What is MyBreedData & Why Does It Matter?
MyBreedData is a free reference powered by the tens of thousands of pedigreed cats analysed globally by Wisdom Panel’s cat breeder products, including MyCatDNA™, Optimal Selection™ Feline, and MyCatDNA™ Select. MyBreedData was first announced in 2018 as a resource for dogs only, in conjunction with Wisdom’s first "big data” dog publication, to allow easy access and search of the published data. It was updated again in 2023 with the publication of Wisdom’s "1 Million Dog" paper. However, in 2022 Wisdom published the largest cat genetic health survey ever, Genetic epidemiology of blood type, disease and trait variants, and genome-wide genetic diversity in over 11,000 domestic cats. With that much data, it only makes sense to add cat reporting to MyBreedData!
MyBreedData is used as a reference by breeders, registries, researchers, and veterinarians to make science-based decisions using comprehensive genetic disorder screening and diversity data. This allows them a uniquely unbiased view of global pedigreed cat health, as testing data is published without result reporting bias across more than 45 conditions. Although anonymised cat and dog testing results are provided, identifying information about individual animals and breeders has been removed to protect privacy in compliance with GDPR and CCPA.
What’s new:
We are pleased to announce that MyBreedData has received a major refresh. This updated release shows better visualisation of our global data with maps, Wisdom’s ongoing published research in pedigreed cats and dogs, automated updates of the data, and a whole new section devoted to pedigreed cats!
Landing Page Navigation
No registration or login is necessary to access or use MyBreedData. On the landing page, you’ll find a navigation pane at the left, and a graphic at the center explaining the various data pages. This is also where you’ll find a selection of Wisdom’s research publications and links to purchase testing, if you wish. If you want to learn more about Wisdom Panel’s research, click on “Our Research” under Featured Links at the bottom of the page. Now, choose which data set you’d like to explore further to be taken to that data dashboard.
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Cat Diversity
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Cat Disorder Frequency
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Cat Blood Type Frequency
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Dog Diversity
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Dog Disorder Frequency
Interpreting Genetic Disease Data
When searching disease variant frequencies for the first time, the data table will default to sorting from highest to lowest allelic frequency for all disease risk variants across all breeds. You have the choice of sorting the data according to breeds, diseases, or a combination of both.
You may have questions about some of the variants that are most common, and for good reason—most are one part of complex disorders or have very low disease-causing potential, which is why they persist in the population. More information about each of those disorder risk variants is provided in Wisdom Panel breeder reports, so we won’t go into detail here, but it’s worth mentioning a few:
1. Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI Modifier, which only causes disease if Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI is also present.
2. Earfold and Osteochondrodysplasia (Discovered in the Scottish Fold) is both a trait and a disease risk that is breed-defining for the Scottish Fold, and as 2 copies inherited are most likely to cause severe arthritis, we can see that breeders are careful to avoid producing 2-copy cats.
3. Factor XII deficiency is an asymptomatic blood factor deficiency important to veterinarians interpreting in-clinic clotting tests and is not a true disease like some factor deficiencies.
The data table will filter according to what you’ve selected, automatically sorting from highest to lowest frequency of the disorder variant per breed or type. There are 6 columns displayed:
- Breed or breed subtype
- Disorder risk variant
- Count (The total number of cats tested for the breed and disorder listed)
- 1 copy (The total number of cats tested found to have 1 copy of the variant)
- 2 copy (The total number of cats tested found to have 2 copies of the variant)
- Allelic frequency calculation (discussed below)
All columns can be sorted either alphabetically or numerically by clicking the column header. To return to default sorting, click the back arrow at the upper left of the data table. Counts are provided in number categories, starting with a minimum of 20 cats of that breed, and allelic frequencies are rounded, to protect the privacy of individual cats added to the breed population with updates.
Filtering by breed
Breeds are listed as they appear when breeders activate a Wisdom Panel breeder test kit. Because Wisdom breeder tests serve FIFe, TICA, and other association-affiliated breeders, you may encounter more than one applicable listing for your breed. Let’s use the example of Oriental. A search for “Oriental” will return 3 possible entries. You could select one Oriental subtype and click “only” to filter out all other breed listings or clear all breeds first and hand select the subtypes you’d like.
Allelic vs. Genotype Frequency
Please be aware that allelic frequency differs from genotype frequency. Most breeders think in terms of phenotype frequency or genotype frequency, as they are thinking in terms of individuals. Most researchers and scientists think in terms of allelic frequency because they are thinking in terms of populations and trends. For more information, please read “Genetics 101: Genetic Terms and Basic Concepts.”
Phenotype frequency of disorders means how often we see cats affected with the disorder in question. It's not possible to answer that question for many disorders because other risk factors play a role in disease expression, as we’ve just discussed above. This is why we refer to cats as “at risk” instead of “affected” in Wisdom’s testing. However, for simple recessive conditions, the 2 copy column will show how many cats are at risk, and for dominant conditions, the 1 and 2 copy columns together will show how many are at risk.
Genotype frequency shows how often we see that particular allele combination, for example, 12% of X breed are carriers (1 copy) for a recessive disorder, or 3% of Maine Coons are at risk for MDR1 Medication Sensitivity.
Allelic frequency shows how often the allele in question occurs within the gene pool or population. Since each individual carries two alleles (one from each parent) for most genes except sex-linked ones, every cat contributes two copies to the total for the population. For example, if 1 out of 10 cats carries a single copy of a given allele, then the frequency is 1/20, or 5% allelic frequency. If 2 out of 10 cats carry two copies of a given allele, then the allelic frequency is (2 x 2)/20, or 20% allelic frequency. When there are both 1 and 2 copy cats in the population, the two are added, e.g. (1 + (2 x 2))/ 20 = 25% allelic frequency.
Filtering by disorder
As with the breed filter, you can filter for a single disorder, all disorders, or multiple disorders. To see all disorders found for cats registered as Bengal, select breed > Bengal “only” and leave all disorders selected. This will bring up all findings in the Bengal. To find out the frequency of a specific set of disorders, unselect all disorders but the ones of interest. If you’re not sure what disorders have solid scientific evidence in support of clinical relevance in your breed, check out the MyCatDNA or Optimal Selection websites and click "Search by Breed" to find your breed’s disorder list.
Interpreting Genetic Diversity Data
When searching genetic diversity, the data table will default to sorting from highest to lowest diversity across all breeds. The most diverse breeds tend to be recent landraces or regional domestic or household cats, new breeds, or breeds that have undergone recent outcrossing projects. Currently, the top breeds submitted to us for diversity testing are the Munchkin, US-origin domestic cat, and the German Longhair.
Users have the choice of sorting the data according to breed, birth year, and country of origin. There are three separate displays of information that correspond to the filters applied: the Breed Breakdown, the Diversity Distribution, and the Breeds by Country. As with disorder testing, breed data will only be displayed if 20 or more cats meet the filter qualifications based on breed, birth year, or country of origin. If a year, country, or breed is missing in your search, it is because it did not meet the minimum population requirement to report.
How Wisdom Measures Diversity
Wisdom Panel reports diversity in terms of genetic heterozygosity, meaning how many paired copies of DNA inherited from the sire and dam are different. The higher the number, the more diverse the cat. Heterozygosity is a slightly different measure of diversity than genetic coefficient of inbreeding (gCOI), which typically measures segments of identical DNA from tom and queen. Most conservation specialists use genetic diversity by heterozygosity, but both methods provide useful information. To learn more about how we measure diversity, and how it differs from gCOI, please read Understanding Diversity Results and Why Diversity Matters, which is written for dog breeders. Although less research has been done on the topic in cats, similar principles are thought to apply.
Diversity Breed Breakdown
This section of MyBreedData’s diversity reporting, like the disorder reporting dashboards, shows many registries’ recognized breeds and breed subtypes. Counts are given in categories to protect privacy. Heterozygosity, as listed, represents the average or mean diversity of the breed, accounting for any filters applied based on country of origin and birth year of the cat. The higher the number, the more diverse or less inbred the population.
Diversity Distribution
If you’re a longtime user of Wisdom Panel breeder testing, you are familiar with seeing diversity curves. These are a powerful way of viewing a cat’s diversity in the context of their breed. Each breed will have a different distribution of diversity based on test data. The distribution tells us the range (the X-axis) and how often (the Y-axis) a specific diversity score is seen in the breed. Scores closer to the origin are more inbred for the breed, while scores to the right are more diverse. Peaks correspond to more typical diversity scores. As some breeds effectively have separate-breeding populations, for example, American and European styles, there may be two or more peaks for the breed.
Breeds by Country
At the bottom of the diversity dashboard, you’ll find a handy world map showing where the samples came from to generate the Breed Breakdown and Diversity Distribution you see at top, based on your filter values. Hovering will tell you the country name, but at this time, count category from that country is not available. Country of origin designates where the cat’s pedigree lines come from, not where the breeder resides, although they are often the same.
Please note that Country of Origin is an optional field at kit activation for MyCatDNA and Optimal Selection Feline kits and is not used by all registries using MyCatDNA Select, so use of this filter may limit your sample counts.
Interpreting Blood Type Data
Cats are special in that we can genetically detect the likely blood type of the cat through genetic testing, as it was discovered that the CMAH gene is largely responsible for dictating blood type (Mik antigens also play a role in blood type compatibility, but are not included in testing). Blood type A is the most common in domestic cats, and type AB is the rarest. However, frequencies of A, B, and AB blood types vary widely within non-pedigreed and pedigreed cat populations. Blood type matters, because queens can have a blood type that is incompatible with her kittens, which may cause a dangerous condition called Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI) after birth, similar to Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) in humans or NI in horses. To learn more about blood types, read Understanding Cat Blood Types.
Wisdom’s cat breeder tests identify 4 blood type variants (3 B type and 1 AB type). Type A blood is inferred, meaning it is assumed if other blood types are not identified. As each breed may carry more than one variant, blood type is not summarized by blood type percentages, which is a phenotypic frequency method of reporting. Instead, it is reported in terms of allelic frequency of each variant type. For this reason, filtering based on a specific blood variant or specific breed is recommended for readability. For example, let’s filter for Ragdolls only:
We can see that Ragdolls can carry all four blood variant types. AB frequency is 6.8%, but that does not mean that AB blood type occurs in 6.8% of Ragdolls, as two copies of the c variant, or one c and one b variant can also cause AB blood type. To approximate the allelic frequency of blood type A, subtract all B and C variant frequencies from 1: 1 - 0.152 - 0.075 - 0.068 - 0.002 = 0.703, or about 70% frequency of the A blood variant.
Additional CMAH variants exist, and we are working to add additional rare B variants as they are discovered. In cats suspected to carry undetermined, new, or undiscovered variants, standard serologic blood typing is required to determine a cat’s clinical blood type and associated transfusion and breeding risks. For more detailed information, please consult the information provided in Wisdom Panel™ cat breeder reports.
For researchers: how data is collected, processed, and used
If you are a researcher utilising MyBreedData’s data visualisation dashboards, welcome! A few topics that may impact interpretation of our data for academic or population studies are listed below. If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to Wisdom Panel at info@wisdompanel.com and our team will be happy to get back to you.
Data updates
Data are automatically refreshed monthly for samples that have successfully processed.
Sample eligibility
We have chosen to limit reporting to samples analysed on our more recent panels, as significant improvements in marker counts and disorders available mean older sample results may not generate a meaningful comparison. Samples are limited to those received after mid 2019. As stated previously, the samples represented on MyBreedData are only those received through Wisdom Panel’s breeder testing services: MyCatDNA, Optimal Selection Feline, and MyCatDNA Select, our product available only through feline federations, in partnership with Royal Canin®. Wisdom Panel's ancestry test, Wisdom Panel Complete for Cat, is not included in these data, although we do receive many pedigreed samples through that product as well. We do not use other measures to verify pedigree status of the breed samples submitted.
Disorder reporting
It is Wisdom Panel’s belief that broad-spectrum screening for disorders benefits surveillance and early detection of disease in populations, and MyBreedData-reported disorders are not generally limited by breed.
As Wisdom Panel is continually updating and improving our testing, some disorder tests have been added more recently, while others have been included for many years. Sample counts will therefore vary based on when the test was added, less any samples that may have failed to meet sample quality criteria or failed to produce a result.
Blood type reporting
Blood type variants tested are in the CMAH gene and do not include Mik antigens, which also play a role in blood type compatibility, but are not included in testing.
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b variant CMAH c.269T>A
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b variant CMAH c.179G>T
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b variant CMAH c.1233delT
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c variant CMAH c.346C>T
Accuracy of blood type determination in wildcats or wildcat hybrid breeds has not been determined.
Data requests and collaboration
We do not currently provide automated data downloads, and our ability to generate custom breed reports on request, beyond what is provided here, is limited. However, if you are looking to publish a study and need more information, or you’d like to partner with us on a joint study, please contact Wisdom Panel at info@wisdompanel.com and we’ll be happy to talk with you. Please note that we take client confidentiality seriously and comply with data privacy laws, so no identifying information about breeders or specific cats is provided.
Citation guidelines
If you plan to use data from MyBreedData, we would appreciate it if you’d cite our work.
Recommended general citation:
MyBreedData [Database]. (2026). Breed-specific genetic diversity and genetic disorder data. Retrieved March 4, 2026, from https://www.mybreeddata.com.
Breed-specific report recommended citation:
MyBreedData. (2026). Burmese cat heterozygosity and disorder frequency statistics (n = 120+ cats; 2019–2026 records; global heterozygosity method). Retrieved March 4, 2026, from https://www.mybreeddata.com
Final Thoughts
MyBreedData by Wisdom Panel is an unprecedented global felinological resource, translating complex genomic data into practical insights for breeders, veterinarians, registries, and researchers alike. By combining global disorder frequency data, robust diversity metrics, and continuously updated visualisations, it empowers users to do their own research and make informed, science-based decisions that balance health, sustainability, and breed preservation. Whether you are monitoring emerging genetic disorders, benchmarking your breed’s diversity over time, or conducting population-level research, MyBreedData serves as a trusted, unbiased reference to improve feline health worldwide.
Resources:
Donner J, Anderson H, Davison S, Hughes AM, Bouirmane J, et al. (2018) Frequency and distribution of 152 genetic disease variants in over 100,000 mixed breed and purebred dogs. PLOS Genetics 14(4): e1007361. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1007361
Donner J, Freyer J, Davison S, Anderson H, Blades M, et al. (2023) Genetic prevalence and clinical relevance of canine Mendelian disease variants in over one million dogs. PLOS Genetics 19(2): e1010651. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1010651
Anderson H, Davison S, Lytle KM, Honkanen L, Freyer J, et al. (2022) Genetic epidemiology of blood type, disease and trait variants, and genome-wide genetic diversity in over 11,000 domestic cats. PLOS Genetics 18(6): e1009804. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009804
