🐱 Oriental Shorthair
📸 S*Aglianico
🎨 Apricot
SOMATIC MUTATION SOMATIC MUTATION SOMATIC MUTATION.
We have a cream patient with a similar marking, just a little bigger! Oh man, how exciting.
So genetically he’s red, potentially agouti, the black smudge on his head isn’t inherited it’s just a happy accident.
Essentially it’s a birth mark!
Very cool, very cute. Thank you for sharing!
Can you tell me anything-based off coat/pix- about the kitten I just adopted? Mother was a tortoise shell calico his siblings were all sorts of random solid colors and calico, I love his little cig burn 🥺 is it just from his mom being calico? Idk anything about the Tom.
She is indeed a blue tabby Domestic Shorthair who also appears to have a cute little white locket. Those blonde-ish parts are due to rufousing!
You are open to personal cat IDs, right? If not then disregard! I'm curious about this cat for adoption, the shelter just lists her as "DSH greyish tabby" lol but I was wondering if there's a word to describe the "blondish" accents she has noticeably on her nose and legs
The Bombay is a small breed with males averaging 8 - 10 lbs. If anything his size is indicative of him not being a Bombay.
The Bombay is also a breed disaying mild - moderate brachycephaly giving it a somewhat pug-ish muzzle.
So you can let your partner know that your cat has absolutely no Bombay traits aside from being black and shorthaired.
May I please get some advice on how to properly explain to my partner that just because we have a large and very friendly black cat doesn’t mean that he is or has any Bombay in him
I know there’s basically a 0% chance he’s anything but a domestic shorthair but my partner is convinced that his size (~20lbs) and walking gait means something
(The boy in question - he and his 8 siblings were taken from a hoarder if that helps)
It depends.
A major point of controversy in the Maine Coon fancy right now is the subject of dominant blue eyed cats. The breed standard considers blue or odd eyes to be a disqualifying fault with the exception of white or high white cats.
We now know that the dominant blue eye gene referred to as Rociri Elvis (DBE-RE) is associated with deafness and other physiological changes (which are also off standard) similar to Waardenburg syndrome in humans.
Unfortunately this gene seems to be the most common one found in DBE Maine Coon lines, although there are a smaller number of breeders working with unrelated genes - some of which haven’t been fully explored, yet.
So in this case yes, there is a health issue associated with an off standard trait which is exactly what those in opposition of blue-eyed Maine Coon’s from the start were concerned about.
In this case breeding off standard colors - honestly, the entire hypertype is contradictory to standard but I digress - is the cherry on top for an all around bad breeder.
It is especially concerning to see the breeder working with the colorpoint pattern specifically because we know pointed cats are prone to vision issues such as nystagmus and strabismus and thus require very careful, conscientious breeding to avoid.
Additionally these variant cats are labeled as Maine Coon mixes on their pedigrees but if you trace the pedigree back it doesn’t tell you what that other breed is, the data is omitted missing.
There are other situations where someone may produce off standard cats where it isn’t a red flag and has no detriment to the animals health, in particular outcross programs to improve genetic diversity may result in this.
This is a Havana Brown from Broghill Cattery. You might notice he is not, infact, brown (chocolate).
This is because he’s a 2nd generation outcross, his dam is also black and is a 1st generation outcross. The Havana Brown is an uncommon breed and these outcross programs are essential to maintain the breeds health.
There are also individuals who outcross with the intent of introducing off-standard colors into their breed of choice for… whatever reason. This is always controversial and can result in heated discussions within the fancy but, breed preservation aside, is it bad?
Eh, personal tastes aside… it can be done right.
The breeder should be transparent about where the disqualifying trait comes from, ideally it should be a generally healthy breed and one that doesn’t completely contradict standard.
The goal should also be to overall preserve breed type by crossing back to the desired breed with the only ‘incorrect’ trait being the new color/pattern.
Is there anything ethically wrong with breeding cats of colors that don't fit the breed standard? Are there usually reasons (like related health problems) that cause certain colors to be excluded from a breed? :0
Excellent addition!
Unfortunately there aren’t as many ways to prove that a cat is worth breeding compared to dogs, for the most part you’re stuck with show.
Some breeders of off-standard varieties or experimental breeds will show their cats in the house pet class, which is still good to assess structure and temperament.
If you’re considering a breeder with off-standard colors in addition to the previously discussed “what outcross and why?” you’ll want to see if they’re showing and titling their standard cats.
An additional note is more health testing may be required than only what is recommended for the breed they’re working with depending on what the breed they’re outcrossing to should be screened for.
It depends.
A major point of controversy in the Maine Coon fancy right now is the subject of dominant blue eyed cats. The breed standard considers blue or odd eyes to be a disqualifying fault with the exception of white or high white cats.
We now know that the dominant blue eye gene referred to as Rociri Elvis (DBE-RE) is associated with deafness and other physiological changes (which are also off standard) similar to Waardenburg syndrome in humans.
Unfortunately this gene seems to be the most common one found in DBE Maine Coon lines, although there are a smaller number of breeders working with unrelated genes - some of which haven’t been fully explored, yet.
So in this case yes, there is a health issue associated with an off standard trait which is exactly what those in opposition of blue-eyed Maine Coon’s from the start were concerned about.
In this case breeding off standard colors - honestly, the entire hypertype is contradictory to standard but I digress - is the cherry on top for an all around bad breeder.
It is especially concerning to see the breeder working with the colorpoint pattern specifically because we know pointed cats are prone to vision issues such as nystagmus and strabismus and thus require very careful, conscientious breeding to avoid.
Additionally these variant cats are labeled as Maine Coon mixes on their pedigrees but if you trace the pedigree back it doesn’t tell you what that other breed is, the data is omitted missing.
There are other situations where someone may produce off standard cats where it isn’t a red flag and has no detriment to the animals health, in particular outcross programs to improve genetic diversity may result in this.
This is a Havana Brown from Broghill Cattery. You might notice he is not, infact, brown (chocolate).
This is because he’s a 2nd generation outcross, his dam is also black and is a 1st generation outcross. The Havana Brown is an uncommon breed and these outcross programs are essential to maintain the breeds health.
There are also individuals who outcross with the intent of introducing off-standard colors into their breed of choice for… whatever reason. This is always controversial and can result in heated discussions within the fancy but, breed preservation aside, is it bad?
Eh, personal tastes aside… it can be done right.
The breeder should be transparent about where the disqualifying trait comes from, ideally it should be a generally healthy breed and one that doesn’t completely contradict standard.
The goal should also be to overall preserve breed type by crossing back to the desired breed with the only ‘incorrect’ trait being the new color/pattern.
Is there anything ethically wrong with breeding cats of colors that don't fit the breed standard? Are there usually reasons (like related health problems) that cause certain colors to be excluded from a breed? :0
Very pretty black classic tortoiseshell tabby bicolor Domestic Shorthair!
seal lynx point persian
I’m going to have to disagree on this one!
I’m going to go with blue lynx point and this is a Neva Masquerade (colorpoint Siberian) not a Persian.
wait you’re literally right i knew this was a siberian i even double checked on their instagram >_> i need to stop doing these after taking my contacts out at 2am 😬
That is such a mood, late night ID’s/posts are so mistake prone but it’s not my fault 2:00am is the most motivating time to fill the queue 😂
Index Page
You can also find me @catsindoors where I discuss feline behavior, health, welfare and other related topics and at @declaweddisabledpurebred where I promote adoptable cats.
If the breed featured has a debilitating health issues as their defining feature I will include a [link] to information of the condition beside the breed name.
This is not comprehensive, the abscence of a [link] doesn’t mean the breed is without issue. It may just mean there isn’t one, concise artle to link. Always do your research.
Here is some recommended reading.
If the color/pattern is relatively new, particularly rare, or affiliated with some sort of health condition I will include a [link] to information on the subject beside the color/pattern description.
The letter/number combination in the tags is determined using the Fédération Internationale Féline EMS system. I may also reference the EMS codes from GCCF, LCWW, WCF or WOF.
Here is a glossary of colloquial and breed-specific terms for colors and patterns. You can browse the different breeds, colors and patterns featured here through the breed tags or the color tags pages. These pages are not updated regularly.
You can send in pictures of your cat if you like and I will tell you what they appear to be. It is helpful to include some history on the acquisition of your cat. It is helpful to include multiple angles, varied lighting, close-up of parted fur and especially nose and paw pads. Remember that this is an educated guess only.
I will answer genetics oriented questions to the best of my ability, I have a working understanding of cat genetics but for more complicated or in-depth questions regarding genotype I recommend asking @amber-tortoiseshell. I’m most confident with my expertise on phenotype (appearance) and cat breeds.
Disclaimer: This blog is to show cat colors and patterns, I share rare or unique colors and good examples wherever I find them. Inclusion on this blog is not endorsement of the breed or breeder.
List of Cat Registries
List of Breed Clubs (TBA)
Here are some good resources to start you off:
There are also Facebook groups which can be a useful, additional resource such as Bad Catteries Around the World, BLACKLIST Breeders Cats/Cattery Cats, Exposing Bad Catteries & Educating for Change and GOOD Catteries Around the World Reference and Reviews!
If you’re in the UK you can check Felis Brittanica’s Suspension List.
Breed Specific Groups
Posts to Read
Now introducing Fractious, the official mascot of the blog as illustrated by @jambiird based on the results of the Create A Cat poll series.
They’re a blue silver classic tabby mitted mink longhair.
Don’t fucking put Harry Potter references on my posts or in the tags. You will be blocked.