Black cats with white spot

[cocheezie]

Why do some black cats have a white spot on their chest? Recessive gene?

 

[morra]

My cat also has some white color on its chest. I have read that white color on the colored fur is caused by white spotting gene.

 

[Anne]

I think there's a theory that claims that pure black cats were hunted down during the Middle Ages by people who thought they were the devil's cats, or something like that. If a cat had even a few white hairs it would mean they were ok. Only the pure black ones were killed. Basically, pure black cats became near-extinct. Not sure if it's true or not, but it's an interesting theory.

I hope Prof. Lyons can comment about the genetics behind this.

 

[angelinacat]

I am curious also about this.  My little black boy has a few white hairs--maybe 5 or 6--on his chest, certainly not enough to be called a spot.  There are also a white hair or two in his ears.  Other than that he is entirely black.

 

[lovely cats]

It is very interesting. I have a black cat who has only a few white hairs on her chest. What can cause this?

 

[profleslielyons]

Howdy,

There are genes in the cat that cause white spotting and all white but the random spots on the chest and belly may have a genetic component or may not.  This is the area where you have midline closure in the developing embryo.  If the cells that make color do not make it to the middle - you can have midline spots.  Kind of like a clip lip or a cleft palate or an umbilical hernia.  Mainly random events and can happen with any color cat!