This is
just a quick guide to the basics of cat genetics with regards to colours in
Colourpoints, although
the same principals apply to Selfs/CPCs.
Male kittens in a litter inherit their colour from
their mother.
Female kittens in a litter inherit their colour from a
combination of their mother and father's colour.
A genetic Red or Cream female can only be bred from a
father who is a genetic Red or Cream, and if the mother contains the Red or
Cream factor.
The colours and patterns in a pedigree, do not directly
affect the colour of the kitten - it is only the parents that can influence
this, except where the recessive gene is inherited e.g., Dilute, Chocolate
or Colourpoint.
Dominant (Seal, Red, Chocolate including Torties) colour
kittens that are born to one Dilute (Blue, Cream, Lilac including Torties)
parent will all carry the Dilute gene.
A Dominant characteristic cannot skip a generation. If the
characteristic is there, it will appear in each generation.
Cats of a Dominant colour (Seal, Red, Chocolate including
Torties) will have a parent that is also Dominant.
A Dominant cat can only be produce if either or both
parents are Dominant.
Two Dominant (Seal, Red, Chocolate including Torties) cats
can only produce a Dilute (Blue, Cream, Lilac including Torties) kitten
if they both carry the Dilute gene.
Two Dilute colour parents (Blue, Cream, Lilac including
Torties) can never produce a cat of Dominant Colour (Seal, Red, Chocolate
including Torties).
All kittens born to a Chocolate parent will carry the
Chocolate gene.
Chocolate/Lilac kittens can only be produced if both
parents are Chocolate/Lilac or carry the Chocolate gene.
No Chocolate kittens will be born if only one
parent is a visual Chocolate or carries the Chocolate gene.
Two Colourpoint parents will only have Colourpoint
kittens.
Colourpoint kittens must have parents that are, or carry
the Colourpoint gene.
No Colourpoint kittens will be born if only one
parent is a visual Colourpoint or carries the Colourpoint gene.
A Tabby-point kitten must have at least one parent that is
a Tabby-point or a Tabby CPC.
