Testing of cats: Long Hair

Feline long hair – test of FGF5-gene variants

The hair length in cats is controlled by the FGF5-gen (fibroblast growth factor 5). The short fur is the natural hair form in cats (wild-type).

Several variants of FGF5 gene were identified that affect length of coat of cats: M1(c.356insT), M3 (c.474delT) and M4(c.475A>C).

Variants c.406C> T and c.182T> A were found in Norwegian forest cats - these variants are not tested by Genomia.

Possible results

• N/N – the cat does not carry any variant specific for long hair – the cat has short hair
• N/M1, N/M3, N/M4 – the cat carries one copy of the variant gene – the cat is short-haired, but she can give birth to long-haired offsprings, if suitably crossed.
• M1/M1, M3/M3, M4/M4 – the cat carries two same variants in the FGF5 gene – the cat is long-haired
• N/M1 & N/M3; N/M1 & N/M4; N/M3 & N/M4 – the cat carries two different variants in FGF5 gene – the cat is long-haired on condition that the cat inherited one variant from each parent.

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Reference:

Kehler J. S., V. A. David, A. A. Schaffer, K. Bajema, E. Eizirik, D. K. Ryugo, S. S. Hannah, S. J. O'Brien, M. Menotti-Raymond. Four independent mutations in the feline fibroblast growth factor 5 gene determine the long-haired phenotype in domestic cats. Journal of Heredity 98(6):555-566 (2007).

Drögemüller, C., Rüfenacht, S., Wichert, B., Leeb, T.: Mutations within the FGF5 gene are associated with hair length in cats. Anim Genet 38:218-21, 2007. Pubmed reference: 17433015.