What color will the kittens be if the cat is black and the cat is black?

What color will the kittens be if the cat is black and the cat is black? - briefly

If both parents are black, their kittens will likely be black as well. This is due to the dominant nature of the black coat gene in cats.

What color will the kittens be if the cat is black and the cat is black? - in detail

The color of kittens born from two black cats can vary significantly, depending on several genetic factors. To understand this, it's essential to delve into the basics of feline genetics.

Cats have 19 pairs of chromosomes, with one pair determining coat color. The gene responsible for the black coat is known as B (for brown), and its dominant allele is B. When a cat has two copies of this allele (B/B), it will exhibit a black coat, provided there are no other genes that could modify or mask this color.

Now, let's consider the possible genetic combinations when two black cats mate:

  1. If both parents have the genotype B/B: All their offspring will inherit at least one copy of the B allele (B/-). Since the B allele is dominant, all kittens in this case will be born with a black coat.

  2. If the male parent has the genotype b/b and the female parent has the genotype B/B or B/b: The male cat will not express the black color due to the recessive nature of the b allele but can still pass it on to his offspring. In this scenario, all female kittens (XX) will be black since they receive two X chromosomes, one from each parent. Male kittens (XY), however, will only inherit the Y chromosome from their father and thus will not express the black color, appearing as non-black or diluted in color.

  3. If both parents have the genotype B/b: Here, the offspring can exhibit a variety of coat colors due to the combination of dominant (B) and recessive (b) alleles. The possible outcomes include black, dilute black (gray or blue), or other colors influenced by modifier genes.

In summary, while both parents are black, the color of their kittens can range from solid black to various shades of gray or even other colors, depending on the specific genetic makeup of each parent and the interaction between different alleles.