Cats blood types: Distribution of blood types in respect of cats breed and geographical location

Abstract

Cats have three blood types called as A, B and AB. Blood typing has been performed in both non-pedigree and purebred cat populations in various parts of the world. There are noticeable geographical variation in distribution of blood types, which is important in clinical practice in preventing neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) and acute hemolytic transfusion reactions. This reaction associates with severe hemolytic anemia, anaphylactic shock and even death. Severity of reactions associate with titres of naturally occurring alloantibodies, found in cat plasma, against the heterelogous blood types. Type A is the most common blood group observed in cats. In contrast, type AB cats are rare, with a frequency of less than one per cent in most of the non-pedigree and purebred cat populations studied worldwide. Present paper reviews current understanding of blood types, role of geographic localization in the distribution of blood types and their importance in feline transfusion medicine.