Cat colour genetics

[vhf]

Hi, are there any cat genetics people on here?
Tabby cat, mother white, father black. Just produced a white kitten (the other looks grey/black/tabby, hard to say!).
White cats aren't that common, I've seen none anywhere in the area, but we do have a visiting black tom so had assumed he was the father. I was sure solid white was dominant, so was not expecting a white kitten at all. So if anyone knows whether there is a recessive white gene I'd love to hear it! Thank you.

 

[quizzie]

Dominant white is just as it says, so dominant only.

But there is also the albino gene which is recessive, so white mother could not have been dominant white ,but could have been a full albino if she had blue eyes, resulting tabby kitten who was also an albino carrier....if black father is also an albino carrier, then 25% of new kittens could be albino (white with blue eyes).

Think that makes sense?!

 

[fetlock]

Just to complicate matters, if you aren’t certain who the father was, then there could be a different father for each kitten.

 

[ycbm]

Just to complicate matters, if you aren’t certain who the father was, then there could be a different father for each kitten.

And the kittens could even be different ages in the same litter!
.

 

[vhf]

Dominant white is just as it says, so dominant only.

But there is also the albino gene which is recessive, so white mother could have been dominant white but also albino carrier, or a full albino if she had blue eyes, resulting tabby kitten who was also an albino carrier....if black father is also an albino carrier, then 25% of new kittens could be albino (white with blue eyes).

Think that makes sense?!

Yes, that does. I'd actually discounted albino because I thought it was very rare in cats (<2% I believe?) and grandma had green eyes. I will have to see what colour the kitten's eyes are - I assumed albino cats had reddish eyes not blue though??? I do know that blue eyed cats are often deaf (remembered from my prehistoric uni developmental genetics days).

Just to complicate matters, if you aren’t certain who the father was, then there could be a different father for each kitten.

Yes, but he'd still have had to be a white tom to produce a dominant white kitten from a non-white mother... and I've not seen any, ever, despite riding for miles around the area for several years. I gave her strict instructions to find a ginger and white daddy but she always does her own thing...

And the kittens could even be different ages in the same litter!
.

Yes, we have 2 born on consecutive days and I am reasonably certain when conception occurred (at least, I know the 3 day period). I never knew that about cats until recently.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I know nothing about cat genetics but you can’t mention kittens without photos. Please

 

[vhf]

I know nothing about cat genetics but you can’t mention kittens without photos. Please

Once we're happy she doesn't mind us near them. First time (and last time) barn-cat mum, so I'm trying not to be too pushy! But you can hear her purring from several yards away...

 

[ycbm]

Yes, we have 2 born on consecutive days and I am reasonably certain when conception occurred (at least, I know the 3 day period). I never knew that about cats until recently.

We had two from the same litter from the RSPCA and the vet told us they were 3 weeks apart in age. Apparently it's not uncommon for it to happen but it's rare for the younger ones to survive. Ours was always weak and always seemed to have little concept of danger. We were forever rescuing him from life threatening situations, down the loo, in the boiler ... It was no surprise that he died young.
.

 

[vhf]

We had two from the same litter from the RSPCA and the vet told us they were 3 weeks apart in age. Apparently it's not uncommon for it to happen but it's rare for the younger ones to survive. Ours was always weak and always seemed to have little concept of danger. We were forever rescuing him from life threatening situations, down the loo, in the boiler ... It was no surprise that he died young.
.

Ahhh, bless him! We've had runts before, many, many moons ago. Some caught up, some didn't. Not had kittens born for about 35 years and OH never had, so I relented this once. I thought she looked like she was carrying about 3 and we have 2 big ones but you can never really tell. I would prefer no late arrivals though please.

 

[vhf]

One tough cookie, one a lot weaker. Both big, feeding and being carefully tended...

 

[Maxidoodle]

Oh they are adorable. I’ve no idea about genetics, it’s fascinating though, my little buddy (avatar), his mum was what I would describe as “persil white” white and the other kitten in the litter was white with black splodges. They had no idea who the dad/dads were.

 

[Esmae]

I had a burmese lass that pushed out 2 perfectly formed dead kittens 10 days before her due date. Then shut up shop and on the due date proceeded to produce a further football team. So she was carrying 13!!! I almost had the vapours! She brought the live ones up all by herself and knew exactly what she was doing even if you mixed them up. Who had been fed and who hadn't. Wonderful mother. OP it could be a different tom cat. They can travel miles if they hear a female calling and the actual mating doesn't take long. Whoever daddy is, they look absolutely gorgeous.

 

[vhf]

Sadly the little white one didn't make it.
So I'll never know whether he was albino or had a white dad.
The other is doing well, looks like a grey tabby, so dad must have carried dilute. Doesn't stop it being a different father or the same!

 

[vhf]

Three weeks old update for those who like cute kitten pics!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Three weeks old update for those who like cute kitten pics!

I think my heart might have just burst, adorable!

I always find cat genetics hugely fascinating.

 

[SilverLinings]

That is a very pretty kitten @vhf , although I'm sorry to read that you lost the other one. I don't know much about cats so can't comment on the colours, but I do find grey cats very attractive

 

[vhf]

That is a very pretty kitten @vhf , although I'm sorry to read that you lost the other one. I don't know much about cats so can't comment on the colours, but I do find grey cats very attractive

Funny thing is, I really, really wanted a silver tabby but they always seem to be expensive pedigrees. This looks almost there, I'm hoping. He was trying to play this morning. Oh the cuteness overload!