Genetic diversity and Multilocus Sequence Typing Analysis of Bartonella henselae in domestic cats from Southeastern Brazil

•This was the first molecular report of Bartonella sp. in cats in Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil.•This was the first study using Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) in Bartonella henselae isolates from cats from Brazil, where two different allelic profiles (ST9 and ST37) were found.•Bartonella sp. was detected in cats’ blood samples directly by qPCR, pre-enrichment liquid culture and chocolate agar solid culture.•Intra-host diversity was found, since different rpoB genotypes of B. henselae were detected in individual single cats.