 The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor are both diploid organisms that possess 38 chromosomes and roughly 20 @,@ 000 genes . About 250 heritable genetic disorders have been identified in cats , many similar to human inborn errors . The high level of similarity among the metabolism of mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed using genetic tests that were originally developed for use in humans , as well as the use of cats as animal models in the study of the human diseases . 
