Cat Fur Genetics Quiz and Flashcards

Study Notes

Genetics of a Cat's Fur

Cat coat genetics determine the coloration, pattern, length, and texture of feline fur.
A cat may display the coat of a certain breed without actually being that breed.
The browning gene B/b/bl codes for TYRP1, an enzyme involved in the metabolic pathway for eumelanin pigment production.
The sex-linked Orange locus, O/o, determines whether a cat will produce eumelanin.
Dilution and Maltesing genes affect fur color.
The Agouti gene, with its dominant A allele and recessive a allele, controls the coding for agouti signaling protein (ASIP).
The non-agouti or "hypermelanistic" allele, a, does not initiate this shift in the pigmentation pathway.
Tabby cats are striped due to the agouti gene.
The Tabby gene on chromosome A1 accounts for most tabby patterns seen in domestic cats.
Tortoiseshells have patches of orange fur and black or brown fur, caused by X-inactivation.
White spotting and epistatic white were long thought to be two separate genes, but in fact, they are both on the KIT gene.
The colorpoint pattern is most commonly associated with Siamese cats, but may also appear in any domesticated cat.Genetics of Cat Fur Summary
The mocha color pattern in Burmese cats is caused by a novel mutation.
Mutations in the tyrosine pathway can affect both pigmentation and neurological development, resulting in cross-eyes in colorpoint cats and white tigers.
Two distinct alleles causing blue-eyed and pink-eyed albinism respectively have been previously theorized.
The silver series is caused by the melanin inhibitor gene I/i which suppresses melanin production, affecting phaeomelanin more than eumelanin. It turns the background of tabbies silver while leaving the stripe color intact and makes solid cats silver smoke.
Wide band factors affect the silver band at the base of the hair, making the silver agouti cat range from silver tabby to tipped silver.
The golden series is caused by the CORIN gene and results in golden tabbies when combined with the wide band trait.
The genetics involved in producing the ideal tabby, tipped, shaded, or smoke cat are complex due to many interacting genes and the expression of genes conflicting with each other.
Fever coat is when a pregnant female cat has a fever or is stressed, causing her unborn kittens' fur to develop a silver-type color.
The Length gene codes for short hair and long hair. A rare recessive shorthair gene has been observed in some lines of Persian cats.
There have been many genes identified that result in unusual cat fur, some of which are in danger of going extinct.
Some rex cats are prone to temporary hairlessness, known as baldness, during moulting.
Loci for coat color, type, and length have been identified.

Description

Test your knowledge on the genetic factors that determine a cat's fur with our genetics of a cat's fur quiz! From coat color to pattern and length, this quiz covers the various genes and mutations that contribute to a feline's unique appearance. Discover fascinating facts about tabby stripes, tortoiseshell patches, silver and golden tabbies, and more. Whether you're a cat lover or simply interested in genetics, this quiz is sure to challenge and educate you.