DNA Testing Three Cats: Breed & Health

Testing three cats for both breed and health is a solid project — and cat DNA testing has actually come a long way, though it's still a step behind dog testing in terms of breed database size. For cats, the main thing to know is that breed composition results are useful but less precise than dog tests, simply because most domestic cats aren't purebred to begin with. Health screening is where cat DNA testing genuinely earns its place — carriers for conditions like HCM, PKD, and blood type incompatibilities are worth knowing about, especially if you ever need emergency treatment or plan to breed. Are all three cats mixed breed or unknown background, and are you equally interested in both the breed side and the health markers, or is health screening your main priority?

That makes complete sense. For cats where health screening is the priority but you also want breed, Basepaws Breed + Health is the one to go with — it's the most comprehensive cat DNA test available in the UK, covering over 25 genetic diseases and traits alongside breed analysis across 21 cat groups. The health panel includes HCM, PKD1, blood type, and a range of other markers that are genuinely clinically relevant. For three cats, you'd just order three kits — the cheek swab process is straightforward, and each cat gets their own report. It typically runs around £85–£99 per kit depending on where you catch it, so budget around £250–£290 for all three. That's the honest cost. There's no bundle discount I'm aware of, but you can sometimes find it slightly cheaper on Amazon than direct from Basepaws. Given health is your main goal, this is the right test — there's no cheaper cat option that gives you a comparable health panel.

Honestly, not really — not for cats. The cat DNA testing market is much smaller than for dogs, so there isn't the same competitive pricing. Wisdom Panel for cats exists and is cheaper, but its health panel is more limited, and for three cats where health is the priority, I'd rather you spend a little more per kit and actually get the markers that matter. If budget is tight, I'd suggest doing Basepaws for the cat you're most concerned about health-wise first, then spacing out the other two rather than compromising on the test quality. That way you're not cutting corners on the health data.

Fairly easy — the Basepaws swab is a quick cheek swab, takes about 30 seconds if the cat tolerates it. The instructions say to do it when the cat hasn't eaten for two hours, which helps with sample quality. For less cooperative cats, wrapping them in a towel (the classic burrito technique) while someone else does the swab works well. The swab just needs good contact with the inner cheek — you don't need saliva quantity, just cells. Most people manage it fine even with wriggly cats. If a cat genuinely won't cooperate, you can retry — the kit includes spare swabs.

Good call. One practical tip: label each swab tube clearly with the cat's name the moment you collect it — it's easy to mix them up if you're doing all three in one session. Results typically take four to six weeks. The health report is the one to focus on when it arrives — if anything flags as a carrier or at-risk result, that's worth a conversation with your vet, who can advise on whether monitoring or further clinical testing makes sense. Enjoy the breed results too — rescue cats often turn out to have more interesting ancestry than you'd expect.