How surveys complete cats’ genetic puzzle

But what if no clear genetic patterns emerge among cats with the same trait? That’s when we return to survey data to probe for possible connections to a cat's environment or lifestyle.

Surveys can shed light on how non-genetic factors may shape cat traits. Many traits arise from complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Identifying environmental influences on cat traits can guide adjustments to a cat’s lifestyle or surroundings that may minimize risks. For example, survey responses could reveal links between arthritis and an environmental factor, such as how much time cats spend on hardwood versus carpeted floors.

These types of unexpected influences on traits, and their complex interactions with genetic factors, become clear with large-scale survey data. But large-scale data requires more than thousands of cat owners answering the same question—it requires thousands of cat owners to answer the same many questions. With robust data across a number of characteristics, interesting patterns begin to reveal the roots of cats’ traits. That’s why Darwin’s Cats is working to build the most comprehensive database of cat phenotypic data connected to the world’s largest feline genetic dataset.

Today’s growing survey database can drive tomorrow’s genetic breakthroughs

One of the challenges with historical research models is that studies tend to collect only a limited set of phenotypic data. For example, a study on cat sociability would collect DNA and survey data from highly sociable cats as well as their more reserved counterparts. The genetic data is then analyzed alongside the survey data to look for genetic variants linked to sociability. But if the study finds no significant genetic links to that one trait of interest, the research hits a dead end.

This approach wastes valuable genetic data by not pairing it with enough phenotypic data to draw meaningful connections. But what if instead of returning to the drawing board, the researchers expanded their scope by collecting additional phenotypic data that would allow them to explore connections to traits that weren’t originally considered.

For instance, if owners of sociable cats were also surveyed about additional factors, like the number of people in their household or certain environmental factors, then researchers could look for unexpected correlations to sociability—genetic or otherwise.

This is why it’s more efficient to gather a broad array of data upfront, and then look for patterns and associations. Think of it like assembling a 1,000-piece puzzle: if you pick pieces one at a time and try to figure out their placements in isolation, you’ll get nowhere fast. But if you first sort all of the pieces according to common characteristics, like color or edges, the puzzle will come together more quickly and with less frustration. The same logic applies to genetic research: by collecting lots of survey data first, we lay the foundation to identify meaningful connections more efficiently and with fewer dead ends.

This is the power of the large-scale survey database Darwin’s Cats is building: researchers won’t have to start from scratch every time they want to study a new trait. Instead, they can draw on the database’s existing knowledge to look for connections to genetic or environmental factors that they may have never considered otherwise. The sheer volume and variety of survey data will allow scientists to explore many questions in parallel and draw conclusions that might otherwise take years of isolated research.

The more survey data we have on each cat, the better positioned we are to make meaningful genetic discoveries. In other words, science moves farther, faster when thousands of cat owners answer every Darwin’s Cats survey.

So, jump back into your Laboratory and take another survey today (or maybe take all of them)! You’re doing more than sharing your cat’s quirks—you’re laying the groundwork for genetic discoveries by helping scientists see how genetics and phenotypes fit together, piece by piece.