A Michael Broad Blog
Details: The tortoiseshell cat coat pattern is formed due to a combination of genetic and developmental factors involving X-linked genes and random X-chromosome inactivation. Genetic Basis Developmental Mosaicism Modifying Factors Male Tortoiseshells In summary, the tortoiseshell coat is a striking example of how genetics and epigenetic processes like X-chromosome inactivation interact to produce complex …
I’m referring to domestic cats. The word “asexual” means to lack the desire to have sex. Both intact male and female domestic cats naturally desire to procreate and therefore have sex. It would be a rare cat indeed who was genuinely asexual because it’s in the DNA of intact domestic cats to procreate in …
The blue-cream cat coat is a dilute version of the black-red cat coat which describes the tortoiseshell coat so the blue-cream coat is a dilute tortoiseshell. Blue is a dilute black. It is blue-grey. Grey cats are called ‘blue cats’ by the cat fancy as you probably know in recognition of the slight blue …
To fill out the question, it is asking if tortoiseshell cats can have some white fur in addition to the usual black plus orange tabby and the answer is yes but in the United States they refer to tortoiseshell cats with some white fur as ‘calico cats’. In the UK the cat fancy has …
This is the tweet (plus my comment) accompanying a photo of a Philippine veterinarian proudly showing off a male calico cat’s private parts. Not so private. A bit undignified but I guess he felt it necessary to prove that he had come across a rare male calico cat. They are as rare as tortoiseshell …
Male tortoiseshell cats are very rare because the genes which create the coat colour and pattern are sex linked. There should be no tortoiseshell male cats. There are some because of a minor genetic error which allows the male to develop with the combination XXY chromosomes. The double X gives it the chance to …
You will find various statistics on the rarity of tortoiseshell cats both in books and on the internet including in equally rare studies! The rarity factor varies as widely as 1 in 200 (Dr Desmond Morris in Cat World) to 1 in 400,000 by the Daily Mail! Where did they get that figure from? …
The unicorn of cats, so called, is a male tortoiseshell domestic cat. The title has been awarded because they are so rare. My research, years ago, indicated that about one in 3000 tortoiseshell cats are males. Dr. Desmond Morris in his book Cat World says that they are less rare at one in 200. …
