How to Find Out Your Cat's Breed: The Truth That DNA Reveals
10/12/2025
Index
Introduction
It's possible to find out if your cat is a purebred, a mix of two or more breeds, or even a mixed-breed cat with various breeds in its genetics! But how is this done?
What is genomic analysis?
When DNA analysis of thousands of genetic markers is performed, in what we call "genomic analysis," hundreds or thousands of cats are studied, and the set of markers that exists only in a particular breed is discovered.
Genetic signature and unique markers
Expanding on this reasoning, each breed has its own unique set of markers, which can be called the "genetic signature" of each breed. Markers that exist in several breeds in the same way are not useful in this analysis. It is important that the DNA of these felines be evaluated for a large number of markers so that the genetic signature of each breed is accurate: for felines, petgenoma evaluates more than 63,000 genetic markers, which makes it possible to find signatures of hundreds and even a few thousand markers unique to each breed.
Construction of the breed database
This stage is what we call "breed bank construction," and our laboratory has more than 40 different breeds in this bank. For breeds created in Brazil, it also includes felines from the Brazilian population. Therefore, petgenoma is the only laboratory in the world that has studied the genetic signature of the Brazilian feline breed population.
Identifying purebred cats
After assembling this breed database, the laboratory is able to compare your kitten's DNA with all the other DNAs of different breeds: if the exact genetic signature of a single breed is found in your pet, and no other, we are able to declare that your pet is 100% purebred. This result is expected in cats with pedigrees, although it can also exist in cats without this document, provided that no other breed has entered the genealogy in recent generations.
How does mixed-breed detection work?
On the other hand, if your pet's DNA has, for example, half (50%) of the Persian genetic signature and half of the Siamese, these percentages will appear in the breed composition result. Now, you no longer have a purebred cat, but a mix of two breeds, where most likely one of the parents was a Persian cat and the other a Siamese cat. In another example, if you have a Persian with 75% and 25% Siamese, it most likely means that this kitten had a purebred Siamese grandparent. The further back the mixing occurred in the genealogy, the lower the percentage of the breed that will appear in the pet's analysis.
Mixed-breed cats and multiple subscriptions
When mixed-breed cats are analyzed, it is expected that several breed signatures will appear, with low percentages, generally around 10% or less each. However, in these cases it is important to remember that very low percentages do not necessarily indicate that there was an ancestor of that breed. For example, if your mixed-breed cat has 3% Peterbald, it is possible that some great-great-grandfather of this breed entered the genealogy, but it is also possible that only several random mixtures of mixed-breed cats generated this genetic signature.
Practical importance of racial knowledge
Knowing your kitten's breed composition is more than just a game or curiosity: when significant percentages of certain breeds are found, it's a strong indicator of predispositions to common diseases in that breed. Furthermore, it's also possible to infer specific behavioral tendencies of certain breeds when they are present in your mixed-breed cat!
Petgenoma
If you want to go beyond mere curiosity and truly understand how to determine your cat's breed with scientific precision, petgenoma is a leading feline genetics center in Brazil. Our laboratory uses Illumina technology and evaluates over 63,000 genetic markers to identify unique signatures for each breed, including Brazilian feline populations—something no other laboratory in the world offers. With specialized support and simple collection via buccal swab, you receive a complete, reliable, and easy-to-interpret report revealing ancestry, breed composition, and important predispositions for your cat's health.
Conclusion
Discovering the breeds that make up your cat's DNA is much more than just a curiosity: it's a tool that broadens your understanding of your feline's health, behavior, and specific needs. Genomic analysis allows you to identify breed signatures, understand mixtures that have occurred over generations, and recognize important predispositions, helping owners provide truly personalized care. The more you know about your pet's genetics, the better prepared you are to promote well-being, prevention, and a much more balanced routine.
This reasoning directly relates to already established concepts, such as:
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