X-linked recessive gene variant (passed by male parent) has been identified in cats responsible for Becker-type Dystrophy causing mild to moderate irregular gait and muscle hypertrophy.

 A family of domestic longhairs referred to as “crossbred Maine Coons” helped scientists identify one of the few non-human examples of inherited Becker-type Muscular Dystrophy.

The variant sex-linked on the x chromosome, meaning carried by the male was identified by researchers in Switzerland and Germany. The condition has been identified in humans, dogs, and pigs previously.

Read the complete study in the special Genetic Basis and Epidemiology of Myopathies 2.0 issue of the International Journal of Molecular Studies published in February 2023.