Sometimes the white-spotting gene only affects one eye and results in a unique syndrome called odd-eyed white. As a result, some kittens will be blue-eyed and deaf. ![]() Unfortunately, at the same time it often interferes with the final development of the inner ear, which completes its own development after birth. The white-spotting gene blocks this migration of color and causes the eyes to remain blue. The blue-eyed variation occurs when a white cat carries the gene for white spotting.Īll kittens are born with blue eyes, but at about 6 weeks of age a second round of color is deposited in the eye, resulting in a change to gold or green. Blue-eyed whites are less common, and generally don’t have the depth of eye color readily found in the copper-eyed cat. Eye color in this variety ranges from deep gold to brilliant orange to almost copper. The whites are divided by eye color, with the copper-eyed white being the most familiar. These cats have less undercoat to tangle, but as a result, do not produce as eye-catching a halo effect because the coat drapes rather than stands out from the body. More desirable, from a maintenance standpoint, is a harder, slicker coat. The most difficult to care for is the “cotton” coat, which is soft, mats easily and requires constant combing to prevent knots from forming. Several different coat types occur in whites. Because this is probably the most challenging color, the owner of a white must be ever-vigilant to maintain the cat’s cleanliness.Įxhibitors have many well-guarded secrets for presenting immaculate cats, but they all agree that the key to maintaining the white Persian is to prevent soiling, rather than cleaning it afterward. The glistening-white Persian has always been one of the most prized. Some of the colors and patterns go back to the beginnings of the cat fancy in England, others are quite new. No Best Persian award is given, for example only Best Solid Color Persian, Best Tabby Persian, etc. The seven groups recognized by the largest registry, the CFA, are: Solid Color, Silver and Golden, Shaded and Smoke, Tabby, Parti-color, Calico and Bicolor, and Himalayan.Įach of these groups or divisions competes only with itself, as though it were a separate breed. For convenience, this is done on the basis of similar colors or patterns. Cat fanciers have sought to equalize competition among breeds by dividing the huge Persian class into smaller groups. These striped markings are known as necklaces and bracelets.According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) as of 2005 approximately 40% of all pedigreed cat registrations were for Persians and although it varies with the time of year, almost one-half of all cats at a cat show will be Persians. ![]() Additionally, many classic tabbies will have spotted bellies and striped bands around the neck and down the legs. ![]() On the forehead between the eyes there is a characteristic “M”, on each side of the cat you will see a concentric swirl called the “bullseye”, on the back between the shoulders there is a lighter area knowns as the “butterfly”, and 3 dark stripes follow along the spine. This tabby pattern is characterized by broad bands of dark striping against a lighter background. Let’s take a look at the key features of each here: There are 4 distinct tabby patterns: Classic Tabby, Mackerel Tabby, Spotted Tabby and the Ticked Tabby. You will find tabby cats in a vast array of coat colors as well, ranging including cream, cameo, lilac, seal, gray, silver, red, brown, golden, cinnamon, chocolate, blue and black smoke. Both longhair and shorthair coated cats may exhibit a tabby pattern. While the tabby pattern is common in many breeds, it is not a breed in and of itself. Diagram of Agouti color banding on individual hairs Image: © The tabby pattern is determined by the agouti gene which controls the distribution of pigment within each hair of the cat. A tabby cat is a cat of any breeding that displays a coat pattern featuring stripes, swirls, dots and rings.
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