Can big cats be polydactyl? The answer is probably, yes. Although, having read a lot about the big cats and all wild cat species and seen many photographs, I have not seen one polydactyl paw on any wild cat of … please continue reading
A long time ago, perhaps about seven years ago, I wrote an article about genetic diseases in purebred cats. It is a comprehensive article. Many purebred cats are linked to inherited diseases due to defective recessive genes coming to the … please continue reading
Here is a series of very useful charts showing various aspects of the effect of the presence of the white spotting gene including theories on how the gene works to create varying amounts of white fur. The charts come from … please continue reading
This is a discussion about the tip of the cat’s nose and a follow up to my page on a condition called “Bengal Nose”. The tip of a cat’s nose is a triangle of skin and is made up of … please continue reading
The Siamese cat is predisposed to getting adenocarcinomas of the small intestine. This is a certain type of cancer and in this case it affects the Siamese cat’s small intestine. Compared to domestic shorthair cats (non-purebred cats) the Siamese is … please continue reading
If you click on this you’ll be taken to a map that shows information about how the domestic cat – all domestic cats, genetically speaking – are clustered into four groups. The link opens a new page so you can … please continue reading
This is a wild cat hybrid and a new cat breed called the “Marguerite”. It is a sand cat crossed with a domestic cat. The domestic cat, in this instance, is a female ticked tabby. The pictures show two young, … please continue reading
This is an odd-eyed Siamese cat. I don’t think I have seen one before… This is just another example of easy and relatively minor photoshopping. I am not saying it is good work. It only took me about 25 minutes. … please continue reading
By Sarah Hartwell (of Messybeast.com) Estimates of the frequency of tortoiseshell and calico tomcats range from 1-in-1000 to 1-in-many-thousands though many are misidentified classic tabby-and-white cats. Contrary to myth, tortoiseshell/calico tomcats are not valuable in financial terms (from here on, … please continue reading
By Sarah Hartwell When cats are bred for appearance, disease-causing genes risk being overlooked until the gene becomes sufficiently widespread that numerous cases of the genetic ailment appear in that breed. There are a number of factors involved: THE FOUNDER … please continue reading
