Abstract

The goal of this study was to analyze the mode of inheritance of an overweight body
condition in an experimental cat population. The cat population consisted of 95 cats
out of which 81 cats could be clearly classified into lean or overweight using a body
condition score system (BCS). The classification into lean or overweight of these 81
cats was used for segregation analyses. Complex segregation analyses were
performed to test for the significance of one environmental and 4 genetic models
(general, mixed inheritance, major gene, and polygene). The major gene model
explained the segregation of the overweight phenotype best. This meant that the first
time a genetic component could be shown to be responsible for the development of
overweight in cats.