Cri du chat syndrome, also known as "cat syndrome" in humans, is a genetic disorder. It's characterized by a distinctive, high-pitched cry in infants that sounds like a cat's meow. According to provided information, Cri du chat syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The name of the syndrome means the cry of the cat and describes the main clinical finding of a high-pitched, monochromatic cat-like cry.
In essence, the defining feature is this unusual cry, stemming from a problem with chromosome 5.