Cat blood types: we know what they are


Just like us, the cat also has different blood types. And it is very useful to learn that of our four-legged friend.

The blood types of humans can be of four types: A, B, AB and O. The importance of knowing one’s blood type is known to most: we cannot donate or receive blood from everyone (except in the case where we are not universal donors or receivers). A similar argument applies to our four-legged friends. Let’s find out together what the cat’s blood types are.


The importance of knowing your cat’s blood type

The increased sensitivity to the condition of animals has elevated their status within society: dogs and cats are increasingly considered as real family members. This has also translated into innovations in the various fields of knowledge.

Medicine has also made important steps in the veterinary field: having established itself in an irrepressible way the practice of medical transfusion also for our four-legged friends, at the same time the need arose to know and identify the various blood types of the cat.

Yes, the cat can donate blood and of course receive it. The practice of donation is essential to save the lives of our furry friends, and it is a practice that is slowly taking hold in our country; in other European states it has a more entrenched tradition.


Cat blood types

The blood types of the cat are three, expression of two antigens that manifest themselves individually or combined with each other: AB and AB:

  • Blood type A is the most common in the feline; in particular, in the European breed cat it sees a preponderance almost close to exclusivity (as many as 99% of the specimens have this blood type).
  • Blood type B is quite rare, although in some breeds (for example Burmese, Abyssinian and Somali) it is prevalent compared to the other groups;
  • the blood type AB, which is extremely rare, also typical of some specific breeds (Persian, Maine Coon, Siberian, Sphynx, but also Burmese and Abyssinian).

Unfortunately, there are no universal donors, nor a blood type that it can receive from others. Therefore, in the case of a transfusion, a cat will only be able to receive blood from another cat that has the same blood type.

Also for this reason it is essential to know the various blood types of the cat, and the specific one of our four-legged friend: obviously we can contact our trusted veterinarian.


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