Understanding feline genetics enables us as guardians to understand our cat's health & behaviours a lot better! Being more in tune with your cat's needs a huge deal and thanks to Basepaws we now have a cat DNA kit that can be done in the comfort of your own home. That's right - no trip to the vet's needed (for most cat's these trips induce stress) and no complicated procedures required!
Basepaws Report (Our Purrsonal Review)
They say "knowledge is power" but when it comes to our feline companions I say knowledge is understanding which strengthens bonds. What guardian would not want to feel a strong sense of closeness to their cat? For me, knowing the genetic makeup of Gibson brought us even closer together. What stood out in the report when I received it was that his genetic makeup was most similar to that of a Maine Coon (see photo below). When I read this I shouted to cat dad & Gibson, "this makes SO much sense!" (actually). This information is affirmation of why Gibson is the way that he is and helps me to give him the best life and creates a strong bond between us!
I also appreciate that the report has a 'Health Markers' section which identifies any genetic diseases that your cat's genes and genetic mutations carry resulting in being at high risk, at risk, a carrier, or in the clear. While this information can be exciting when you're in the clear or scary if you're at high risk, you have might have more of a chance in giving your cat the care they need before it's too late.
What's great about this report is that it's forever in the Basepaws system, therefore, you will always have access to any information that gets added and may view any changes to your cat's breed report only. At any time, I can log onto Gibson's profile and see if there have been any updates. You can also get unlimited updates of their health markers which will cost more. Any information that would be useful to your vet can be passed onto them to be kept on file as well. We totally emailed a PDF of Gibson's report to be kept on file at the clinic we go to, though, make sure to update your vet in the case that your report changes over time if there's something you feel they should know if you purchased the unlimited health markers updates. If you'd like to see a sample of one of their reports, you can check it out here.
Website
Basepaws is an amazing resource for cat guardians. Not only do they give us guardians a better understanding and relationship with our cat(s), but they have a 'Blog' and 'Library' tab which has SO much information ranging from feline genetics (of course), nutrition, behaviour, skincare, Basepaws success stories, and lots more (you will have to head to this sections to take a look for yourself).
As mentioned above, you can create your own profile once you purchase and receive the kit yourself. This is where you can always access your report which updates the breed report (and health markers report, if you paid extra for that) as more cats enter their database. Prices can always be viewed here.
Finally, the instructions on use of the kit are very simple and can be viewed here. There are 4 steps listed along with a short video clip of how it's done. I don't think it could be any easier!
We always recommend joining online social communities because you find information and people who act as your support system as you understand your cat more each day. One of the main reasons we created an Instagram for Gibson is so that we could bombard the internet with photos and stories of him. The great thing about all these communities is they want and appreciate the same kind of thing! Basepaws also tend to have live chats which are always fun as you can ask questions and get to know people within the Basepaws family and community!
Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn
I do not have Facebook (or Twitter) but I've once joined a live chat which was exclusively on Facebook through cat dad's account. These online accounts are pretty self explanatory and if you aren't sure if what they are, give the below links a click and check it out!
There are a few difference places where you can find Basepaws, so here's a quick list for you:
Website - https://www.basepaws.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/basepaws/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/basepaws
Twitter - https://twitter.com/basepaws
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/basepaws/
I'd love to hear your thoughts or experiences on this resource shared (better yet, if you already know about Basepaws as as resource, we'd love to hear all the appreciation you have for them down below in the comment section).
Feel free to message me on Instagram, email me, or drop a comment below to get in touch (just note that I cannot comment back but always read what you write).
Thanks for reading!
xx Sarah and Gibson