What color are cats? - briefly
Cats come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The most common coat colors include black, white, grey, and various shades of brown.
What color are cats? - in detail
Cats come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, largely due to their genetic makeup. The base color of a cat is determined by two genes: agouti (A) and non-agouti (a), which influence how melanin is distributed in the fur. Melanin is responsible for the pigmentation of hair, skin, and eyes.
The most common base colors include black, brown, and reddish-brown. Black cats are usually homozygous for the agouti gene (AA) and have a high concentration of eumelanin, a type of melanin that gives a dark color. Brown cats are heterozygous (Aa), which means they have a lower concentration of eumelanin, resulting in a lighter brown hue. Reddish-brown cats are homozygous for the non-agouti gene (aa) and have an even lower amount of eumelanin, leading to a reddish-brown or cinnamon color.
In addition to base colors, cats can exhibit various patterns such as solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, calico, and bicolor. Solid cats have one uniform color without any distinct markings. Tabby cats display distinctive stripes, swirls, or spots, often in shades of brown or gray. Tortoiseshell cats are a mix of two colors, typically black and orange, with no clear pattern. Calico cats also have two base colors but include significant amounts of white fur, usually in a piebald pattern. Bicolor cats have one color on their body and another on their face, legs, tail, or paws.
Moreover, the dilution gene can modify these base colors to create dilute shades like blue (gray), cream, and fawn. Blue cats result from a genetic modification that dilutes black pigment to gray. Cream cats are diluted versions of reddish-brown cats, appearing in light beige or pale yellow shades. Fawn cats have diluted brown fur, often seen as a lighter, sandy color.
The presence of the white spotting gene can further alter coat patterns by introducing white fur into the mix. This gene is responsible for creating patterns like van (mostly white with colored markings on the head and tail), harlequin (mostly white with large patches of another color), and bicolor.
In summary, the color of a cat is influenced by a combination of genetic factors that determine base colors, patterns, and dilutions. This genetic diversity results in the stunning array of coat colors and patterns found among domestic cats today.