Genetics question

KittyJ

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Messages
710
Purraise
1,235
I have a real quick question about genetics. Say you had a female cat with a white spot on her neck and bred her with a father/brother/nephew/uncle (I know that on one in their right mind would purposely do this but you get my point), would her kittens have the same white spot on their neck? What if she were bred with another male that she wasn't related to? Would her kittens have that white spot? What about a cat with white paws?

Thanks in advance!
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
Do you mean a small white locket on the chest? Or do you mean a larger white area?

Most white markings in cats are caused by the common "white spotting" gene. Cats with one copy of white spotting typically have a minimal to medium amount of white (such as "tuxedo pattern"). Cats with two copies of white spotting typically have more white, and may be mostly white with just a couple of colored patches.

Another recessive gene called "gloving" is known to occur in the Birman breed. In Birmans, the gloving gene produces white feet. In other cats, however, this gene has inconsistent effects and may not produce any white areas at all.

Cats also have less common white spotting genes that may produce other effects. For example there is a "dominant blue eye" gene which affects eye color and is associated with a relatively small amount of white spotting.

The genetics of lockets (small white spot on the chest) are not well understood, and lockets probably have multiple causes. Some lockets may just be a random effect of pigment cells not migrating all the way to the chest and belly during development. Other lockets are probably inherited, but no one has found a specific gene for lockets.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

KittyJ

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Messages
710
Purraise
1,235
I'd say something like this:
1618428080171.png

So the small white locket.

Thank you!
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
A large locket like that probably has a genetic cause, but the exact gene(s) that may cause it are not known. Lockets are generally not caused by the common white spotting gene. Kittens with lockets can pop up in litters where both parents are solid colored with no locket, but this doesn't necessarily mean it is a recessive trait... it might be dominant with incomplete penetrance, for example.
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
This is an example of the type of minimal "locket" that may not have a genetic cause at all. You can see how there are just a few white hairs clustered on this cat's chest.

PXL_20210129_173539457.jpg
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

KittyJ

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Messages
710
Purraise
1,235
A large locket like that probably has a genetic cause, but the exact gene(s) that may cause it are not known. Lockets are generally not caused by the common white spotting gene. Kittens with lockets can pop up in litters where both parents are solid colored with no locket, but this doesn't necessarily mean it is a recessive trait... it might be dominant with incomplete penetrance, for example.
Okay, thank you so much!
This is an example of the type of minimal "locket" that may not have a genetic cause at all. You can see how there are just a few white hairs clustered on this cat's chest.

View attachment 376586
Oh, I see. One of mine has a little bit of white hairs on his chest. Thank you for your help!
 
Top