If one cat is lop-eared and the other is straight-eared, what kind of kittens will they have?

If one cat is lop-eared and the other is straight-eared, what kind of kittens will they have? - briefly

If one cat has drooping ears (lop-eared) and the other has upright ears (straight-eared), their offspring can exhibit either ear type or a combination of both. The specific outcome depends on the genetic factors governing ear shape, which may vary among breeds.

If one cat is lop-eared and the other is straight-eared, what kind of kittens will they have? - in detail

When considering the offspring of a lop-eared cat and a straight-eared cat, it is essential to understand the genetic principles that govern ear shape in felines. The distinct ear types—lop-eared and straight-eared—are determined by specific genes. In cats, the dominant gene (D) produces straight ears, while the recessive gene (d) results in lop ears.

If one parent is lop-eared (dd) and the other is straight-eared (DD), the kittens' ear shapes will depend on the genetic combination they inherit from their parents. Given that the straight-eared trait is dominant, if a kitten inherits one dominant gene (Dd), it will have straight ears. Conversely, for a kitten to be lop-eared, it must inherit two recessive genes (dd) from both parents.

In this scenario, the possible genetic combinations and their corresponding ear shapes are as follows:

  1. DD: Straight-eared kittens. This occurs when both alleles inherited are dominant.
  2. Dd: Straight-eared kittens. This occurs when one allele is dominant and the other is recessive.
  3. dd: Lop-eared kittens. This occurs only if both alleles inherited are recessive.

Therefore, in a litter from a lop-eared cat (dd) mated with a straight-eared cat (DD), all kittens will likely have straight ears (Dd). The probability of a kitten being lop-eared (dd) is low because the recessive gene must be passed from both parents, which is less likely given that one parent carries only dominant genes.

In summary, the offspring of a mating between a lop-eared cat and a straight-eared cat will predominantly have straight ears due to the dominance of the D allele.