“Cat Health Network Feline SNP Chip Studies Final Accomplishments § GWAS for Catnip Response in Domestic Cats”, 2011 (; similar):
Morris Animal Foundation, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, Winn Feline Foundation and the American Association of Feline Practitioners collaborated to form the Cat Health Network in 2011. The partners are all committed to improving feline health and recognize that combining resources may lead to major advances in cat care.
Through the Cat Health Network, scientists used a gene chip containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, pronounced “snips”) to study numerous genetic predispositions to feline diseases and conditions.
Following are final, lay-language status updates for all awards that have completed.
…D12FE-558, Genome-Wide Association Study for Catnip Response in Domestic Cats
Leslie A. Lyons, PhD, University of California-Davis
Results: No Statistically-Significant Genetic Region Identified for Catnip Response in Cats.
About 50% of cats respond to catnip.
Funded by the Cat Health Network, researchers from the University of California-Davis tested 192 shelter cats for catnip response in controlled settings. DNA was collected from cats responding to catnip and compared to DNA of nonresponding cats.
Genetic analysis of these samples did not reveal a causative gene associated with catnip response.
Identification of genes responsible for catnip response may provide clues to the mechanisms involved in olfactory responses to drugs and chemicals in cats.
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