Feline breed classification compares the cat's genotype with a reference database made up of thousands of pedigree cats and worldwide populations. From thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) it estimates the proportion of ancestry from each breed or population group. It is not a disease test but a genealogy and genetic-composition test, useful for managing diversity in the cattery.

Test available for the panel's reference breeds: Abyssinian, British Shorthair, Burmese, Birman, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Persian, Ragdoll and Siamese, among others. The assignment is more reliable the more recent the ancestry from those breeds.

- Not applicable (informative ancestry test, not a disease test)\n- Report of percentages by breed and population group\n- Genetic diversity data according to the laboratory\n- No direct clinical implications

The possibility of assigning breed by DNA arose from the feline genomics projects of the 2000s, which characterised the genetic structure of breeds and their relationship with the founder populations (Asian, European and Middle Eastern). The studies showed that feline breeds are differentiated populations and that many share recent bottlenecks with common founders. On that basis, commercial ancestry panels were built for breeders and owners.

- Use it to confirm declared ancestry and plan matings that avoid inbreeding.\n- It does not replace the official pedigree: registries do not accept DNA as proof of breed.\n- Use the genetic diversity report to choose unrelated mates.\n- Interpret low percentages with caution: they may reflect proximity between breeds and not direct ancestry.\n- Complement with hereditary disease tests for the breeds detected.

The result combines breeds and founder groups (Asian, European, Middle Eastern); genetically close breeds (Persian and Exotic, Siamese and Oriental) may share ancestry in the report. Accuracy depends on the size and representativeness of the laboratory's database. It is a management tool, not a genealogical certificate.

1. Lipinski MJ, Froenicke L, Baysac KC, et al. (2008) The ascent of cat breeds: genetic evaluations of breeds and worldwide random-bred populations. Genomics 91:12-21. PMID: 18060738
2. Lyons LA. (2015) DNA mutations of the cat: the good, the bad and the ugly. J Feline Med Surg 17:203-219. PMID: 25701860