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- What is Down Syndrome?
- Is there a cat with Down syndrome?
- But is there really a cat with Down syndrome?
Some time ago, the story of Maya, a kitten who shows some traits similar to those that characterize Down Syndrome in humans, went viral on social networks. The story was portrayed in a children's book called “Meet the Maya Cat” by an initiative of her tutor, who decided to put into words the daily life with her feline to convey to children the importance of empathy, encouraging them to learn to love those individuals commonly classified as “different” by society.
In addition to encouraging many reflections on prejudices rooted in the structure of societies, the story of Maya, who became internationally known as “the cat with down syndrome”, made many people wonder if animals can have Down Syndrome, and more specifically, if cats can have this genetic alteration. In this article from Animal Expert, we will explain to you if cats can have Down syndrome. Check out!
What is Down Syndrome?
Before you know if there is a cat with Down syndrome, you first need to understand what the condition is. Down syndrome is a genetic alteration which specifically affects chromosome pair number 21 and is also known as trisomy 21.
The structure of our DNA is made up of 23 pairs of chromosomes. However, when a person has Down Syndrome, they have three chromosomes in what should be the “21 pair”, that is, they have an extra chromosome in this specific location of the genetic structure.
This genetic alteration is expressed both morphologically and intellectually. And that's why people with Down syndrome usually have some specific traits that are associated with trisomy, in addition to being able to demonstrate certain difficulties in their cognitive development and changes in their growth and muscle tone.
In this sense, it is essential to emphasize that Down syndrome is not a disease, but an alteration in the structure of the genes that make up the human DNA that occurs during conception, being inherent to the people who have it. In addition, it should be noted that individuals with this syndrome are not intellectually or socially incapable, and can learn different activities, lead a healthy and positive social life, enter the labor market, form a family, have their own tastes and opinions that are part of your own personality, among many other things.
Is there a cat with Down syndrome?
What made Maya known as “the cat with Down's Syndrome” were mainly the features on her face, which at first glance resemble some of the morphological features associated with trisomy 21 in humans.
But is there really a cat with Down syndrome?
The answer is no! Down Syndrome, as we mentioned earlier, affects the 21st chromosome pair, which is characteristic of the structure of human DNA. please note that each species has unique genetic information, and it is precisely this configuration of genes that determines the characteristics that identify individuals belonging to one species or another. In the case of humans, for example, the genetic code determines that they are identified as human beings and not as other animals.
Therefore, there is no Siamese cat with Down Syndrome, nor any wild or domestic feline can present it, since it is a syndrome that occurs exclusively in the genetic structure of human beings. But how is it possible that Maya and other cats have some physical characteristics similar to those seen in individuals with Down syndrome?
The answer is simple, because some animals, such as Maya, can have genetic alterations, including trisomies similar to Down Syndrome. However, these will never occur on chromosome pair 21, which is only present in the human genetic code, but in some other pair of chromosomes that makes up the genetic structure of the species.
Genetic alterations in animals can occur at the time of conception, but they can also derive from genetic experiments carried out in laboratories, or from the practice of inbreeding, as was the case with the white tiger named Kenny, who lived in a refuge in Arkansa and passed away in 2008, shortly after his case was known worldwide – and erroneously – as “the tiger with Down's Syndrome”.
To conclude this article, we must reaffirm that, although there is a lot of doubt about whether animals can have Down Syndrome, the truth is that animals (including felines) can have trisomies and other genetic alterations, but there are no cats with Down syndrome, as this condition presents itself only in the human genetic code.
If you want to read more articles similar to cat with down syndrome, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.