Why are Siamese kittens born white?

All-white Siamese kitten

The colourpoint (pointed) pattern of the Siamese cat is a form of albinism. It is called the ‘Siamese pattern’ but I think technically it is better described as the “Himalayan pattern” or “Himalayan albinism”. We see this in a number of different species of animals including rabbits and goats from the Himalayan region which …

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Kitten development – comprehensive discussion

Sphynx mum and kittens

In this article on kitten development, I refer to the development of the domestic cat after birth. About 70% of kittens are born nose and feet first (the so called “diving position”). They are covered in a transparent membrane (foetal membrane). The mother licks this off and eats it. The mother then severs the …

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How long are cats pregnant? It varies depending on the species.

Pregnant cat

How long are cats pregnant? The answer depends on the type of cat. Here is a graph showing the domestic cat and some wild cats, medium and large and the differences in length of pregnancy: And here is the same information presented in the form of a table: Cat Ave. Length of Pregnancy (days) …

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Picture: Sphynx cat with huge muscles

Sphynx cat with big muscles

It looks like this bicolor Sphynx cat has been quietly body building since he was a kitten. He is the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the cat world. And the hairlessness highlights his condition. The Reddit title is: “House cat suffering from Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy – a rare condition that causes muscles to grow excessively large”. …

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Development of the senses and other critical events in the life of a young kitten

Newborn kitten

This is a chart showing the key stages in development of a kitten before they are born and up to around 10 weeks of age. I think it’s quite interesting and I hope you agree. This is a good opportunity to remind ourselves that the personalities of cats are affected strongly by what they …

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