Tabby Question

[courtneyharris4]

Three years ago a lady gave us 2 abondened gray and black tabby kittens they were 4 weeks old she told us both were female later I noticed it was a male before we were able to get the male fixed we were having kittens she had 2 one solid black female one solid gray male as soon as the gray male was old enough we had him fixed here we are 2 years later and mama cat got out and came back pregnant she had 1 solid white 1 gray and black tabby and 1 solid black just want to know what's up with her throwing out all the solid kittens but she is a tabby

 

[courtneyharris4]

I forgot 2 years ago she also had a white with purplish stripes tabby

 

[courtneyharris4]

 

[courtneyharris4]

The mama is the striped one the black one is her daughter from her other litter

 

[courtneyharris4]

Mama is top left daddy is the other gray and black tabby those are her first litter

 

[courtneyharris4]

It's a pattern both her litters have 2 solid kittens and 1 striped tabby

 

[Willowy]

Solid is a recessive gene so that means she and both father cats all carry the solid gene. It's usually about 50/50 but since she had 3 kittens both times I guess it can't come out even .

The "white with purplish stripes" kitty is a lynx point, probably a blue point because lilac is fairly rare in the general cat population. That means that she and the father both carry the point gene, and they also both carry the dilute gene, that's why they got the solid blue (blue is the proper term for a gray cat) kitty and the blue point. Again, it usually comes out 50/50.

If the new white kitten is actually solid white, this means the daddy is solid white. Every solid white cat has to have at least 1 white parent. But pointed kittens are born white, so it may be pointed like in her first litter. That would mean the father of this litter is a point carrier too. If the kitten is pointed you should be able to see the points soon. It kind of looks like the kitten's tail is starting to darken up, though that might be a shadow.

Be sure to have your female cats spayed! Even if all your males are neutered, it's much better for their health and it will prevent accidents like this one!

 

[StefanZ]

A little bewildering to follow. Anyways, I guess the all white kitten in the heap of kittens is probably a point, not true solid white. He should begin to darken up in the pointed places in a couple of weeks - so you will see soon enough.


On the last photo, the nicely colored cat up top is a lynx point, ie tabby point. Loud and clear for us whom are used to recognize points.
Is he the white kitten grown up, or is he a kitten from earlier?

A tabby mamma can get solid kittens although tabby is dominant. How come? The genes are in pairs - one from momma one from daddy. If she has ONE tabby gene in that pair the other being non tabby; she herself will be tabby, but just about half of the kittens will be tabbies, and roughly the other half something else, probably solid.

The statistics arent ironclad. In 1000 litters it will be exactly even, but in a individual litter it may vary somewhat.

Last but not least. A solid grey kitten has often "ghost stripes", whom tends to be less obvious as in adult. Such a kitten isnt counted as true tabby.
In a purebred ghost stripes are counted as a fault, but surely its common enough with moggies

Lets take as an example Russian blue Whom can get these ghost stripes as kitten. But RB hasnt no tabby genes in them whomever per defintion, as they are purebred.

Curiously enough, there happens now and then, a pointed kitten is born in a litter of blue siblings "out of the blue" Its because once upon a time they had used some blue pointed siameses in the breeding programme. But hadnt used points in active breeding programmes for decades. So the recessive point gene is floating in the gene pool, not showing itself. But occasionally now and then, its doubled up: one from momma and one from dear papa, and voilá! our little point, a siamese old type look alike is born. Sometimes to the dismay of the breeder, but often to the joy of those whom witness this little marvel of the nature.

 

[courtneyharris4]

I know it was hard to follow sorry for that but I appreciate all the feedback kittens are doing well at 2 weeks old now so humbling will it be before the white one will get it's coloring am curious to see how it turns out also I have learned alot from everybody it inspired me to look further into vet records on my cats
Parents are sassy and snickers the 2 black and silver tabby cats
Litter 1 the vet lists
White tabby Moses
Lavender tabby Leonidus
Black tabby artemesia
I'm wondering if he listed them like that because of the coloring and the parents I'm really unsure
We have vet appointment for the mama and 3 new kittens we are calling the new ones
White one will be iceman
Black one will be raven
Tabby one will be Phoenix
Can't wait to see what our vet calls these