A Michael Broad Blog
Domestic cats don’t see faeces as humans do. They are not squeamish about it. Their poop is a very useful communication tool which is why it is deposited above ground sometimes at central areas which might be regarded as toilets in respect of wild cat species. It is the smell from cat poop which …
A recent study has once again looked at the concerning situation regarding the extinction of the Scottish wildcat which is actually a European wildcat living in Scotland. About 15 years ago scientists knew that the Scottish wildcat was near extinction because of hybridisation with domestic and feral cats in Scotland. Acceleration of wildcats mating …
Criminals should take note of this research. The advice is that criminals should not live with a cat because DNA testing on cat hairs might lead to a cat owning criminal being convicted for a crime at a property or other place where they leave behind cat/dog hairs. Scenario I can think of one …
NEWS and COMMENT: There is clearly a lot of money in DNA testing of cats. Kevin O’Leary had a hunch that his investment into a start-up company at the time called ‘Basepaws’ would make him a lot of money. O’Leary was taking part in an American reality TV programme called ‘Shark Tank’. It’s a …
This study tells us how the fragmentation of the distribution of a population of wild cats negatively impacts genetic diversity and survival. Small population numbers lead to a reduction in genetic diversity which in turn can lead to sterility due to inbreeding, which in turn again leads to a smaller population and a vicious …
Your cat could be part Maine Coon but the only way you might be able to find out is with a DNA test (but see below). I can see that one so-called expert website states that you can confirm if you own a part Maine Coon by looking into their eyes. I am afraid …
Screening of health problems in domestic cat normally concerns cat breeders who need to remove from their breeding lines inherited deleterious genes. However, these tests should be useful to all cat owners. It is said that the cat world has lagged behind dogs in terms of screening for health problems. DNA testing is an …
I’m told that cat DNA testing is booming. In the USA you can buy a test kit online for $40-$125. You use it to swab the inside of your cat’s cheek and send it to the DNA testing business who will provide results for you. One such business is Basepaws. They say you can …
