Unique Gift Idea For Pet Lovers: Basepaws Cat DNA Kit

Have you ever wondered about your cat’s DNA? Have you looked at your cat and wondered if it was related to cats from the wild? You can do that with a Basepaws kit! My mom had a Manx when I was a teenager. His name was Poncho and he was the meanest bob-tailed cat I’ve ever met! She adored that little beast. I tolerated him. He would attack me for no reason. I have to admit, though, he was gorgeous! As a Manx, he was born with no-tail. He was grey and looked exactly like a mini Bobtail Wildcat! I’d love to have been able to check his DNA to see where his bloodline lay.

Fast forward to now, and we have a beautiful black and white cat named Honey. She has medium length silky black hair. Her fur is so soft and so shiny. She has the cutest little face and the sweetest, high pitched little meow. She’s nearly 4 years old and still sounds like a little kitten when she meows. I have no idea what her breed may be. She’s not a pure bred cat so I know it’s a mix.

We teamed up with Basepaws and received a cat DNA kit to showcase on our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. I’m excited to try it because, now, we can know what is in Honey’s DNA!

When you purchase a Basepaws kit, you get access to a load of information. This includes report updates, personalized recommendations, membership in the Basepaws community, access to the latest research on cat science, tools to connect owners of similar cats, and discounts on future products that will be specifically formulated for your cat’s genetic needs. Basepaws  can tell you how closely related your cat is to select cat breeds and wildcats. Launching in 2019 Basepaws will also be able to let any possible health and wellness risks that may be present in your cat’s DNA.

To send Basepaws the sample, you collect hair from your furry cat or use a mouth swab for cats without hair.

The hair sample is collected very easily. You sort of have to wax your cat! This didn’t hurt Honey but she didn’t like it, that’s for sure. My son and I gave her plenty of treats during the process, which only took about 3 minutes. Maybe not even that long, actually.

There are 2 tapes with the kit. You just pull the sticky tapes, containing your order ID number, and place it on the cat’s back with the ID at the tail end. Press it down and then pull up towards your cat’s head. Then repeat with the 2nd tape.

It will look like a TON of hair. It’s really not that much. You couldn’t even tell Honey was missing any after we were finished. I meant to get a photo of the two samples side-by-side but sealed it up without thinking! You can see a little in this photo, the hair on the test strip.

After you’ve collected the samples, they go into a postage-paid envelope. After mailing the sample in you can expect results in 2 to 4 months.

So, now we wait for our results and I’ll update y’all with what we find out. I’m really excited to see what is in Honey’s DNA!

Have you ever considered checking your pet’s DNA? Is this something you’d like to receive as a Holiday/Christmas gift? I know I would!