Last month, Darwin’s Ark hosted its first Science Talk webinar. Community scientists participating in Darwin’s Cats’ DNA sequencing research were invited to join our research team for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at our genetic research. Featuring Chief Scientist Elinor Karlsson, Director of Research Kasia Bryc, and Head of Technology Chad Nusbaum, the webinar explored everything from how we developed our novel fur-based DNA sequencing method to early insights from preliminary analyses of cats’ genomes.
The Science Talk ended with a Q&A session, but our community scientists had so many insightful questions that we couldn’t answer them all! We’re taking that as a sign that we need to host more Science Talks on the topics our community scientists want to know more about. In the meantime, here’s a recording of the webinar, as well as more detailed answers to some of the session’s most popular questions.
How is Darwin’s Cats approaching genetics research?
Because cat genetics is a largely unexplored area of research, our first goal is to build a strong foundation of knowledge. Before we can dive into the complex stuff, like what genes might influence health conditions or quirky behaviors, we first need to establish a basic understanding of cat DNA.
To do that, we collect two main types of data: genomic sequences and survey responses about cats’ physical traits, behaviors, and lifestyles. When we analyze these two types of data together, we can begin to connect the dots between cat genes and the traits we observe.
Not all traits are influenced by DNA in the same way. Simple traits, like coat color or fur length, are likely shaped by a small number of genes. Other traits, like behavior or health conditions, have more complicated drivers. Complex traits are influenced by a mix of many genes and a cat’s environment (factors like diet, day-to-day surroundings, or early life experiences).
Understanding those complex traits takes time, and we can’t jump straight into the deep end. First, we have to understand the basics: it’s kind of like how a baker needs to master the sheet cake before they can create a show-stopping, multi-layered wedding cake.
Our research roadmap starts with studying ancestry to understand how cats are genetically related to one another. Next, we’ll study genetically simpler traits, like coat pattern and body shape, and eventually explore complex traits, like behaviors and health conditions. Each stage builds on the last, creating a clearer picture of how DNA helps shape the cats we know and love.
What are some early insights from your genetics research so far?
One of the first areas we’re digging into is cat ancestry. Even with a small sample size of around 200 cats, we are starting to see how cats' genetic story may differ from dogs.
One of our first goals is to understand the genetic diversity of cats worldwide. We hypothesize that pet cats may have levels of genetic diversity similar to what we see in humans, with a population structure more associated with geography than breed. This means that individuals living closer together are more genetically similar, while individuals living farther apart from one another are more genetically different.
A population structure linked to geography is likely in contrast to the structure seen in modern dogs, where breed-based mating has resulted in a strong breed-based population structure. This means that dogs from the same breed are more genetically similar than dogs from different breeds.
Our early DNA analysis supports our hypothesis that cat ancestry is closely tied to geography. When we looked at the genomes and birthplaces of 116 cats from the Darwin’s Cats community, we observed genetic clusters that corresponded to different United States geographic regions. This suggests that U.S. cats born in relative proximity are more genetically similar. These preliminary findings suggest that, like humans, cats may carry a rich and regionally influenced gene pool. Of course, we will need to analyze genetic information from many more cats to confirm this early finding.
When will you start sharing genetic insights on individual cats?
We’re just as eager as you are to see what your own cat’s DNA has to say. However, because we expect that cats have high genetic diversity, we need to analyze a large sample size to have confidence that the genetic variation we see holds up across many cat genomes. That’s why our first big sequencing goal is to sequence the DNA of at least 1,000 cats. Our scientists believe that 1,000 cats is the minimum needed to confirm our initial ancestry findings for individual cats. We hope to reach that milestone by early fall, and to start rolling out initial findings by the end of 2025.
But genetic results are not the only findings we plan to share with our community scientists—survey responses are also a treasure trove of information about each cat. This summer, our scientists will be developing “cat personality profiles” using owner-reported survey data. The personality profiles will show how your cat’s behavior compares to other cats in the Darwin’s Cats population. Is your cat relatively sociable with humans? Do they like to play with toys more than average? The more surveys you complete, the more insights you’ll uncover about your cat and how they compare to their peers. We expect to launch cat personality profiles this fall.
These personality profiles are fun, but that’s not all they’re good for—they’ll also help advance our genetics research. Our scientists will group survey insights into behavioral clusters that can be used to look for patterns between certain behavior types and genetic variants. It’s the same method used in Darwin’s Dogs, where scientists recently used our community scientist survey insights to discover a link between a gene tied to cognitive function and toy-directed motor patterns in herding dogs. For cats, this approach could also help us figure out if certain traits, like boldness or prey drive, are influenced by specific genes.
How close is Darwin’s Cats to sequencing 1,000 cats?
Pretty close! Around 850 cats have already joined our DNA sequencing research, putting us just 150 cats away from reaching our first big milestone of 1,000 cat genomes sequenced. We’re hoping to hit that goal by the end of this summer.
While 1,000 cat genomes is an important first milestone for looking at ancestry and genetic drivers of simple traits like coat color and fur length, our larger goal is to sequence 5,000 cats by the end of 2026. This will help us explore more complex questions, like what role DNA plays in behaviors and health conditions.
We’re also planning future webinars and science talks for participants in our DNA sequencing research. Whether you’re curious about your cat’s ancestry, the genetic drivers behind their behavior, or want to contribute to foundational feline science, we’d love to have you (and your cat!) on board.
