Down Syndrome Case Files

Animals with Down Syndrome?

By

Joanna Kim

Down Syndrome

​What is it?

Down Syndrome is when a person has an extra chromosome. Most babies are born with 46 chromosomes and some may end up with an extra chromosome 21. Down syndrome could cause struggles for the person mentally and or physically. Common symptoms show a more flattened face or a smaller/shorter body part. These body parts could be fingers, necks, ears, or feet. Down Syndrome occurs in about 1/700 babies and about 6,000 babies a year are born with down syndrome.

Multiple Choice

What kind of down syndrome does Kenny the Tiger have?

• Trisomy 21

• Translocation Down Syndrom

• Mosaic Down Syndrome

• Other

Case File #1 - Kenny the Tiger

Kenny does not have down syndrome. The truth is actually very tragic. Many called Kenny the "World's Ugliest Tiger" due to his crooked and distorted face. They assumed he had down syndrome because of this. White tigers are not their own breed. Instead, the coat color comes from a recessive gene. In order to get the rare and beautiful white fur, many breeders forced lots of inbreeding. The result of lots of inbreeding is the cause of Kenny's irregular face.

Multiple Choice

What's irregular with Monty the Cat?

• Inherited gene

• Down Syndrome

• Disease

• Genetic Defect

Case File #2 - Monty the Cat

Monty found the nickname "Crooked Nose Cat" after various media attention was received from his silly appearance. Many people found his appearance to be charming, but also believed he had down syndrome. Unlike many beliefs, Monty does not have down syndrome and instead has a different chromosomal abnormality. Since Monty was born without a nose bridge, the abnormality causes him to sneeze more often. Besides this, Monty is perfectly capable otherwise.

Multiple Select

What's different about Lil Bub

• Extra digits

• Mouth constantly open

• Stopped growing

• Down Syndrome

Case File #3 - Lil Bub the Cat

Lil Bub is a very "Unusual Special Case" as some researchers say. Lil Bub does not have down syndrome, but also has another very rare difference between her and other cats. Lil Bub has malignant osteopetrosis. This makes it so that her bones become progressively denser as she ages. Because of this Lil Bub stopped growwing at only a few months old. In addition Lil Bub is polydactyl. What this means is that she has extra paw digits. In the DNA test it showed a genealogical connection to a tribe of cats with 6 paws. It is unknown if the next abnormality is caused from the others, but she also has a mouth that she cannot close.

Kenny the Tiger

​Monty the Cat

Lil Bub the Cat

Felines

It is actually very rare for a feline, especially cats to get down syndrome. This is because they only have 19 chromosomes. Down syndrome occurs when an extra copy of chromosome 21 exists. This makes it almost physically impossible for cats to have down syndrome.

Sources

Bell, Victoria. "Impurrrfect DNA: Genome defects in celebrity cat Lil Bub explain her kitten-sized

frame and why her mouth is always open - and that she's related to Ernest Hemingway's pets."

Daily Mail , 11 Mar. 2019, www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6794589/

Scientists-discover-gives-Lil-Bub-unusual-appearance.html. Accessed 31

"Down Syndrome." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/ downsyndrome.html#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20types%20of,features%20and%20behaviors%20are%20similar

. Accessed 31 May 2023.

Harvey, Austin. "The Tragic Reality behind Kenny, the Tiger with 'Down Syndrome.'" Edited by John

Kuroski. Ati, 9 Mar. 2023, allthatsinteresting.com/kenny-the-tiger. Accessed 31 May 2023.

Lumsden, Lauren. "'He is as rare as a diamond': Meet Monty, the 'crooked' cat born without a bone in

his nose." DailyMail, 6 Nov. 2014, www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2824140/

He-rare-diamond-Meet-Monty-crooked-cat-born-without-bone-nose.html. Accessed 31 May 2023.