A blue cat and a black cat, what kind of kittens will they have? - briefly
A blue cat and a black cat can indeed produce interesting offspring due to their coat colors. The resulting kittens typically exhibit a mix of both parental traits, often appearing grey or brown, depending on the specific genetic makeup of each individual cat.
A blue cat and a black cat, what kind of kittens will they have? - in detail
The color of kittens produced by a blue cat and a black cat depends on several genetic factors, primarily the presence or absence of certain pigment-producing genes.
In cats, coat color is determined by two main types of pigments: eumelanin (black/brown) and pheomelanin (red/orange). The gene responsible for producing eumelanin is known as the B (Brown) locus. A dominant allele at this locus (B) produces brown pigment, while a recessive allele (b) results in black pigment.
The blue coat color is caused by a separate gene called the D (Dilute) locus. The presence of a dilution factor (d) at this locus lightens the eumelanin from brown to gray or blue, and the pheomelanin from red/orange to cream.
When considering the mating of a blue cat with a black cat:
- A blue cat has the genotype bbDD (black base color diluted to blue).
- A black cat can have two possible genotypes: BBDd or bbDd, both resulting in a black coat.
If the father is a black cat with the genotype BBDd, the kittens could inherit either the B (brown) or b (black) allele from him, and they will always inherit the dilution factor d from the blue mother. This results in:
- Kittens inheriting BBdd will be brown (non-diluted eumelanin).
- Kittens inheriting Bbdd will also appear brown due to the dominance of B over b.
- Kittens inheriting bbdd will be black with a dilute factor, appearing blue like their mother.
If the father is a black cat with the genotype bbDd, all kittens will inherit the recessive b allele from him and the dilution factor d from their mother, resulting in:
- All kittens being black with a dilute factor, appearing blue like their mother.
Therefore, the color of the kittens can vary depending on whether the father carries the dominant B or recessive b allele. In summary, if the father is heterozygous (BBDd), there will be a mix of brown and blue kittens. If he is homozygous (bbDd), all kittens are likely to be blue like their mother.