DMS introduces the first commercially available in-office test for blood typing cats. There are three feline blood types: A, B and AB. The A type is dominant. Believe it or not...most cats are not blood typed routinely.

What are the risks of not blood typing cats?

Transfusion Risks

If cats are transfused, even once, with an incompatible blood type, a Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction ("HTR") will occur and death is extremely likely. In general, you don't know a cat needs a transfusion (to treat a blood disorder or trauma) until it's an emergency.

Mating Risks

Most of the kittens of an A(female)/B(male) mating will have A blood type. A high percentage of these kittens will often die suddenly after nursing in what is known as Fading Kitten Syndrome or Neonatal Isoerythrolysis ("NI"). The prevalence of B type cats differs by breed. Those breeds with a relatively high percentage of B cats include:

Abyssinian 20%

Devon Rex 43%

Scottish Fold 15%

Birman 16%

Himalayan 20%

Somali 22%

British SH 59%

Persian 24%

In mating with a B type Queen. Where the Tom is carefully chosen (B type), there's no problem. But where the Tom and Queen have incompatible blood types, their A type kittens will likely die unless they are removed from the mother immediately at birth and surrogate nursed. The conclusions are clear:

• All cats should be routinely blood typed.

• No cats should be mated before blood typing.

• All kittens of incompatible matings should be blood typed at birth so that surrogate nursing can be started where necessary and the kittens allowed to thrive.

Feline Package Insert