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Thursday, September 28th
Orivet's goal is to help pet owners safeguard the well-being of their cats and dogs with breed-specific care. Their premise is built on the idea that every animal is unique and has its own set of traits, behaviors, genetic health needs, and inherent risks that pet owners should understand in order to provide the best health care. Orivet has operations in Australia, the USA, Europe, and Japan and is an institutional member of the International Small Animal Genetic Society.
Breed-specific testing
The main test kit offered by Orivet for cats is the Purebred Cat Full Breed Profile for $94.95. The five types of breeds this works for are Abyssinian, British Shorthair/Longhair, Burmese, Maine Coon, and Ragdoll. The test examines over 30 health and trait tests specific to the breed of cat you have. It will screen for the most common diseases that typically affect your cat's breed and detail how to establish a wellness plan to move forward if your pet is genetically predisposed to one or more of them.
Relevant test results
If your cat is a breed that isn't tested by the Purebred Cat Full Breed Profile, there are other specific tests you can order. You can look up the breed of your cat and view tests that are specific to them. For example, if you have an American Ringtail, you can order a comprehensive genetic profile test for $119, a disease screening for $120, a polycystic kidney disease test for $45, or test for eight different types of traits that range between $45 and $120. The idea is that you will get results specific to your cat and not have to overpay for disease screenings that don't actually affect your breed. Unfortunately, Orivet doesn't offer a test that will tell you your cat's breed if you don't already know it.
Need more details about kits
One thing we were disappointed by is that most of the tests offered by Orivet for your cat don't have a listed turnaround time or sample report to view. You can read the description of what is tested for and then add it to your cart, but we aren't sure what the exact method of collecting samples is for each given test since the contents of test kits are not listed. This is something that pet owners will want to know, so it would be nice for Orivet to add some clarification.
Free standard shipping
All cat DNA kits are shipped to customers free of charge. They ship in 1-2 business days from the date the order was created, so you should receive your kit fairly quickly. However, one issue we ran into at checkout was an error message saying that the kit we wanted could not be shipped to the address we provided. This was disappointing since we entered a typical residential address within the United States. It makes us wonder if for some reason certain regions are excluded from receiving Orivet kits even though they don't mention that.
No cancellation policy
You can expect to receive your Orivet results via email within 3-6 weeks. If you decide to cancel your Orivet kit before receiving results or sending in your sample, you will probably be out of luck since there is no cancellation policy here. This usually means the company doesn't accept cancellations and all sales are final, so you won't get a refund either.
Customers aren't thrilled
Orivet has a satisfactory "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, but there aren't a ton of customer reviews for this company. From what feedback there is, people have mixed feelings about Orivet. While some customers have used multiple kits from them and are pleased with results, many others report poor communication from the company's reps and extremely slow turnaround times. Overall, people are not thrilled with their experience with Orivet. Because of this and a lack of other important details about their kits, we have not given Orivet a very high rating among providers of cat DNA tests.
Most people consider their cats and other pets to practically be members of their family. Over the years, our society has become increasingly interested in DNA testing to know where we come from and where we get certain traits from. So why wouldn't we want to know this same information about our pet?
With new technologies, cat DNA testing allows people to discover their cat's genome to get a deeper look into their breed and all that comes along with it. There are hundreds of genetic markers that can be identified through a DNA test of your cat. These markers provide insights about genetic health conditions, dental health, and traits.
Your cat can't tell you when they're sick, so the more information you have about their overall health and the risk factors they carry, the more proactive you can be in their care. You'll also come to understand how your cat's breed affects their temperament and personality, which will better help you meet their emotional needs..
There are a few different companies online that offer DNA test kits for your cat and other pets. You can easily compare the costs and reported accuracy of these DNA test kits between companies to ensure you choose the best option.
Once you select the company you want to work with, they'll usually ship you a kit and all you have to do is collect a quick cheek swab from your cat's mouth and follow the instructions for how to properly package your sample back in the mail. It only takes a few weeks or less to receive results and most companies have comprehensive online portals for you to view your cat's genetic makeup.
There are many companies that sell cat DNA tests, so we have provided important information when considering which company to use:
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best places to purchase a DNA test kit for your cat. We hope this information helps you find the right test to give you all the guidance you need to keep your four-legged friend healthy and happy!
Select any 2 Cat DNA Test Kits to compare them head to head