Albinos maybe.

vyger

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So this will fit several different threads but I thought I would put it here for starters.
I had/have a feral that had a litter late last fall. She had 6, 2 boys and 4 girls. Over the course of the winter and being mostly kept in my entryway they all became tame and happy. The six kittens were on track to get neutered and fixed this spring at a low cost clinic. The clinic was canceled due to the everything being shutting down. As a result the 4 girls ended up expecting and about 10 days ago 3 of them each had a litter, one is still to go. Two litters of 6 and one of five so that is 17 kittens so far. So yes that all by itself is a story.
Two of the litters were fathered by a feral tuxedo who now appears to have decided to stay. I mean I can't blame him, why not really. From a guys perspective it's heaven, free food, lots of company and lots of loose females, well, he will have to wait a while for that. Anyway, his kittens really stand out, more tuxedo's, white nose and bibs. A few with other stuff mixed in and a couple that are solid black. The third one had a different father, and I am guessing it was her brother because 2 are tabbies like the mom and the brother but the big surprise were the 3 that look like albino's.
So I have been doing some research and the albino gene is recessive. A cat has to get it from both parents before it can be expressed. So if the feral mom had an albino gene and passed it on to her kittens and they then had this litter together then some of the kittens would have gotten the double recessive gene. But are they true albinos? Well they are just starting to open their eyes so it's really to early to tell from that, although they do look pink at the moment. But now they are starting to show pointing, their ears are getting dark. But in doing the research some albinos are pointed and in fact siamees cats are considered to be a form of albino. Well, I guess time will tell except ----

The clinic has been rescheduled and in ten days the boys have appointments along with the mom and the other litter of five that she had this spring who are now about 4 months old. So eight are going in before I drown in more kittens. BUT now I am wondering, albinos are very rare with only 2 percent of cats being albinos. If these boys have the albino gene maybe they should be preserved. It looks like there are some people who specialize in albinos and they sell for a lot. I don't know, do I hold off and wait and see? Any suggestions? Do any of these guy have value in terms of breeding potential? Once done it can't be undone but I am also not in a position to have 40 cats which at this rate could happen very fast. Your thoughts would be welcome.
By the way, the mom picked the box and it looks to be a good choice. The crumpled shipping paper looks to work pretty good.

whitekittens1.jpg
whitekittens2.jpg

Thought I would add another picture of the mom. And also another note.
The cats from this feral mom have been really different. The first batch that was born last fall, all have green eyes. They don't show as much in this picture but in sunlight they are green. The second thing is they have longer tails than normal. Their tails are something like 2 inches longer than any others I have ever seen and they usually walk around with the top curled down, almost like a shepherds hook. Their temperament is also very different. They are mellow and all get along with almost no fighting. I noticed that when they were little. Most kittens growl and fight over food and try to keep it all for themselves. These guys just all eat together with no dramatics. The feral mom has turned out to be a very good mom, likely the best I have ever seen. With all these kittens and now the kittens kittens there has been not one loss.
 

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Willowy

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Yikes! There's a Situation.

The point gene is a form of albinism, yes, but not exactly rare. I don't see any reason to preserve their fertility, especially since they may be inbred.
 

cataholic07

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All kittens are almost always born with pink toes/noses, its just because they are colorpoints that you see it more. It is very doubtful that they are albinos. They will become more grey in time like all color points.

So they are just regular domestic short hairs, and do not have major value in terms of breeding no. Please just get all the females fixed asap to, not just the boys as the boys can breed for 2 weeks after being neutered.
 
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Sarthur2

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Get everyone fixed - male and female - as soon as possible, and especially before more pregnancies occur. There are already way too many homeless cats and kittens in the world. What is your plan to find homes for all these kittens?
 

Kieka

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Colorpoint is similar to albino but not actually albino. It acts similarly but instead of being totally absent color they are heat sensitive color. Colorpoint kittens are born pure white because its warm in mom and then their ear tips and tail start to darken as they are exposed to the world. You can already see the darkening on these kittens. Based on the the other kittens they will be seal point, which is the darker version.

There are millions of cats who carry or express the colorpoint gene. While many people find it attractive and desirable, it isn’t rare nor is it a reason to avoid spaying or neutering. Please get everyone spayed and neutered.
 

StefanZ

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I agree with the others. Unless these kittens on the pics has grown up and STILL looks as albinos -
the pics of infants shows with 99,9% probability regular points. Why, we can even almost see the tails and ears, the pointed places, are already beginning to darken up...

So momma must be a carrier of the point gene. Daddy of course too, but with half the batch points, the probability is hight the daddy is a point himself.
So the tuxedo isnt the biological father here.


What is left. You say the momma has become a wonderful momma. Let her stay as an producer? Nay, she has produced enough. Spay.
BUT try to keep her, and hope she will accept to be a foster momma... There is always a need of good foster mommas (and or foster dads).
 

Norachan

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Pointed kittens are fairly common in feral colonies. The colony I TNR'd was mainly tabbies and tuxedos, but we'd occasionally get blue eyed points.

I think spay and neuter everyone is the best way to go.

I ask for a rehoming fee for all the kittens I managed to find homes for, but once you think about what you spend on getting kittens blood tested and vaccinated you don't make any profit at all.

A quick Google search came up with albino kittens at shelters, needing a good home just for the regular adoption fee. You don't want to add to the number of cats and kittens in shelters already. I think it would be much better to get everyone fixed now.

:)
 

lutece

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All three of these kittens are definitely pointed, they are not albino. They clearly have color on their ears and tails. Over time, you can expect them to gradually develop more color at the points.

whitekittens2.jpg
 
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vyger

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All three of these kittens are definitely pointed, they are not albino. They clearly have color on their ears and tails. Over time, you can expect them to gradually develop more color at the points.

View attachment 337678
Yes, it has become more obvious now. Amazing the difference a week can make. In my very rural area I haven't seen any like this around. I get a lot of visitors and know many of them by sight but have never noticed any pointed ones. So it came as a surprise to me.
 
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vyger

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Pointed kittens are fairly common in feral colonies. The colony I TNR'd was mainly tabbies and tuxedos, but we'd occasionally get blue eyed points.

I think spay and neuter everyone is the best way to go.

I ask for a rehoming fee for all the kittens I managed to find homes for, but once you think about what you spend on getting kittens blood tested and vaccinated you don't make any profit at all.

A quick Google search came up with albino kittens at shelters, needing a good home just for the regular adoption fee. You don't want to add to the number of cats and kittens in shelters already. I think it would be much better to get everyone fixed now.

:)
Yep, the plan has always been to get mom and the kittens fixed. I have six older (12+ years) cats that are my family but when a feral sticks around I take care of them. This feral mom was in rough shape when she showed up and for the first 6 months I only saw her from a distance. I knew she had had kittens but they all disappeared. She is missing 2/3 of her tail and has scars around the base of it, it almost looks like she got caught in a trap or something. Also her ears have been frosted. It is only since this fall that she has decided it is all right to pet her. Anyway, yes she has been productive enough, everything was on track for them to get fixed and then the world turned upside down. I can't actually pick her up, that freaks her out, but I can guide her and scoot her along so I have a big dog carrier that I am planning on putting her and her kittens in and next week we will finally get this done.
The main point of this thread was because I was surprised to find these 3 white kittens in with all the others, it doesn't happen here with the ferals around here, until now. I have no intention of getting into cat breeding but was wondering if there was something special here that popped up. I think the long tails might come from the mom but have no way to know since her tail is mostly gone and the green eyes came from the tom that visited last year. I only say him then and he has since disappeared. I think he belonged to someone who finally got him fixed because he was friendly and didn't run from me. Anyway, once these guys get fixed I can start adopting them out finally and try and figure out what to do with the overload of new kittens.

Here is the mom that started it all.
Mom1.jpg

Mom2.jpg
 
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vyger

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I agree with the others. Unless these kittens on the pics has grown up and STILL looks as albinos -
the pics of infants shows with 99,9% probability regular points. Why, we can even almost see the tails and ears, the pointed places, are already beginning to darken up...

So momma must be a carrier of the point gene. Daddy of course too, but with half the batch points, the probability is hight the daddy is a point himself.
So the tuxedo isnt the biological father here.


What is left. You say the momma has become a wonderful momma. Let her stay as an producer? Nay, she has produced enough. Spay.
BUT try to keep her, and hope she will accept to be a foster momma... There is always a need of good foster mommas (and or foster dads).
I am pretty sure the mom is here to stay. I put up some pictures of her on Norchan comment. The plan has always been to get her fixed. I have no idea how old she is or where she might have come from. She is a survivor though. She follows me around outside, is a good hunter and is welcome. It's nice to have her not run away and hide like she used to.
 

StefanZ

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I get a lot of visitors and know many of them by sight but have never noticed any pointed ones. So it came as a surprise to me.
As said, momma has surely the recessive point gene. Daddy too. The quesition is only, if daddy was just a non pointed carrier, as momma, or a doubled up point himself.
Sometimes being a point isnt obvious at first glance. Especielly some very tabbyed points arent obvious. (or having much white, as I mention in the end]

OK, typical statistics are: Two carriers, non points themselves, "should" get 1 kitten of four pointed. So 1 born point, 3 non point siblings.

One non pointed carrier, as momma here" and one pointed "the unknown father" - will give half on the kittens points, half non points but carriers.

But the statistics arent iron clad. They are totally reliable on 100 individuals, but arent reliable on a single litter.

So its fully possible both parent are non pointed carriers, and got the points thriced up.

Although my money bet would be, the father is a point.
Say a lynx point, which often isnt very apparent, if they are typical tabby colored over the whole body.
A rare sub variation is the snow bengal, whom dont look as points with a first glance, and the spots not very visible either. But they arent common. If the kittens become visibly spotted, then a snow bengal will be a major candidate.

OR a point with much white; here too it happens the pointness isnt obvious.
Why, he perhaps could even be an all white.... With the point features completely hidden. You wouldnt see the pointness at all.
 

Norachan

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She's beautiful! But yeah, she's had a pretty rough life so far. Getting her spayed as soon as your vet is able to do so would be the kindest thing for her.

It's strange how the blue eyed pointed kittens appear. This is Sophie and Albert, born to a dark tabby mom who had black and white kittens in her previous litter.

SophieAlbert1.jpg

Mom was very feral, but was TNR'd after she'd had these two.
KodachiCats5.jpg

This was dad, who doesn't look like he has any pointed genes at all.
ginkun.jpg

Until you see Albert and his Dad together. Then you see where Albert gets his tabby mask from.
AlbertGin1.jpg

But Ginkun was also the father of these two boys with a different tabby mother.
HiroJiro1.jpg

So, who knows what you'll get?

One things for sure, you'll be up to your eyes in kittens if you don't get them all fixed soon. :lol: Ask me how I know that.
 

jcat

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You never know what you're going to end up with. Last summer, a tuxie had five kittens at the shelter - black, black & white, brown tabby - and a gorgeous little lynx point whose eyes remained pale blue. She was a silvery beige at birth, and it took a few weeks for the lynx points to develop.
 
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