Why does polydactyly occur in cats?
Polydactylism occurs in cats because of a spontaneous genetic mutation.
continue reading...Category Archives: Genetics
Is the domestic cat a species?
Yes, the domestic cat is a species. Although I think it is a slightly tricky question because the domestic cat could be a subspecies. This is the science of TAXONOMY which is fairly settled nowadays but scientists are still making … continue reading…
Can big cats be polydactyl?
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 … continue reading…
There Should Be DNA Mapping of Pedigree Cats to Eradicate Genetic Diseases
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 … continue reading…
White spotting gene charts
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 … continue reading…
The Tip of a Cat’s Nose
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 … continue reading…
Adenocarcinomas of the small intestine and Siamese cats
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 … continue reading…
Domestic Cat World Groupings And Some Breed Origins
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 … continue reading…
Odd-eyed Siamese Cat – unique!
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. … continue reading…
Tortie Tomcats
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, … continue reading…
GENETIC CONDITIONS IN PEDIGREE CATS
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 … continue reading…
Snow Leopard Genetic Mutation
Snow leopards carry a genetic mutation of genes: EGLN1 and EPAS1 that help the cat live at high altitude1. [Note: this is a test page to check page load speeds – although it does have real and new information.]
continue reading...Kathrin Stucki on hybrid cat DNA and cat species evolution
Introduction This is a little news story about hybrid cat DNA and cat species evolution. You won’t read it anywhere else. The story comes from Kathrin Stucki, who is a well know figure in the world of cats partly because, … continue reading…
Audio: Listen to me explain the medical reasons for Grumpy Cat’s face
Please click on the audio player immediately below (click the little triangle at the left of the bar below these words) and listen to my explanation for why Grumpy Cat – aka Tardar Sauce – has the facial expression that … continue reading…
How do Manx breeders create healthy cats?
I am interested in how breeders of the Manx cat are able to create healthy cats. We know that the gene that causes taillessness in the Manx is a nasty gene, which potentially causes severe health problems in living Manx … continue reading…