What kittens will be born from a ginger cat and a white cat? - briefly
The color of the kittens born from a ginger (orange) cat and a white cat is determined by genetics. Given that ginger is a dominant trait and white is a recessive trait, the offspring can be either ginger or a combination of ginger and white, but not purely white unless both parents carry the recessive gene for white fur.
What kittens will be born from a ginger cat and a white cat? - in detail
When a ginger cat, which is genetically orange due to the presence of an X-linked gene for orange fur, mates with a white cat, the resulting kittens' color can vary based on their sex and the specific genetic makeup of each parent.
The gene responsible for the orange color in cats is known as O (Orange). Female cats have two X chromosomes, while male cats have one X and one Y chromosome. The O gene is located on the X chromosome, so female cats can be either homozygous (OO) or heterozygous (Oo), whereas male cats are hemizygous (O).
If the ginger cat is a male (OY), all of his offspring with any female will inherit the orange color. However, if the ginger cat is a female (OO), the kittens' color will depend on whether they inherit the O gene from her and their own genetic makeup.
The white cat can have varying genetic backgrounds that affect coat color. For example, the dominant white (WW) gene completely masks other colors, resulting in a pure white coat. If the white cat carries this dominant white gene, all kittens will be white regardless of the ginger parent's genotype.
However, if the white cat is not homozygous for the dominant white gene and instead has a recessive white spotting pattern (such as the piebald or extreme white spotting genes), the resulting kittens could display a mix of orange and white fur depending on their inheritance of these specific genes.
In summary, the color of the kittens born from a ginger cat and a white cat largely depends on the genetic makeup of both parents, particularly the presence or absence of dominant white genes in the white cat. If the white cat has the dominant white gene, all kittens will be white; otherwise, they may exhibit varying degrees of orange and white fur based on their inherited genetics.