Why can't cats be tricolored? Subtleties of feline color

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There is an opinion that only cats can be tri-colored, and tortoiseshell cats - that's what rare owners of three shades of wool are called - do not exist. Still, why are there no tricolor cats? Biologists associate the receipt of an unusual color in animals with a mutation at the genetic level.

Tortoiseshell. Features

True tortoiseshell coloration consists of the following shades: bright red, red or orange in combination with white and black/gray/chocolate shades.

So are there tricolor cats or not? Many people can only determine by the color of the coat whether the cat is in front of them or the cat, and all because out of 3,000 tricolor individuals, only one male can be found. Moreover, out of 10,000 such males, only one will be able to have offspring.

Biology. Why are there no tricolor cats?

The above figures, biologists have found a completely scientific explanation. It turns out that the color of cats is determined ongenetic level. The genes responsible for the black color are tied to the X chromosome, and the white color gene is in no way associated with the sex of the individual. Now let's remember the lessons of biology: females have 2 identical chromosomes (XX), and males have 2 different (XY). This is the answer to the question of whether there are tricolor cats or only cats.

That is, the color of a cat can be one-color (red, black) or two-color (red-white or black-and-white), but not tricolor and not red-black - since this combination of colors is not inherent in its genes.

Genetic mutation - Klinefelter syndrome

Why cats are not tricolor is understandable. But is it always like this? How do tricolor males appear anyway? This fact is explained by a common genetic mutation. Such cats do not have 2 chromosomes (XY), but three - XXY. And 2 of them are female and 1 is male. A similar mutation occurs in humans, it is called Klinefelter's syndrome. This anomaly does not prevent cats from leading a normal life, the only difference is that a tortoiseshell cat cannot give birth.

This syndrome makes tricolor cats of particular importance to genetic scientists. In the middle of the past, tortoiseshell cats were in great demand among biologists for the study of Down syndrome, which is also characterized by the presence of a third chromosome.

Signs associated with turtle cats

As we all already understood, tricolor cats do exist. Extremely rare, but they are born. That is why it is believed that such an instance will bring good luck to itsowner and will protect from various troubles. You can find a lot of stories in which people talk about their growth in their careers, personal relationships, success in creativity precisely after the appearance of this rare miracle of nature in their lives.

The Japanese valued these amazing mutants very dearly. Fishermen would pay a fortune for a tricolor cat, because it was believed that the ship on which this animal lives would never sink.

Mutant daily life

In fact, these wonderful animals with rare beauty are not much different from other cats. Like many fluffy myrlyki, they are very fond of affection, but their color indicates a possible increased aggression.

Tricolor breeds

Several breeds fall under the description of tricolor cats, all of them are beautiful and unusual in their own way. Here are some of them:

• The Persian cat is one of the oldest breeds, it is distinguished by a calm, but at the same time obstinate character. The cat is very beautiful, completely devoid of hunting instinct - a real pet that will not survive on the street.
• Exotic cat - it is very similar in color to the Persian, but unlike the calm Persians, exotic cats are very active, playful and sociable.
• The British Shorthair cat is a beautiful and not picky companion of life, a true companion.
• Manx is a tailless friend, smart, good-natured and sociable. Sometimes you can't even believe it's a cat.
• Japanese bobtail is a beautiful cat breed withcalm temperament. The peculiarity of this breed is that they are easier to train than other cats.
• The American Shorthair is one of the most ideal breeds for keeping in the house. Firstly - short hair, and secondly - a moderate character, it will not get bored with its mobility, but it will not turn into a tired toy.

Now we understand the difficulty of obtaining exactly the tricolor offspring of these breeds. This is the answer to the question of why there are no tricolor cats. More precisely, they still exist, they can be found at various cat shows, however, very, very rarely. Even if you don’t have such a pet, but you managed to see it at the exhibition, this can already be considered a good sign, which means things will go uphill soon! If you've ever wondered why cats aren't tri-colored, now you know the answer!