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Is my Charlie a snowshoe cat?
- Thread starter MiaK
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He most likely has Snowshoe genes somewhere in his background! You are very lucky, Snowshoes with good markings and points are rare, litters are very unpredictable on how the kittens will come out because the gene is recessive. Most have too much white, but your Charlie looks VERY good! His 'mask' is perfect! Since tehy haev a strong oriental background, they are usually very talkative, strong willed, and this is one breed taht loves water! He is absolutely beautiful!
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Charlie is very handsome! I would describe him as a seal point and white domestic shorthair. This is a fairly common color and pattern that we see in the domestic cat population, and it doesn't indicate Snowshoe breed ancestry. Most cats are not any particular breed.
If Charlie had litter mates that were solid white all over, probably one of his parents was solid white.
di and bob
I am not sure what you mean by "the gene is recessive"? The white spotting gene is dominant. Seal point and white cats like Charlie get their color from a combination of the solid (non-agouti) gene, colorpoint gene, and the white spotting gene. This is the same white spotting gene that we see in any other bicolor cat, not a special gene associated with any particular breed.
If Charlie had litter mates that were solid white all over, probably one of his parents was solid white.
di and bob
I am not sure what you mean by "the gene is recessive"? The white spotting gene is dominant. Seal point and white cats like Charlie get their color from a combination of the solid (non-agouti) gene, colorpoint gene, and the white spotting gene. This is the same white spotting gene that we see in any other bicolor cat, not a special gene associated with any particular breed.
No, the white spotting gene is dominant and is not associated with any particular breed, but controlling it is the secret to getting particular color traits, and that is hard to do. Markings like those present in the Snowshoe are based on the recessive gene for color points and the co-dominant but variably expressed piebald or gloving gene, and this makes it very difficult to predict the appearance of offspring. The gloving gene may extend too far up the leg, and often does. If the offspring receive two dominant genes for the mask it is very dominant on the face, they receive one and it is less so. So to get a show quality cat with the right combinatiobn of all these genes, many recessive, and to be consistant, is rare. Charlie is beautiful, and beautifully marked, no matter what! Of course without papers he is a domestic pointed shorthair as are all pointed cats with no papers to prove breeding.
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The recessive genes involved in the Snowshoe breed (colorpoint and solid) are very easy to work with, because all Snowshoes are homozygous for both of those genes. There's nothing tricky or unpredictable about that aspect of breeding them.
However, you basically can't "control" or selectively breed for perfect white markings; the effect of the dominant white spotting gene is basically random, within limits. That's one of the reasons why the Snowshoe breed was not successful.
However, you basically can't "control" or selectively breed for perfect white markings; the effect of the dominant white spotting gene is basically random, within limits. That's one of the reasons why the Snowshoe breed was not successful.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Thank you! Charlie vocalizes very peculiarly: he says "row row!" I've never heard a cat speak like him and he's very talkative. And per Snowshoe cats, I am his person and he makes it known, so...
I've been wondering for 6 years why he's marked the way he is, as his brothers are pure white and very ragdoll and fluffy!
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- #7
Thank you! He is a very stunning fellow to be sure. His front paws are symmetrical with the white shoes beginning at the ankle, and front legs look like they have a seam, some say he's wearing a smoking jacket. His back paws are white further up and have dark brown patches. It's why we call him Professor. And he has a peculiar "row row" vocalization instead of a meow. A dapper weirdo to be sure!
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Charlie doesn't need to have any particular breed ancestry to have those markings or behavior traits, or to be a wonderful and special cat
Such markings are frequently seen in cats, and are the result of the white spotting gene combined with the colorpoint gene. All of the genes required to produce cats that look like Charlie and his brothers are widespread in the domestic cat gene pool.
Charlie's face reminds me a lot of our Edwina's! It sounds like the rest of their markings (and vocalizations!) are similar, too. Edwina's littermate sister is a lynx point, though, so very different, but the only thing that really matters to us is that they're both great cats!
What a beautiful kitty you have. I believe your kitty is a Snowshoe. I had a Sbowshoe boy that was long haired who recently passed away
I bought him from a breeder. I went to 2 vets that said he was definitely a Snowshoe. Your kitty has all the markings of a Snowshoe. I recently adopted a short haired Snowshoe boy and he was verified a Snowshoe as well. I also have a Seapoint Siamese boy. Snowshoes are talkative but have a more mellow voice than a Siamese. They make great family pets and get aling with other animals. I love both Siamese and Snowshoes but there's something really special about Snowshoes. You're very fortunate to have such a special kitty.
I bought him from a breeder. I went to 2 vets that said he was definitely a Snowshoe. Your kitty has all the markings of a Snowshoe. I recently adopted a short haired Snowshoe boy and he was verified a Snowshoe as well. I also have a Seapoint Siamese boy. Snowshoes are talkative but have a more mellow voice than a Siamese. They make great family pets and get aling with other animals. I love both Siamese and Snowshoes but there's something really special about Snowshoes. You're very fortunate to have such a special kitty.
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The actual Snowshoe breed is rare, but I've heard that pattern called snowshoe enough that I think it's in fairly common use.
He's gorgeous! I especially like that picture with the plant, he looks very dapper.
He's gorgeous! I especially like that picture with the plant, he looks very dapper.
