Does Down syndrome exist in cats? The answer is no, it is impossible due to the total number of chromosomes they have. However, sometimes specimens are born with characteristics of cats with Down syndrome that makes people question it and some caregivers of these cats even make profiles on social networks alleging that their cats have Down syndrome., which become quite followed, further promoting this belief.
Are you curious if there are cats with Down syndrome? And other animals? Continue reading this article on our site to answer all your questions.
Can cats have Down syndrome?
No, cats cannot have Down syndrome because they lack chromosomes to consider having this genetic alteration. Down syndrome is a genetic abnormality that affects 1 in 700 babies in the United States each year and occurs when during the development of the fetus's genetic material chromosome 21 is incorrectly copied, giving rise to an extra copy or a partial chromosome 21, leading to various birth defects that produce a number of physical traits common among people with this syndrome, which can be quite similar in cats with other anomalies or malformations, hence it is incorrectly thought that cats They can also suffer from this anomaly.
While primates and humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, cats only have 19 pairs, making it mathematically impossible who have said genetic abnormality of chromosome 21.
Why can't cats have Down syndrome?
Cats cannot have Down syndrome because they lack chromosome 21, they only have 19 pairs. Therefore, it is impossible for them to have the genetic anomaly that characterizes this disease as they lack the sustenance of the anomaly, the alteration of said chromosome.
However, cats can suffer alterations in other pairs of the 19 total that they have, which can cause anomalies and congenital malformations that induce singularities in the anatomy, alterations at the physical, cognitive or mobility level that resemble human Down syndrome, but in no case is equivalent.
Symptoms similar to Down syndrome in cats
In order to spread the belief that Down syndrome exists in cats, certain cats are born with a series of physical and behavioral characteristics that resemble this problem and that are actually due to other things other than the aforementioned syndrome. For example, you may have heard of Grumpy Cat, a similar-looking cat with dwarfism who died in 2019, or the cats Monty or Maya who have widely spaced eyes and no nose bridge.
Some symptoms that cats can have that resemble human Down syndrome are as follows:
- Eyes wide apart Upturned, small, or misshapen.
- Sad face.
- Ears that are different in shape or smaller than normal.
- Flat nose or up.
- Low muscle tone.
- Hearing or vision loss.
- Smallest size.
- Heart defects.
- Motor difficulty.
- Difficulty in urination or defecation.
Causes similar to Down syndrome in cats
The aforementioned symptoms may be due to different problems ranging from diseases to infections, traumas or other congenital anomalies, among which we highlight the following causes:
Inbreeding
Bringing related cats together can predispose to the development of mental and physical abnormalities that may mimic a person's symptoms with Down syndrome, among which morphological anomalies in the face and mouth and motor or cardiac alterations stand out.
In all cases it is always advisable to opt for sterilization because there are many abandoned cats looking for a new home, but when cats from the same family live in the same house (siblings, for example) is even more important to avoid the birth of offspring with this type of problem. See the Advantages of sterilizing a cat in this other post.
Feline panleukopenia
Feline panleukopenia virus, a parvovirus, causes cerebellar hypoplasia in kittens when the cat is infected while pregnant. This hypoplasia produces cerebellar clinical signs that make coordination in movement difficult due to the incomplete development of the cerebellum that guarantees coordination and control of movements. For this reason, this is another disease that can be confused with signs related to Down syndrome.
Poisoning during pregnancy
When a pregnant cat is exposed to certain toxins, these can have a teratogenic effect that induces neurological abnormalities and facial malformations in her fetuses, giving birth to kittens that look like they have Down syndrome.
Feline dysautonomia
Dysautonomia is a degenerative disease that affects the autonomic nervous system of the small feline, producing signs such as incontinence, reduction or loss muscle tone, poor appetite, weight loss, and downcast or droopy eyes.
Klinefelter syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome is another genetic abnormality in which male cats have an extra X chromosome, being XXY instead of XY. This, in addition to infertility and the presence of three colors in their fur, causes developmental problems that can cause physical abnormalities, poorer bone density and cognitive problems. So, tricolor cats are not always female, as you can see, in this case they can also be male.
Distal Polyneuropathy
Distal polyneuropathy is a nerve problem derived from diabetes and produces signs such as paralysis, instability, tremors, seizures and motor weakness.
Injuries
traumas to the face or head, especially if they occur at a very young age, can permanently modify your anatomy and produce facial lesions and permanent neurological damage that can mimic Down syndrome.
Care of cats with symptoms similar to Down syndrome
When a cat has a defect such as crossed eyes, dwarfism, some genetic anomaly or malformation, may not limit its life expectancyand allow him to lead a normal life as long as he finds committed caregivers with a big heart so as not to abandon him. In nature, cats with these signs would surely not live and would be sacrificed by their mother after birth, but if they fall into noble human hands these cats can enjoy a full life full of love and care. Of course, it is essential to go to a veterinary center to be able to find the cause, since, as we have seen, some diseases need treatment.
These cats must go to veterinary check-ups more frequently than other cats and must be more closely watched and cared for, but the rest of the care must be similar to that of apparently normal cats: a complete and balanced diet and in some cases adjusted to any organic problem they may suffer from, an adequate and clean litter box, a series of toys and accessible environmental enrichment places according to the motor problem they may suffer and a calm environment without stress. In addition, if they have vision problems, motor or hearing difficulties, caregivers should help them perform everyday actions such as jumping or dodging objects, among others.
Now that you know that Down syndrome does not exist in cats, but there are other problems with very similar symptoms, we do not want to miss the opportunity to highlight how important it is to accept and respect all living beings, regardless of the species and, of course, regardless of whether or not they have an appearance considered "normal and accepted". We are all valuable and deserve love, affection and care.
What animals can have Down syndrome?
Actually, only humans and primates could suffer from Down syndrome as they have the 21st pair of chromosomes and can be affected, not occurring in other animals such as cats, dogs, farm animals, or wild animals. However, all animals have pairs of chromosomes that can be affected by genetic abnormalities that induce malformations and motor and mental difficulties. For example, trisomy of chromosome 16 is well known in mice. Mice have 19 pairs of chromosomes and precisely the 16th contains a portion with genes practically identical to those of the human chromosome 21, which makes the disease similar, but not similar.
