)            Paternity verification

The genetic profile is needed for testing the relationship of individuals, particularly for the paternity verification.

4)            Insemination

The establishment of the genetic profile is usually required for breeding tom-cats whose seminal fluid is stored and used for insemination. The genetic profile identifies the sperm and can be used for verification of the paternity.

5)            Verification „clear after parents"

In breeds burdened with a specific recessive genetic disease the selected parents are tested for presence of this disease. If the parents are healthy, so there is 100% chance that the offsprings will be healthy, too (the likelihood of de novo mutation occurrence is hundredth of a percent).

Sometimes the new owners of a kitten wish to prove that the chosen kitten is free of any risk of specific genetic disorder. This can be proven either by direct testing for the genetic disease in question or by paternity proof - proving that the kitten is an offspring of the parents declared free of this genetic disease.

We recommend proving the paternity for kittens that are declared  "clear after parents" or „normal after parents".  It is prevention against possible swindles or irresponsible breeding practices.

6)            Selection of optimal breeding pair

When optimal breeding pair is chosen, a series of traits such as character, appearance, health condition... are assessed. The genetic profile can be used as another tool that can the breeder help to make a final decision.  If you want to add new blood in your breeding stock, it is useful to compare the genetic profiles of the potential parents.  It is required that the breeding pair is heterozygous (different) as much as possible with regard to the markers compared. In general, the more different markers the individuals are wearing, the lesser they are genetically similar.

The comparison of genetic profiles of breeding individuals is a possibility how to maximize the genetic diversity within the breed and maintain the required physical and psychological properties.

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What genetic profile is?

DNA profile can be determined from a blood sample or a cheek swabs. Cat paternity analysis is the same as with humans. Common markers among offspring DNA and parents DNA are searched for. A parentage is proved, if probable parent is detected like biological parent. Sequences repeated in tandems (microsatellites) are used for parentage testing. These microsatellites contain sequences repeated in tandems from two to seven base pairs. Microsatellites are inherited in Mendelian manner. Each offspring has to correspond with a parent in 50% of each microsatellite marker. Microsatellite markers are used for individual identification and, for paternity analysis in humans and animals. Size of a marker (number of base pair in a microsatellite) is detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent fragment analysis. One of the primers for PCR is marked on 5´end by a florescent dye. Fragments are separated and detected by automatic electrophoresis instrument.
For cat parentage testing following loci are used FCA069, FCA075, FCA105, FCA149, FCA220, FCA229, FCA310, FCA441, FCA678, Amelogenin, FCA026, FCA201, FCA293, FCA453, FCA649. These markers are recommended by the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG). Genomia determines at least 12 of mentioned markers.

Genomia regularly participates in comparative quality tests, that are every two years held by ISAG (International Society for Animal Genetics). Here, you can see our certificates of quality, where Genomia was always very successful :-)

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