Looking for some general clues on kitten colouring

[Peaches&Mango]

My cat is currently pregnant, and the father is our other cat. She is a calico (very white with few markings of other colours) and he is a cream colourpoint. I of course know that it’s quite hard to tell prior to birth but thought someone may know genetically a little more and could help with some idea of what colour the kittens may be. I’m assuming that most could be orange.

To note, neither have bred before to each other or another cat so I have no clues as to colouring based on previous litters etc.
I’ve attached some photos of them both if that’s any help

 

[Sarthur2]

StefanZ may be able to discuss coloring genetics with you.

Do you plan to spay and neuter these cats?

 

[StefanZ]

Now, unless she is a carrier of the point gene, none of kittens will be a point. She carries white spot (probably doubled up, as she has that much white), black and red. She MAY carry dilute, point and longhair. These last are recessive and doesnt show up if in single copy.

He carries point (doubled up recessive gene), red, tabby (I think, not very visible), white spot. He carries the recessive diluting gene doubled up. He may carry longhair gene.

the most probable outcome:
girls will tend to be calicos or torbies with white; possibly diluted, possibly longhaires, possibly points.

In overall: Probably all will have white spots. Half will be tabbies. They will be black or red with white because both parents carry these colors. Half (possibly all) will be tabbies; red or black tabby; possibly blue / creme tabby... Someone may be a point (look alike daddy?), and someone may be longhaired.

 

[Peaches&Mango]

StefanZ may be able to discuss coloring genetics with you.

Do you plan to spay and neuter these cats?

Thanks for sending her in my direction!

Yes we do, they are both indoor cats so there is no potential for her to become pregnant from another male but we had only wanted one from the pair and the rest of the kittens already have homes to go to once they are old enough. We have had it planned for a while.
We’ll love them regardless of their colourings of course, and have our pick of the litter based on their personality too but it’s nice to have an idea of what they may look like

 

[Peaches&Mango]

Now, unless she is a carrier of the point gene, none of kittens will be a point. She carries white spot (probably doubled up, as she has that much white), black and red. She MAY carry dilute, point and longhair. These last are recessive and doesnt show up if in single copy.

He carries point (doubled up recessive gene), red, tabby (I think, not very visible), white spot. He carries the recessive diluting gene doubled up. He may carry longhair gene.

the most probable outcome:
girls will tend to be calicos or torbies with white; possibly diluted, possibly longhaires, possibly points.

In overall: Probably all will have white spots. Half will be tabbies. They will be black or red with white because both parents carry these colors. Half (possibly all) will be tabbies; red or black tabby; possibly blue / creme tabby... Someone may be a point (look alike daddy?), and someone may be longhaired.

Thank you for your reply!
That’s helped make a little more sense haha. She’s actually a tabby calico and doesn’t have any black spots on her, her darker spots are tabby marking only, does that affect her chance of having black or could she still have a solid?
(May be getting confused here with terms?)
His picture wasn’t too clear, I’ll attach another to this reply, but he does have tabby markings.

I do know, and I’m not sure if this helps;
Her mother was a shorthair red and white, her brother red tabby, and her sister tabby with red markings dotted in places, all shorthair.

His mother was calico longhair (not as much white as my girl) his brother was red and white longhair and his other brother grey and white same coat type as mine.

He has a thick coat, almost like double coated but not much visible length to it, it’s just very soft and fluffy. Whereas his mother was Norwegian forest cat so visibly long. Not sure if it’s also worth noting his grandmother was also longhair calico so is that a strong potential for a calico in the litter?

 

[di and bob]

All cats carry the tabby gene, even 'solid' colored cats, you will still see faint striping in bright light or sunlight, and all will have the famous 'M' right above and between their eyes on their foreheads. sometimes the M is broken or very faint, but it is there!

 

[StefanZ]

OK. Why I think he is tabby, although all reds / creme have stripes. Because he is visibly colored on his body. His body isnt the typical light beige color of points, its creme colored of his masque.... And this is typical for tabbies; they are more tabby colored on the body. Sometimes that much, its not easily visible they are points; owners think they are tabbies...
So he probably does carry the recessive longhair gene. Still; for a longhair kitten she too must carry longhair gene. But the probability increases.

So, momma is a tabby (too). This means, kittens will be tabbies, if not all so at least most. This depends if she or daddy have doubled up tabby gene. If not, some kittens may be non tabbies.

Even if she hasnt no black spots, she is carrying black anyway; unless she is a red / creme tabby. If she isnt, and is black/brown or grey/blue tabby; she carries black. So if by any trick of genes, one kitten wont be tabby; this kitten will have black (or grey) spots.