Rainfire -> RE: Kitten/Cat Advice (5/19/2009 11:29:50 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: kittinSol Yes, it's some kind of weird genetic thang going on. Only one out of 3,000 calico cats will be male. "Tortoiseshell (or calico) coats are caused by a combination of specific genetic traits. In female cats, where this trait occurs almost exclusively, it is a result of X-inactivation, in which different patches of fur receive coding for different hair color due to the activation of an X Chromosome from either the mother or the father. Calico coloring is a mix of phaeomelanin based colors (red) and eumelanin based colors (black, chocolate and cinnamon). Coat coloration in cats is complex, and controlled by several genes. One gene involved has two alleles: - The Orange allele, O, which is the dominant form, (XO), and produces orange fur; and,
- The Black allele, o, which is the recessive form, (Xo), and produces black fur.
For a cat to be a tortoiseshell or calico, it must simultaneously express both of the alleles, O and o, which are two versions of the same gene, located at the same locus on the X Chromosome. Males normally cannot do this: they can have only one allele, as they have only one X Chromosome; consequently, virtually all tortoiseshell or calico cats are females. Occasionally a male calico is born (at a rate of approximately 1 in 3,000). These may have Klinefelter's syndrome, the carrying of an extra X-Chromosome, and will almost always be sterile. Alternatively, a male calico/tortoiseshell may be a chimera, resulting from the fusion of two differently colored embryos." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico_cat By the way, marie, calico cats bring good luck :-) . kittin, have I told you lately how much I lubs you? Getting me all hot with talk of genetics! [:D] One of the other "myths" or urban legends that I just learned last year is that supposedly ginger (or orange) tabbies are goofballs. I'd never heard of the orange moggie story until LadyHisbiscus told it to me when she was here for the wedding. Of course, Punky works very hard on proving her right every day! Goofball retard is rubbing up against me right now, getting cat fur all over the new computer. "Love me, LOVE ME NOW, DAMMIT!!!!!" [8|]
|
|
|
|