Your cat could help solve your murder one day, here's how

Your silky-coat-wearing kitty can help you de-stress at the end of a long day, but it turns out it can also help a detective to solve an array of crimes, including murder.

A new study focused on cats’ potential contribution to police work, and its results are fascinating.

Does your cat carry your DNA on them?

Flinders University in Australia and Victoria Police Forensic Services Department conducted a study titled ‘Is there human DNA on cats?’. Its goal was to understand how helpful fluffies can be in criminal investigations.

The study comes as law enforcement agencies around the globe continue to use DNA and other new technology to help catch thieves and murderers.

Researchers looked at 20 cats from 15 different homes, with the owners all having different levels of interactions with their cats. DNA samples were taken from the cats from the participant's home as well as from every individual within the household where the respective cat lived.

Fascinating results

The study found that 80% of cats had ‘detectable levels of DNA’ of their owners on them, while the researchers were also able to generate ‘interpretable profiles’ from 70% of the samples.

Preliminary data shows that human DNA present in household cats belongs mainly to household inhabitants. Further studies are required to assess the way human DNA transfers to and from cats and other household animals.

How can your kitty help?

Heidi Monkman, forensic science researcher and co-author of the study, says that there is a lack of data on pets in their relationship to ‘human DNA transfer’ while cats can actually be highly relevant in understanding what their owners or recent visitors in the house were up to when a crime of any sort happened.

The pet-sourced DNA results would be useful when our four-legged family members are exploited in or become victims of a criminal offence or even animal abuse.

The study’s findings could help police detect the presence of suspects and their DNA at the crime scene in case of a robbery or a murder.

Sources used:

- Newsweek: 'Cats Could Hold Key to Solving Their Owners' Murders'