Comparative Analysis of the Domestic Cat Genome Reveals Signatures of Domestication

This study produced an improved domestic cat genome assembly and compared it with wildcats and other mammals to find molecular footprints of domestication. The authors identified selection signals in genes affecting fear conditioning, reward-seeking behavior, and neural-crest-derived traits, paralleling changes seen in other domesticated species. They also examined genes for fat metabolism and sensory perception relevant to an obligate-carnivore lifestyle. Crucially, the work emphasized that cats are only semi-domesticated, having undergone comparatively mild selection relative to dogs and livestock, which is consistent with their largely self-domesticating, commensal entry into human settlements. The assembly became a key reference for feline genetics.