AB Blood Group in Domestic Cat Breeds

Quick Summary

The AB system is the major blood group system in domestic cats. The common blood types are A and B, and a third rare type "AB" is also known. This test detects the known genetic variants that produce B and AB blood types. When these variants are not detected, the cat is likely to have blood type A.

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Phenotype: The common domestic cat blood types are A and B, and a third rare type "AB" is also known. Cats with blood type A have naturally occurring anti-B antibodies at a low concentration and cats with blood type B have naturally occurring anti-A antibodies at a high concentration. Cats with the rare "AB" type do not have anti-A or anti-B antibodies and are thus universal recipients for blood transfusion.

Mode of Inheritance: Order of dominance is A (N in this test) > c > b

Alleles: N = A, or possibly rare, unknown B or AB alleles; b# = known B alleles (3 alleles exist); c = known AB allele

Breeds appropriate for testing: Many breeds (excluding wildcats and hybrids)

Explanation of Results:

  • Cats with N/N1 genotype will likely have blood type A.
  • Cats with N/b# genotype will likely have blood type A2 and are carriers of B blood type.
  • Cats with N/c genotype will likely have blood type A3 and are carriers of AB blood type.
  • Cats with c/c genotype will have blood type AB.
  • Cats with c/b# genotype will have blood type AB and are carriers of B blood type.
  • Cats with b#/b# genotype will have blood type B. Matings of a blood type B queen to an A- or AB-blood type tom can cause neonatal isoerythrolysis (a potentially lethal disease) in the litter of kittens.

 

1 The blood group test is designed to detect specific genetic variants that result in blood types B and AB. The absence of those variants is reported as N. In most cases, the N allele corresponds to the common, unchanged gene that results in blood type A. However, occasionally, one or both N alleles may correspond to a rare and yet unknown AB and/or B type allele. In those rare circumstances, a cat with N/N genotype may be:

    • Blood type A carrying a rare, yet unknown AB allele;
    • Blood type A carrying a rare, yet unknown B allele;
    • Rare blood type AB;
    • Rare blood type AB carrying a rare, yet unknown B allele; or
    • Rare blood type B.

2 If the N allele is a rare, unknown AB, the result could be a cat with blood type AB carrying B; if the N allele is a rare, unknown B allele, the cat could have blood type B..

3 If the N allele is a rare, unknown AB or B allele, the result could be a cat with blood type AB, or a cat with blood type AB carrying an unknown B allele.

 

The table below shows the resulting blood type for each possible genotype.

Table showing the resulting Blood Type for each possible Genotype

* The blood group test is designed to detect specific genetic variants that result in blood types B and AB.  The absence of those variants is reported as N. In most cases, the N allele corresponds to the common, unchanged gene that results in blood type A. However, occasionally, one or both N alleles may correspond to a rare and yet unknown AB and/or B type allele.

Turnaround Time
At least 15 business days; may be delayed beyond 15 business days if sample requires additional testing, or a new sample is requested.
Price

$44 one test per animal

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Sample Collection:

Cat DNA tests are carried out using cells collected from your cat's cheeks and gums using household cotton swabs.

The cat DNA submission form with instructions, pricing, and a place to tape the cotton swabs can be printed from your home computer after signing up for a MyVGL account and placing an order. Test kits are not mailed.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1.

Person looking at different brands of cotton swabs in a storePurchase regular household cotton swabs for cat DNA collection (the cotton swabs can be purchased at a pharmacy or drug store)

 

2.

Label indicating both ends of the two cotton swabsUse both ends of the two cotton swabs for a total of four swabs.

 

3.

Demonstration of swabbing the inner cheek of a cat with a cotton swabCollect the DNA sample by swabbing the cheek and gums of the cat.

 

4.

Cotton swabs taped to bar-coded submission form for VGLAfter swabbing the cheek and gums, tape the cotton swabs to the bar-coded submission form printed from your MyVGL account.

Additional Details

The AB system is the major blood group system in domestic cats. The common blood types are A and B. Cats with blood type A have naturally occurring anti-B antibodies at a low concentration and cats with blood type B have naturally occurring anti-A antibodies at a high concentration. A third rare type "AB" is also known. Cats with the rare "AB" type do not have anti-A or anti-B antibodies and are thus universal recipients for blood transfusion. It should be noted that the nomenclature of cat blood groups can be confusing; the "AB" type is not the result of presence of the A and B blood groups.

The presence of naturally occurring antibodies makes it necessary to cross-match blood for transfusion purposes. In cats, these natural antibodies can also cause neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI). NI occurs when a B type queen is bred to an A or AB type tom and the A and AB type kittens absorb antibodies from the colostrum when they nurse. The hemolytic disease that ensues can be lethal.

The A, B, and AB blood groups are genetically determined. To avoid confusion, the following nomenclature has been adopted for the blood group alleles: "N" represents blood type A, “b#” represents blood type B and “c” represents blood type AB. The order of dominance is A>c>b. Genetically, cats with type A can be N/N, N/c or N/b1, N/b2, N/b3, cats with type AB can be c/c or c/b1, c/b2, c/b3 and cats with type B are b#/b#. 

Blood type A is the most common among cats but the frequency varies significantly by breed and geographic location. Breeds that have a rare occurrence of a blood type B allele are Siamese, Burmese, Russian Blue and Ocicat. Breeds with high frequency of the blood type B alleles are Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex and Devon Rex. The frequency of the AB type is reported to be less than 10% depending on country and breed.

Three independent genetic variants, reported as b1, b2 and b3, resulting in B blood type have been identified. Additionally, the variant resulting in AB blood type, reported as c, identified in Ragdolls and some random bred cats was identified in Dr. Leslie Lyons’ laboratory at the University of Missouri. Animals can be tested for these alleles at an early age and breeders can use this test for mate selection to avoid NI in kittens.

The DNA blood group test identifies cats that are predicted to be serotype B (b#/b#) or that are B carriers (one copy of b#). It also identifies some Ragdolls and random bred cats that are serotype AB (c/c and c/b) or AB carriers (N/c). Cats that are not genetically c/c, c/b# or b#/b# could be serotype A or another serotype AB (yet to be identified), thus the ambiguous allele is reported as N since they do not possess any known variants.

 

Note: The cat blood group DNA test is available to all breeds. This test detects the most common blood group variants. It does not detect rare or unknown type B variants. Occasionally, results are inconclusive and the genetic results cannot be interpreted for these cats. Blood group tests that are inconclusive will be refunded.
Note: The blood group test has been validated for domestic cat breeds only. The accuracy of results for wildcats and hybrids (Servals, Bengals, Chaussies) has not been determined.
Type of Sample
Cotton Swab

Species

Cat

Breed

Abyssinian African Shorthair Alpine Lynx American Bobtail American Curl American Longhair American Shorthair American Wirehair Asian Shorthair Australian Mist Balinese Bambino Birman Bombay British Longhair British Shorthair Burmese Burmilla California Spangled Ceylon Chantilly Chartreux Colorpoint Shorthair Cornish Rex Cymric Devon Rex Domestic Longhair Domestic Lynx Domestic Mediumhair Domestic Shorthair Don Sphynx Egyptian Mau European Burmese European Shorthair Exotic Longhair Exotic Shorthair Foldex German Longhair German Rex Havana Brown Highland Fold Highland Lynx Highland Straight Highlander Himalayan Japanese Bobtail Javanese Jungle Curl Khao Manee Korat Kurilean Bobtail Longhair Kurilean Bobtail Shorthair La Perm Lykoi Maine Coon Mandalay Manx Mohave Bob Munchkin Napoleon Native Thai Cat Nebelung Neva Masquerade Norwegian Forest Cat Ocicat Ojos Azules Oriental Longhair Oriental Shorthair Persian Persian Cross Peterbald Pixie Bob Ragamuffin Ragdoll Russian Blue Russian White Scottish Fold Scottish Straight Selkirk Rex Siamese Siberian Cat Singapura Snowshoe Somali Sphynx Suphalak Tennessee Rex Thai Thai Burmese Tiffany Tonkinese Toybob Toyger Turkish Angora Turkish Van Unknown York Chocolate
+ View All Breeds
Type of Test
Health
Results Reported As
Test Result Blood group status
N/N No copies of known variants responsible for B or AB blood type detected
N/b1 One copy of the b1 variant detected.
N/b2 One copy of the b2 variant detected.
N/b3 One copy of the b3 variant detected.
N/c One copy of the c variant detected.
c/c Two copies of the c variant detected which results in AB blood type.
c/b1 One copy of the c and one copy of the b1 variant detected which results in AB blood type.
c/b2 One copy of the c and one copy of the b2 variant detected which results in AB blood type.
c/b3 One copy of the c and one copy of the b3 variant detected which results in AB blood type.
b1/b1 Two copies of the b1 variant detected which results in B blood type.
b2/b2 Two copies of the b2 variant detected which results in B blood type.
b3/b3 Two copies of the b3 variant detected which results in B blood type.
b1/b2 One copy of the b1 and one copy of the b2 variant detected which results in B blood type.
b1/b3 One copy of the b1 and one copy of the b3 variant detected which results in B blood type.
b2/b3 One copy of the b2 and one copy of the b3 variant detected which results in B blood type.
References

Bighignoli, B., Niini, T., Grahn, R., Pedersen, N.C., Millon, L.V., Polli, M., Longeri, M., & Lyons, L.A. (2007). Cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) mutations associated with the domestic cat AB blood group. BMC Genetics, 8, 27. doi: 10.1186/1471-2156-8-27

Tasker, S., Barker, E.N., Day, M.J., & Helps, C.R. (2014). Feline blood genotyping versus phenotyping, and detection of non-AB blood type incompatibilities in UK cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 55, 185-189. doi: 10.1111/jsap.12180

Gandolfi, B., Grahn, R.A., Gustafson, N.A., Proverbio, D., Spada, E., Adhikari, B., Cheng, J., Andrews, G., Lyons, L.A., & Helps, C.R. (2016). A Novel Variant in CMAH Is Associated with Blood Type AB in Ragdoll Cats. PLoS One, May 12;11(5). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154973

Omi T, Nakazawa S, Udagawa C, Tada N, Ochiai K, Chong YH, et al. (2016) Molecular Characterization of the Cytidine Monophosphate-N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Hydroxylase (CMAH) Gene Associated with the Feline AB Blood Group System. PLoS One 11(10): e0165000. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165000

Kehl, A., Heimberger, K., Langbein-Detsch, I., Boehmer, S., Raj, K., Mueller, E., & Giger, U. (2018). Molecular characterization of blood type A, B, and C (AB) in domestic cats and a CMAH genotyping scheme. PLoS One, Sep 20;13(9). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204287

Uno Y, Yaguchi M, Kobayashi T, Onozawa E, Ochiai K, Yoshida K, Nakamura C, Udagawa C and Omi T (2021) Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization for Incompatible Cross-Match Cases in the Feline AB Blood Group System. Frontiers in veterinary science, 8:720445.doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.720445

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