What is a two-faced cat?

At cat lovers, we are fascinated by their colors and patterns. Recently, we groomed a cat with a unique symmetrical face coloring; one half is different that the other~ like it’s the face of 2 different cats.

The name of this type of cat is referred to as "feline chimera," and the cat’s cells contain two separate types of DNA (cells from at least two different original embryos). Essentially, it’s as if two twins who were not identical merged, creating a cat whose face has two different patterns.

Check out this insta-famous cat Narnia

Science has gone a step further. You can actually have genetic testing of skin samples from each side of the cat to confirm whether or not a cat is truly a chimera.

Leslie Lyons studies the genetics of domestic cats and recently told National Geographic, "We can do a DNA fingerprint—just like on CSI—and the DNA from one side of the body should be different than the other." That means not only would Narnia have two different types of DNA, but each side of Narnia's body would have its own unique DNA and blood type! 

While Narnia’s face is a tell-tale sign she’s a chimera, the difference is not as obvious and could be as subtle as a hitchhiker's thumb or eyes which are slightly different colors.

Venus the Chimera

Would you believe the above cat is not a chimera? She is a Mosaic.

Venus, the most famous mosaic, is a striking calico. According to Columbia University Professor of Genetics and Development Virginia Papaioannou, “In a mosaic, there’s only one individual and it just happens to have different genetic components active in its cells. A chimera would be a much more unusual and unlikely event.” Chimera’s are made up of cells from at least two different original embryos. If they fuse together early enough, they will become a single organism whose genetic input is from two completely different individuals.”

Don’t you find cat genetics fascinating?