Note: Michael Bugeja, guardian of Freya and Siggy, is a Basepaws affiliate member and may receive compensation for this post. Any compensation will be donated to the Ames Animal Shelter.

Well, turns out that Siggy is more Maine Coon than we thought, with about 75% likelihood of that breed, along with a smattering of other long- and short-hair cats.

We knew about the Maine Coon heritage–look at her photos!–but decided to do the DNA test to learn more about her health markers.

That’s where basepaws.com comes in, a premiere feline DNA sequencing company located at 1820 W. Carson Blvd. Suite 202-351, Torrance, CA 90501.

We paid $100 for a kit, which arrived within a week. That impressed us. We also received detailed instructions on how to swab Siggy for DNA. It’s very much like a human DNA procedure. Each kit includes a sterile cheek swab with stabilizing liquid, a biohazard specimen bag and prepaid packaging for return shipping.

Here are swabbing instructions:

“Ideally, we want the swab in your cat’s mouth for 5-10 seconds, but we understand that cats can be temperamental. In most cases, we can still reliably obtain good quality DNA if the swab is in the cat’s mouth for as little as 3-5 seconds, as long as you manage to make proper contact with the inner cheek, gums and/or tongue. Please make sure to wait at least 30 minutes after your cat consumes anything before swabbing to prevent contamination.”

Siggy took the swab like a pro, and soon the kit was in the mail to Basepaws.

We waited about six weeks for results, and it was worth it. Her breed report totaled 33 pages. One of the fun parts of the report is the “Wild Cat Index,” in which four wildcats are used for genomic similarity. Think of the human DNA test that says you’re 1% Neanderthal. This wildcat test doesn’t mean your cat is part cheetah, cougar, lion or tiger.

We thought Siggy might register as lion. Look at this photo!

Instead, we got cheetah, which really does suit her overdrive personality.

We also got a detailed health and dental report testing for 39 markers for 17 different diseases. Here’s a sample page from Siggy’s report:

Siggy was cited as low risk for all the disorders, including tooth ones, with only a moderate one for bad breath (which we can tolerate).

In sum, we recommend Basepaws. The customer service is great. You get real life responses from their staff. The company’s website features reports, updates, FAQ, and even whole genome sequencing.

Check out this video with step-by-step instructions on how to swab your cat and return the kit. You’ll wait anxiously for the report. But when you receive it, you’ll share on social media, forward to your veterinarian and learn more about your cat’s health and wellbeing.

Here’s a YouTube video featuring Siggy and her DNA test.

Check out Basepaws. (If your cat or kitten had a test done with the company, tell us about your experience. Any breed surprises?)