Pedigree of a cat: let's spell it out

Patterned

Any color can be patterned.
The shape of the pattern is determined by a series of T (tabby) genes. And such genes are present in the genotype of absolutely every cat. But, as you know, not every cat is striped or spotted. It's all about another gene - A (agouti). This gene either “turns on” or “turns off” as the hair grows, coloring the hairs in transverse rings with alternating dark and light tones. Decoding the colors of cats begins with a search for two genes in the genotype - T and A. If there is at least one A, the cat will be patterned. If there are two aa in the genotype (homozygous recessive set), the fur coat will be colored evenly, since without ticking (coloring the fur in stripes) a pattern is impossible. So, what does the color of a tabby cat mean? The answer is obvious: the cat is a carrier of the dominant agouti gene (A). Now let's look at the tabby gene (T):

Ta (Abyssinian) is dominant to T (stripes), and T is dominant to Tb (marble). But there are still spots! But with them it’s more complicated: either there is a specific gene that allows spotting to appear, or the spots are the result of the work of a group of modifier genes that “break” the stripes (the latter is more likely).

Golden chinchilla color in British cats

Many people are interested in British golden chinchillas. This is a fashionable and expensive color among British Shorthair cats. What is British gold?

A whole polygenic complex is responsible for the “golden” color - a set of genes that provide a warm “golden” undercoat and at the same time lighten the hairs from its main color.

Despite the fact that the color of the cat is called “golden chinchilla”, it can be black golden chinchilla, chocolate golden chinchilla, lilac golden chinchilla, blue golden chinchilla, golden cinnamon chinchilla, golden fawn chinchilla. In other words, depending on the genotype, the golden chinchilla is either black, chocolate, lilac, blue, fawn, or cinnamon.

As mentioned earlier, a whole polygenic complex is responsible for the golden color of British cats. The color of a chinchilla in cats is formed under the influence of three pairs of genes - a melanin inhibitor, which lightens the hair, an agouti factor, which is responsible for the presence of a pattern, and a series of striped tabby, if the chinchilla has a pattern, a gene eraser (gum), which gives the coat a warm golden color.

That is, it is these genes that simultaneously lighten the main tone of the coat and give it a warm golden color, leaving the tip of the coat in the main color of the cat (black, chocolate, lilac, blue). The Sv inhibitor gene is responsible for lightening, the Erizer gene is responsible for the warm golden color of the coat.

An inhibitor is a moderator, an inhibitor. If a cat has this gene in a dominant form, if it has a recessive agouti, then this cat is smoky. If this gene in a dominant form is associated with the dominant agouti gene, the cat is silver. If you add an eraser to the dominant agouti and inhibitor, the cat will turn golden.

There are several color options for British Golden cats.

• ny 12 – black golden chinchilla,
• ny 11 — black gold shaded
• ny 25 – black gold ticked
• ny 24 – black golden spotted
• ny 23 – black golden mackerel
• ny 22 – black gold marble

• by 12 – chocolate golden chinchilla,
• by 11 – chocolate golden shaded
• by 25 – chocolate golden ticked
• by 24 – chocolate golden spotted
• by 23 – chocolate golden mackerel
• by 22 – chocolate golden marble

• ay 12 – blue golden chinchilla,
• аy 11 — blue gold shaded
• аy 25 — blue gold ticked
• ay 24 – blue golden spotted
• ay 23 – blue golden mackerel
• ay 22 – blue gold marble

• сy 12 – lilac golden chinchilla,
• сy 11 — lilac golden shaded
• сy 25 — lilac gold ticked
• sy 24 – lilac golden spotted
• сy 23 – purple golden mackerel
• sy 22 – lilac gold marble

• oy 12 – cinnamon golden chinchilla,
• oy 11 – cinnamon golden shaded
• оy 25 — cinnamon gold ticked
• oy 24 – golden spotted cinnamon
• oy 23 – cinnamon golden mackerel
• oy 22 – cinnamon gold marble

• ry 12 – golden chinchilla fawn,
• ry 11 - golden shaded faun
• ry 25 – golden ticked faun
• ry 24 – golden spotted fawn
• ry 23 – golden mackerel fawn
• ry 22 – golden marble faun

and their pointed variations

• ny 12 33 - black golden chinchilla point,
• ny 11 33 — black golden shaded point
• ny 25 33- black gold ticked point
• ny 21 – black golden lynx point

• by 12 33– chocolate golden chinchilla point
• by 11 33- chocolate golden shaded point
• by 25 33- chocolate golden ticked point
• by 21 33 – chocolate golden lynx point

• ay 12 33– blue golden chinchilla point
• ay 11 33- blue golden shaded point
• ay 25 33— blue golden ticked point
• ay 21 33 — blue golden lynx point

• сy 12 33– lilac golden chinchilla point
• сy 11 33- lilac golden shaded point
• сy 25 33— lilac golden ticked point
• сy 21 33 — lilac golden lynx point

• oy 12 33 – cinnamon golden chinchilla point
• oy 11 33- cinnamon golden shaded point
• оy 25 33— cinnamon golden ticked point
• oy 21 33 – cinnamon golden lynx point

• ry 12 33 – golden chinchilla fawn point
• ry 11 33- golden shaded fawn point
• ry 25 33—gold ticked fawn point
• ry 24 33 - golden lynx point fawn

The most common color among golden chinchillas is black. Then blue. Then chocolate. Well, the rarest colors today are lilac golden chinchilla, golden chinchilla cinnamon, golden chinchilla fawn (lightened cinnamon).

The British breed standard states that if most of the guard and outer coat is colored 1/3, the color is called shaded, if it is 1/8, the color is called chinchilla (veiled).

Among specialists and breeders, the uniform color of the undercoat in a golden tone is valued. That is, the coat should be uniformly golden, without a gray root zone. If earlier, when there was not so much gold, cats with a gray root zone were still involved in breeding, now in most cases these cats are removed from breeding.

Selection work with such a complex color (golden chinchilla) is aimed at selecting individuals with light, uniform hair, large bones, and the least amount of spots in color.

The main characteristic of golden chinchillas is their miniature size compared to British cats of classic colors. Late development also distinguishes golden chinchillas. The cat is fully formed only at the age of three, the strength of the British breed is revealed, the eyes are completely painted over, the “baby” coat with long protective fur turns into a British plush coat with a wonderful undercoat.

I would especially like to note the wool of British golden chinchillas. The color itself is based on the Persian golden chinchilla by crossing British and Persian cats. British Golden Chinchillas inherited from their Persian ancestors longer coats than the classic British colors. The same goes for their silkier texture.

The British golden chinchilla also differs from the British classic color in its character. Golden chinchillas are attached to humans. They can be called domestic cats. But at the same time, the attention of a golden British chinchilla will not cause you any discomfort. Like all cats, they have different personalities, but it's safe to say that they are people-oriented. How is this expressed? Having undergone careful selection, golden chinchillas acquired a stable psyche. They do not show aggression towards adults and children, I do not leave marks in inappropriate places, I easily remember the rules of behavior in the house, I know their nickname and answer them, answer the question adequately. The desire of a person to caress them, they easily make contact, adore people, they are easy to carry, they can be taken with you to the dacha or to a country house. One of their distinguishing features is their sensitivity to the tone of a person's voice. Golden British chinchillas raise their voices in response; they are easily offended by shouting or saying something harsh, but they are not vindictive.

The British Golden Chinchilla is a cat with the grace of a panther and a living pearl in your home.

Patterned “silver” and “gold”

Patterned colors look extremely beautiful and impressive if breeders pay attention not only to improving the pattern itself, but also the background. Thanks to the work of an additional group of polygenes, the yellow-brown undercoat can be given a bright golden-sandy hue, making it “golden,” and if the patterned color is combined with the dominant Silver gene (I), then the beige tone of the undercoat changes to bright white and the result is “silver.”

A table that clearly shows how, as a result of various selections, the background shade can differ using the example of a spotted pattern

“Cold” tone of the undercoat, especially on the body, and slight yellowness on the face and paws (BRI n 24)

Bright, richly “warm” tone of the undercoat. This cat has gold in her ancestry, if not for her orange eyes, she could very well be one. (BRI n 24)

For chocolate color, the golden shade of the background is natural; the chocolate gene gives a “warm” tone not only to the main color, but also to the background. This is why it is so difficult to work with chocolate silver; it is extremely difficult to achieve a clear contrasting pattern and a clean background without yellowness

(BRI b 24)

The “warm” tone of the undercoat of this golden animal was obtained as a result of many years of work by breeders. Please note that the polygenic complex that gives the golden hue to the undercoat indirectly affects the main pigment, as a result of which the pattern on the body becomes brown instead of black. Nevertheless, genetically it is precisely black, which can be seen in the places of the greatest accumulation of pigment - the tip of the tail, paw pads, and the rim of the nose. (BRI ny 24)

Table of Rufisms using the example of black silver spotted British cats (BRI ns 24)
This cat has small rufisms on his face, chest and paws; perhaps his closest ancestors have solidi, in which selection to weed out rufisms is impossible, they do not appear on a single color. Orange eyes also indirectly indicate the presence of such ancestors. (BRI ns 24 62)	This cat is pure silver with no yellow, bred through breeding for silver over many generations. (BRI ns 24 64)

Scottish cat colors and types

The colors of Scottish cats are divided into solid, tortoiseshell, smoke, tabby, bicolor, van, harlequin, shaded, chinchilla, point and ticked. This does not depend on the type of breed. Such colors can equally be found in Scottish folds, Scottish straights, highland folds and highland straights.

Solid (solid, monochromatic) colors

Solid color means that there are no inclusions of another color. The tone should be rich and even along the entire length of the hairs. If there are inclusions of a different color, this is either a different color or a defect, which reduces the price of the kitten and lowers the ratings at shows. Solid colors come in blue (what lay people call grey), black (ebony), white, brown (chocolate), lilac, fawn (meaning “young fawn” in English), cinnamon (cinnamon), red and cream. Until recently, blue was considered a classic: such cats were the majority. However, today this is no longer the case. However, black, white, chocolate and red Scots are rarer creatures.

• Red
• White
• Lilac
• Blue
• Cream
• Black
• Cinnamon
• Chocolate
• Faun

Two-color (bicolor)

Bicolor is the color of Scottish cats in which half the surface of the coat is white, and the other half is blue, cream, red or tabby. It is desirable that the drawings are symmetrical.

• Lilac bicolor
• Blue bicolor
• Black bicolor

Point colors

The body of color point cats should have a basic light tone, and the face, ears, paws and tail should be darker. Hence the name: translated from English, the word “color” means “color”, and “point” means “point”.

Scottish point cats can be of several varieties: seal point, lilac point (white body with lilac markings), blue point (light body and light blue markings), chokelit point (white body and brown markings), cream point (light cream body and cream markings), tortoiseshell (tortoiseshell, which combines the base color markings with red or cream spots), tabby point (striped markings).

There are other options for points. Point-colored cats are produced using an interesting gene that causes the fur to darken depending on the temperature. In those parts of the body where the temperature is lower due to poorer blood circulation (paws, muzzle, ears and tail), the color is darker.

• Blue Point
• Red point
• Torty point
• Smoky Point
• Chalklit Point
• Links Point
• Lilac Point
• Golden Point
• Point with darkened body

Tortoiseshells (torties)

In order for a cat to be called a tortoiseshell, it must have a combination of dark spots and red or cream spots on its fur. The distribution of these colors throughout the body is even. But do not confuse tortoiseshell kittens with tricolor ones. Tortoiseshell colors can be black-red, chocolate-red, blue-cream, lilac-cream. At exhibitions, first of all, they look at the uniformity and harmonious distribution of pigments, as well as intensity. It is worth considering that only cats can be tortoiseshell. If it appears in a cat, it is a genetic mutation indicating the inability to produce offspring.

• Read also:  Burmilla cats - appearance, character and care features

Smoky (smoky, smoky) colors

With this color, the cat should have a uniform tone and the base of the hairs should be silver-white. That is, part of the length of the hair can be, for example, black, and the base can be silver-white. This unusual coloring of each hair is called typing.

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The smoky color belongs to the silver group and appears under the influence of the dominant silver gene. With a smoky color there should be no pattern on the coat, although it occurs in some individuals. This color can be confused with a solid color, because usually the hair is colored two-thirds of the way, and if the coat is thick, you need to move the hairs apart to see the base.

Tabby colors

Tabby cats have a zonal pattern. For example, this could be the letter M on the forehead, light spots on the back of the ear, lining the eyes and nose, curls on the cheeks, a necklace on the chest, rings on the legs and tail.

Tabby cats are divided into:

- depending on the type of pattern - brindle (mackerel), spotted (spotted) and marbled color (shaded);

- depending on color combinations - silver (silver shade main and black pattern), silver-blue (white undercoat and mantle on the sides, muzzle and tail), red (light red main and bright red pattern), brown ( copper color and black pattern), blue (cream blue base and bright blue pattern), cream (pale cream base and dark cream or beige pattern), cameo tabby (white color with a bright red stripe pattern).

Particolor (calico)

Particolor cats have a combination of tortoiseshell and white on their fur.

Chinchilla

There is such an effect as tipping. The word “tipping” means an uneven distribution of pigment along the length of the coat, in which only the tip of the hair is colored, and the rest remains white. Tipping is typical for chinchilla, shaded and patterned colors. There are different types of tipping, depending on which part of the hair is dyed, that is, what is the length of the dyed part.

With chinchilla coloring, one eighth of the hair length is colored, the rest is white. Cats of this color are divided into the following subspecies: silver chinchilla, golden chinchilla, blue golden chinchilla. The latter is the rarest among chinchillas. These are very beautiful cats. Hence the high prices.

Ticked colors

The word “ticking” means uneven coloring of the hair, but not in two different colors, as with tipping, but in three. Ticking is a uniform zonal coloring with alternating dark yellow rings along the entire length of the hair and a dark top without traces of a pattern. Stripes of different colors alternate across each hair, creating unique shades. Those who do not know about this effect try to describe a ticked cat with approximately the following words: “its fur shimmers in different colors,” “its fur has several colors and shades,” etc. Among Scottish cats, this color is not yet the most common; ticked cats are expensive.

Shaded (shedded) colors

Shaded colors are colors in which only the upper third of the tip of the hair is colored, the rest is white. Carriers of this color have a light undercoat, shaded hair on the sides, back, ears, head and tail, light hair on the chin, belly and bottom of the tail, coloring only the upper part of the hair in any of the main color colors (gold, silver, red). Shaded colors are divided into shaded golden, shaded silver, shaded red. There should be no noticeable pattern, but an M on the forehead and dark rings on the paws are acceptable.

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Wang

Scottish Van cats have a white body except for the tail and muzzle. A few spots on the body and legs are also allowed. The coat on the spots may not be plain, but, for example, tabby.

Harlequin

Harlequins are off-white on about one-fifth or one-sixth of the body, and the spots may be scattered in different places rather than concentrated near each other. The tail is colored. The rest of the body is white. Outwardly, such cats really resemble harlequins, hence the name.

List of cat genes responsible for mutations of ears, tails and paws

№	( or )	Comments
1	FdFd	lop-eared	in addition to ear deformation in cats, the allele causes osteochondrodysplasia
2	Fdfd	lop-eared	healthy animal
3	Cu-	ears rolled back
4	MM	embryo death	that's all
5	mm	no tail or bob tail	-//-
6	btbt	bob ponytail	only
7	kk	wedge-shaped vertebrae	believed to be responsible for deformed tails in cats, and
8	MkMk	the embryo does not develop	only munchkin and other dwarves
9	Mkmk	short legs	-//-

Note: the genetics of the tails of all bobtails except the Japanese are unknown, presumably bob tails are inherited polygenically; The American Ringtail's tail is probably determined by a recessive gene (designation unknown).

List of cat genes responsible for rare mutations

№	( or )	Comments
1	sfsf	baldness around the eyes and mouth	probably the breed-forming gene of Lykoi
2	sasa	cotton wool (fine, brittle and thick)
3	Cat-
4	brbr	brachyuris (short-tailed)	only for
5	Pd	(extra toes)
6	Sh-	(fusion of toes)
7	Rh-	(kangarooism)	extra joint (toe), short foot
8	dpdp	four ears	also leads to underbite, smaller eyes and a tendency to lethargy
9	tete\mcmc
fckfck
10	chch	death syndrome
11	popo	only the first type
12	rdgrdg
13	Rdy-	only in Abyssinian cats
14	rtrt	found only in
15	ndnd
16	slsl
17	Ga-1-\ga-2ga-2
18	mpsmps
19	mama
20	splspl
21	hyhy
22	trtr
23	ewew	found among Burmese
24	sptspt	found in
25	hmahma\hmbhmb
26	haghag
27	hcehce
28	Ph-
29	hoho
30	tfmtfm
31	hcmhcm

Shaded and chinchilla colors of the British cat

The next group of silver colors: shaded and “chinchilla” (shell).

If “smoky” colors look light, then shaded and chinchilla colors look almost white, with a characteristic “spraying” at the very tips of the hairs. In cats with a shaded color, this “spraying” occupies only a sixth of the hair, and in individuals with a chinchilla color it takes up even less – an eighth. Naturally, no one measures the length of a hair with a ruler, much less 1/6 or 1/8 of its color. And anyway, we call all such elegant pussies chinchillas. The following points should be noted regarding shaded and shell colors.

1. Both colors are coded as “smoky” colors, but with the numbers 11 – shaded and 12 – chinchilla (shell). For example, BRI ns11 – black, shaded. Outwardly, she looks white, with a black “spray”, and her paw pads, the rim of her nose and the rim of her eyes should be completely black.

2. Both colors mean that there should be no closed stripes on the limbs, tail, or chest (such stripes on the chest are called a necklace). Shaded cats should have shaded hair on the head, ears, sides, back and tail.

3. Chinchilla colors must have bright green eyes. Shaded, that is, slightly darker, have the right to have yellow (or orange) eyes. Only then the eye color coding is then added to the color coding: 62, for example, BRI ns11 62.

British cat color shaded (Shaded) (BRI ns11)

British cat chinchilla color (Chinchilla) (BRI ns12)

British cat color golden shaded (BRI ny11)

No less interesting are the golden colors (coded by the letter y, which is indicated by analogy with the letter s in the designation of “silver”). However, this is even more rare for the British breed.

The chin, belly and lower part of the tail should be painted a pale apricot color, the nose - brick, while a transition to black or dark brown is considered quite acceptable. The paw pads of animals of the color in question are black or dark brown, and their eyes are green.

British chinchilla cats look amazingly rich and elegant. Their fur is similar to a fox fur coat. The chinchilla was developed in the early 1970s. English breeder Norman Winder, who crossed the Persian chinchilla with the British shorthair. The breeder was attracted by the luxurious silver coat of the chinchilla and the power of the British. The experiment was a success: in 1973, Winder demonstrated a new breed at an exhibition, which was called British black with tipping (“spraying”). This color was recognized in 1980 in England by the board of directors of the cat lovers club.

Cat lovers club "Moscow"

Each breed-color designation consists of several groups:

• Breed designation - 3 capital letters (for example, PER, SIB)
• The designation of the main color is 1 lowercase letter + lowercase letter “s” for the colors of the silver series or “y” for the golden series (n - black, ns - black smoky, ny - black golden).

The rest of the index is indicated as necessary and consists of pairs of numbers, the first of which indicates the type of trait being described (for example, eye color or the presence of white spots in the color), and the second digit characterizes the trait itself. The numbers indicate the varieties of coat color, eye color, and tail length.

• The number 0 begins to indicate the presence of white in color
• The number 1 begins to indicate the typing value for silver colors
• The number 2 begins to indicate the type of pattern for tabby colors
• The number 3 begins to indicate the type of point color (Burmese, Siamese).
• The number 5 begins to indicate the length of the tail (breeds that are characterized by anomalies in the structure of the tail, such as Manx, Bobtail).
• The number 6 begins the designation of eye color (indicated primarily for those colors when the color of the eyes can be different: chinchilla, pewter, white).

Examples: MCO n - Maine Coon, black color SFS d 22 - Scottish fold, red marbled color SPH a 03 - Canadian Sphynx, blue bicolor color

COLORS

The color code is written in the form XXX xx NN NN NN

, Where:

XXX

- capital letter designations of three-letter breeds

xx

— lowercase letter designations (up to two letters):
a

blue	blue
b	chocolate (brown, chestnut)	chocolate (brown, Havana)
c	lilac (lavender)	lilac (lavender)
d	red, flame	red
e	cream	cream
f	tortoiseshell	tortoiseshell
g	blue-cream, blue-tortie	blue cream, blue tortoiseshell
h	chocolate-tortie	chocolate tortoiseshell
j	lilac-tortie	lilac tortoiseshell
n	black, ebony, seal, sable, ruddy	black, seal, sable, wild
o	sorrel, cinnamon, honey	sorrel, cinnamon
p	fawn	faun
q	sorrel tortie	tortoiseshell cinnamon
r	fawn cake	tortoiseshell faun
s	silver, smoke	silver, smoky
w	white	white
y	golden	golden
x	unregistered	not registered, unrecognized color

NN

— meanings of pairs of numbers (up to 3 main and 1 auxiliary):

starting with 0
01	van	van
02	harlequin	harlequin
03	bicolour	two-color, bicolor
04	mitted/white point	with white markings for color points
05	snowshoe	snowshoe
09	little white spots	white spotting 1-2 cm reject for LH
starting with 1
11	shaded	shaded (1/4 of the top part of the hair is darkened)
12	tipped, shel	veiled (1/8 of the top part of the hair is darkened)
starting with 2
21	tabby, agouti	striping, agouti factor
22	blotched, marble	marble color
23	mackerel, tiger	brindle color
24	spotted	spotted color
25	ticked	ticked or Abyssinian color
starting with 3
31	burmese color	Burmese color
32	tonkinese color	Tonkinese color
33	himalayan (siam) color	Himalayan or Siamese color
34	Singapore color	singapore color
35	abyssinian color	Abyssinian color, ticking
starting with 5 (tail length)
51	rumpy	taillessness
52	rumpy riser	rest of the tail - 1-2 vertebrae
53	stumpy	bob - 7-13 cm curled tail
54	longy	long/normal tail
starting with 6 (eye color)
61	blue	blue
62	yellow, golden	yellow, orange, golden, etc.
63	oddeyed	disagreement
64	green	green
65	burmese	Burmesse cat eye color
66	tonkinese	Tonkinese cat eye color
67	himalayan or siam	eye color of Himalayan and Siamese cats
starting with 7 (ear placement)
71	straight ears	straight (straight ears)
72	curled ears	curl (curled back)
73	folded ears	fold (forward)

BREEDS

Longhair group (LH)
PER	Persian	Persian
Semi-longhair group (SLH)
ACL	American Curl longhair	American Curl DS
AVT	American bobtail	American Bobtail
BAL	Balinese (Balinesian)	Balinese (Balinese)
BLH	British longhair	British Longhair
C.Y.M.	Cymric	Cymric
HHP	Household Pet	Domestic cat
JAV	Javanese	Javanese (Oriental DS)
JBL	Japanese Bobtail longhair	Japanese bobtail longhair,
KAV	Karelian bobtail longhair	Karelian Bobtail
KVL	Kurilian bobtail longhair	Kurilian Bobtail
LPL	La Perm longhair	La Perm longhair
MCO	Maine coon	Maine Coon
MNL	Munchkin longhair	Munchkin longhair
NEB	Nebelung	Nibelung
NEV	Neva maskarade	Neva Masquerade
NFO	Norwegian Forest Cat	Norwegian forest
O.S.L.	Oriental Semilonghair	Oriental Semi-Longhair (Mandarin)
RAG	Ragdoll	Ragdoll
R.G.M.	Ragamuffin	Ragamuffin
SBI	Sacred Birman	Burmese (Sacred Burma)
SFL	Highland Fold	Scottish fold DS (Highland fold)
SIB	Siberian	Siberian
SOM	Somalia	Somali (Somali)
SRX	Selkirk Rex longhair	Selkirk Rex DSH
SYL	Seychellois longhair	Seychelles DS
TIF	Tiffani (Tiffanie)	Tiffany (Asian DS, Mahogany, Chantilly)
TUA	Turkish angora	Turkish Angora
TUV	Turkish van	Turkish van
URL	Ural Rex longhair	Ural Rex longhair
URX	Ural rex longhair	Ural Rex DSh
YOR	York Chocolate	York (York)
Shorthair group (SH)
ABY	Abyssinian	Abyssinian
ACS	American Curl shorthair	American Curl, Ameerika Curl luhikavaline,
A.N.A.	Anatolian	Anatolian (Turkish KS)
ARM	Arabia Mau	Arabian Mau
A.S.H.	American shorthair	American Shorthair
A.S.I.	Asian (tabby, smoke)	Asian (tabby, smoky)
AUM	Australian Mist	Australian Smoke (Mist)
AWH	American wirehair	American Wirehair
BEN	Bengalian (Bengal)	Bengal
BOM	Bombay	Bombay
BRA	Brazilian Shorthair	Brazilian Shorthair
BRI	British shorthair	British Shorthair
BMI	Burmilla	Burmilla
BUR	Burmese (Burma)	Burmezskaya (Burmese)
CEY	Ceylon	Ceylon
SNA	Chartreux	Chartreuse (Carthusian)
CRX	Cornish-rex	Cornish Rex
CSP	Califomian splendid	California radiant
DRX	Devon Rex	Devon Rex
DSX	Don Sphinx	Don Sphynx
EUR	European shorthair (Celtic)	European CS (Celtic)
EXO	Exotic shorthair	Exotic Shorthair
GRX	German rex	Hermann rex (German rex)
HHP	Household Pet	Domestic cat
HVB	Havana brown	Havana brown
JAV	Javanese	Javanesian
J.B.T.	Japanese bobtail	Japanese Bobtail
KAN	Kanaania	Kanaani (Kanaanskaya)
KAS	Karelian Bobtail shorthair	Karelian Bobtail KSh
KBS	Kurilian Bobtail shorthair	Kurilian Bobtail KSh
KOR	Korat	Korat
MAN	Manx	Manx (Manx, Manx)
MAU	Egyptian mau	Egyptian Mau
MNS	Munchkin shorthair	Munchkin KSH
OCI	Ocicat	Ocicat
RUS	Russian blue	Russian blue
SFS	Scottish-fold (CN)	Scottish Fold (Scottish Fold)
SIN	Singapura	Singaporean (Singapore)
SNO	Snow-shoe	Snow-shoe
SOK	Sokoke	Sokoke
SPH	Sphinx (Canadian sphinx)	Canadian Sphynx
SRS	Selkirk Rex shorthair	Selkirk Rex shorthair
URX	Ural Rex shorthair	Ural Rex shorthair
Siamese Oriental Group (SOKH)
MBT	Mekong Bobtail	Mekong Bobtail
PBD	Peterbald	Peterbald (Petersburg Sphinx)
OKH	Oriental shorthair	Oriental Shorthair
SYS	Seychellois shorthair (Siamese bicolour)	Seychelles KS
SIA	Siamese	Siamese
TBT	Thai bobtail	Thai Bobtail
THA	Thai	Thai
TON	Tonkinese	Tonkinese
Others
NON	Unregistered race	Unregistered breed

Colors of the “black” group

The B (black) gene is responsible for the normal formation of black pigment. Under the influence of the b gene, the pigment oxidizes - a brown color is obtained. But B suppresses the action of b (capital letter - dominant, lowercase - recessive gene). Thus, BB and Bb cats look the same black, and if the kitten inherited two bb from its parents, it will be brown (rich chocolate) in color. Kittens inherit one chromosome from each parent. Therefore, when crossing individuals BB plus Bb, “chocolates” will not be born - there is nowhere to get two bb.

The bl gene oxidizes the pigment even more strongly than the b gene, resulting in a light, warm shade of brown called “cinnamon.” But b and B suppress bl, so the kitten must get bl from both parents, otherwise it will not be a cinnamon.

When the genetic codes for cat colors include D (d), we are talking about strengthening or lightening the pigment. Gene D makes the color rich and allows the pigment to be densely distributed in the fur: cat B_DD is black. The d gene “mutes” colors, forming less bright, calm shades: cat B_dd is gray. But kitten B_Dd will be black, because gene D is dominant to d and blocks it.

Kittens will turn out purple if they inherit two “weak” genes from their parents: bl (chocolate) and dd (lightening). Thus, lilac is bleached chocolate.

British red color standard

There is a uniform standard of coat quality and color for all British Shorthairs. Felinologists are trying to preserve this indigenous breed unchanged. Therefore, experts carefully monitor all experiments aimed at diversifying the colors of cats.

1. The coat is short, elastic, silky. In red color, stiffer guard hair is allowed, which should not fit tightly to the body.
2. Bright red British cats have an undercoat of the same shade as the main coat. Bald spots of a different color and uneven coloring are not allowed.
3. The chin, tip of the tail and a small area on the belly may be slightly lighter than the base coat shade. In pedigree breeding, such a transformation is not welcomed, but at exhibitions experts are loyal to it.

Additional requirements apply to eye color, paw pads and nose:

1. The pupil is always colored in honey, orange or copper tones.
2. The color of the skin of the nose and pads is darker than the base color - brick, terracotta or bleached brown.

In red British cats, the tabby pattern will always be contrasting. There should be clear lines on the chest and neck. The same pattern starts from the corners of the eyes and covers the cheeks. On the paws and tail there are distinguishable encircling rings of the primary color.

Acceptable variations and deviations in British Reds

All colors containing red in the British are divided into several categories.

The first includes standard solid colors (solid). In this case, the wool will be dyed evenly along its entire length. The British acquired this color as a result of crossing with the Persian longhaired breed.

In the future, such inter-tribal unions were prohibited due to the increase in hair length, but the color was fixed and consistently transmitted with proper breeding.

The next category is red smoky, which is formed when the pigment is unevenly distributed throughout the hair. The root part remains light, only 4/5 of the length is colored.

The fur of red British cats seems evenly colored, but when moving, lighter areas of the hair are revealed, resulting in the effect of a shimmer of shades.

Another color option is silver-red, shaded. Here the wool is pigmented to 1/3 of its length, and 2/3 remains bleached. At the same time, the nose, eyes and lips of shaded red British kittens have a contrasting dark edging.

The next variety of red is the red chinchilla. The pigment appears only at the tip of the hair (1/8 of the length), and the rest of the hair is not dyed. The term “cameo” is used for British people with this coat color.

The acromelanic color-point (red-point) has a lighter shade of body, in contrast to the mask on the face, the tips of the ears, the ends of the paws and the tail.

British Red kittens can be born bicolor or particolor. This is a combination of white and red colors, which is considered traditional for many cat breeds. They differ only in the amount of white wool.

• from 30 to 50% white - bicolors;
• from 50 to 90% white - particolors;

The rarest combinations for cats of the British breed:

1. Harlequins are 90% white and 10% red.
2. Vans - maximum white color. Only the tail and a few markings on the head near the ears remain in red.

British color codes

To indicate the color of a pedigree domestic cat, a special coding is used, consisting of numbers and letters. The same color in different cat breeds will always be indicated by the same code. Each character in the color code carries important information. When filling out a document confirming that a cat belongs to a particular breed, numbers may sometimes be missing, but the letters are always indicated without fail.

The color code is deciphered using special breed tables. The first digit always indicates the attribute. The second sign indicates its variety. Each sign has its own digital designation. Thus, the presence of white in the color is indicated by the number “0”. The color of only the tip of the hairs (tipping) is indicated by the unit “1”. The presence of tabby color is coded with a two “2”, a three “3” indicates the presence of a point and indicates the length of the tail. Six “6” indicates the color of the eyes of a thoroughbred animal.

Mandatory characteristics of a cat's color are:

• description of the color of the fur, which can be plain, patterned, tortoiseshell;
• presence and percentage ratio to other white edema;
• presence of a tabby pattern;
• presence of point color;
• the presence of tipping (coloring the hair in two shades at once);
• tail length encoding;
• presence or absence of eye color coding.

The color coding of cats encodes the characteristics of the color of the coat with letters. The presence of one letter indicates that the animal’s coat is monochromatic. The presence of two letters in the code is a designation of individuals whose coat combines 2 or 3 colors. This is how the following cat colors are usually designated:

• golden;
• two-color hairs (tipped);
• tabby;
• silver;
• mixed.

Numbers may not always be in a coded description of a cat’s appearance, and letters must be indicated when compiling specific breed characteristics.

With a monochromatic color, there should be no other shades on the animal’s fur and skin, even in small quantities. The same pigment must be present on the guard hair, undercoat, if any, and on the skin.

The presence of stripes, spots or other marks on the fur requires the use of a different code classifying the animal as a different variety of the British cat breed.

The breed standard allows for the presence of small dark spots of a different shade on uniform kittens, which are called residual patterns. They usually disappear in the first year of a cat's life. Kittens are also born without a residual pattern - ticked.

Coat color code with names

To encode the colors of all cat breeds, including British ones, letter coding is used, indicating the coat colors recognized by the breed. The letters of the Latin alphabet are used as symbols:

• a ‒ blue;
• b - chocolate, brown, chestnut;
• c - lilac, lavender, platinum (lilac, lavender);
• d - red (red, flame);
• e - cream;
• f ‒ tortoiseshell, black and red (tortoiseshell, patch);
• g - blue-cream, blue-tortie (blue-cream, blue-tortie);
• h - chocolate tortoise (chocolate-tortie);
• j - lilac tortoiseshell (lilac-tortie);
• n - black, seal, sable, wild (black, ebony, seal, sable, ruddy);
• o - cinnamon, sorrel, red-brown, brown, honey (sorrel, cinnamon, honey);
• p ‒ fawn, yellow-brown “beige fawn” (beige, fawn);
• q ‒ tortoiseshell cinnamon, red-brown tortoiseshell (sorreltortie);
• r - yellow-brown, tortoiseshell (beigefawntortie);
• s ‒ silver, smoky (silver, smoke);
• w - white;
• u – bronze (bronze);
• y – golden;
• z - golden tortoiseshell (marble);
• x – color not included in the breed standards (unregistered).

White encoding

If there are white shades in the color, it is always described using a zero. Further there may be other numbers indicating the percentage of this color in the color of the animal. The absence of “0” in the code means that there are no white marks on the animal’s fur at all.

Tipping encoding

Tipping is the name for uneven coloring of hairs, in which the pigment most strongly colors the ends of the hairs. The encoding of this color is indicated by the number “1”. The following numbers encode the intensity of pigmentation. There are two tipping options for the British breed:

• 11 – when ¼ of the upper part of the hair is covered with pigment. This is shaded tipping | shaded;
• 12 – when 1/8 of the top of the hair is dyed – veiled | shell, tipped.

When the color code does not have a 1 at the beginning of the combination, this means there is no tipping.

Tabby pattern encoding

This is the name given to the pattern on animal fur. The British recognize several variants of it. In the code, such a sign is denoted by a two. The number following it indicates the type of pattern. The British recognize several tabby colors:

• 21 - striped, or agouti;
• 22 - marble;
• 23 – brindle;
• 24 - spotted.

In the case where there is no two in the encrypted description, it means that there is simply no tabby pattern on the fur of a cat of this breed.

Point color encoding

This is the name of a homogeneous pigment mask on the face, tail and paws, which is recognized today as a breed characteristic of a British cat.

In felinology, this color is called point color; in the color code it is marked with the triple “3”. The sign following it means its variety. There are three recognized types of this color:

• 31 – Burmese;
• 32 - Tonkinese;
• 33 - Himalayan, or Siamese.

When a cat does not have this coloring, the three is simply not indicated in the code.

Tail length coding

The signs describing a given breed characteristic of an animal always begin with a five. The number following it describes its features. In the breed classification of cat breeds, the following standards for tails are adopted:

• 51 – complete absence of a tail, which is very rare;
• 52 – caudal remnant measuring one or two vertebrae;
• 53 - a ponytail 7 - 13 cm long, which is also called a bob;
• 54 is a normal tail, which is fixed in short-tailed cat breeds - Manx.

When there is no number 5 in the code, it means the breed has a normal tail, as provided for in breed standards.

Eye color coding

All kittens have blue eyes at birth. Then, after one and a half to two months, they acquire a color corresponding to the color of the animal’s fur. Read more about how and when eye color changes here.

In the breed coding, the eyes are designated by the number “6”. The number following it indicates their color. In felinology, a purebred animal’s eyes can have different shades, which are assigned a special digital designation: the following variants of this breed characteristic are accepted:

• 61 ‒ blue | blue;
• 62 ‒ golden, yellow, copper, orange | gold, yellow;
• 63 ‒ individuals with multi-colored eyes | oddeyed;
• 64 ‒ green | green;
• 65 – Burmese, characteristic only of cats of this breed | burmese;
• 66 ‒ Tonkinese | tonkinese;
• 67 ‒ Himalayan or Siamese | himalayan or siam.

Photo - Eye color in British cats
In a number of breeds, when describing breed characteristics with a combination of numbers and letters, eye color may not be indicated, since the standards provide for only one option for their coloring. When several color variations are recognized in a breed, the code uses a six followed by a number indicating the color of the eyes.

Thus, a British cat with a black and silver merle color BRI ns 22 can have eyes of the following shades:

• green;
• copper

They will be designated as 62 or 64 in the color coding.

Coding of ear placement on a cat's head

This sign is indicated by the number “7”, which when deciphered means ears as such. The number following it indicates the type of placement of the ears on the cat’s head. This code is used only in pedigrees of those breeds in which the breed standard provides for several options for ear placement. For example, Scottish Fold cats can have fold-eared (Scottishfold) and straight-eared (Scottishstraight) kittens in the same litter.

In general, felinology provides the following standards for placing the ears on the head:

• 71 ‒ straight | straight or straight ears;
• 72 ‒ curl | curled or ears curled back;
• 72 ‒ fold | folded or hanging forward ears.

If a breed recognizes only one type of ear supply, the number 7 in the pedigree coding for breed characteristics is missing.

Designation of capital letters in the code.

The color code also includes two or three capital Latin letters, which indicate the length of the pile characteristic of the breed. The standard provides four options for cat breeds according to the length of the pile, which are designated by the following set of capital Latin letters:

• LH - long-haired;
• SLH - semi-longhair;
• SH - shorthair;
• SOKH - Siamese-oriental.

Cinnamon - red tortoiseshell color in the British

Tortoiseshell coloring is common in British cats. It is formed by a harmonious combination of evenly colored red and black hairs. But in the case of ginger cats, cinnamon (cinnamon) replaces black and goes with any shade of red.

There are no strict rules regarding the size and number of spots in the British tortoiseshell cat color variety. It is genetically impossible to predict how they will lie on the wool, and therefore any arrangement is allowed.

In tri-colored British tortoiseshell cats, white is added to the two standard spot colors (red-black or cinnamon). Such animals are sometimes called patchwork animals, although this definition does not accurately describe their appearance.

Usually female kittens are born with a tortoiseshell color. However, nature sometimes experiments unsuccessfully, and cats become the owners of an additional chromosome (XXY). In this case, they are also born “turtles” and, most likely, will be infertile.

Red single color (solid)

In fact, redness implies rich terracotta or cream shades of fur without light tan marks or a smoky effect. Each hair must be completely dyed. In the place where the patterns are located on the fur, the shade is 2-3 times stronger. The coat of this color is always accompanied by a pattern, so Maines do not have uniform redness.

To read: Review of the best model haircuts for Yorkie girls: prices for grooming and hairstyles

Colors of the “red” group

The O gene is responsible for “red” colors, from a bright almost brick shade to barely noticeable cream tones. The O gene is found only on the female chromosome, so a cat (XY) can carry only O or only O, but in the genotype of a cat (XX) there can be different combinations (OO, oo or Oo). Lowercase o is a recessive gene suppressed by O. Moreover, O is also dominant in relation to B, i.e. suppresses black colors. Thus, a cat that received the O gene from its mother will definitely be red (of course, if there is no W gene, which suppresses color). And a cat can be born red, and like this: BBOoDD (the first O suppresses B, the recessive o “cannot cope with the second B” - we get a tortoiseshell color).

If DD is adjacent to OO, the orange colors of the cats will be sunny and bright. If dd, the fur will acquire a delicate cream tone, since dd lightens not only black (B), but also red color.

Is the red range of colors patterned or monochromatic?

It is much more difficult to identify tabbies on red colors. The fact is that the Orange (O) gene suppresses the action of the non-agouti gene (a), so all red and cream animals always look patterned. However, there are some signs by which a true tabby can be identified visually - a nose with a rim, a strongly highlighted belly, chest and chin compared to the main tone, bright white “glasses” or a generally highlighted muzzle. However, red animals, even if they are false tabbies, are preferred to be recorded as patterned, because According to the standard, the presence of stripes on plain animals is considered a disadvantage and, accordingly, in patterned ones it is easier to display red and cream ones with strong residual moire.

Disadvantages: for red and cream animals, all the requirements for the standards of both patterned and plain animals are valid, i.e. There must be a bright contrasting pattern for patterned ones or uniform coloring without moire for plain ones.

Eye color: For red color variations, only orange eye color is recognized, including silver animals.

Red solid
Cream tabby	Red tabby

But, if the color with white (bicolor, harlequin, van) or colorpoint (due to the long-term coloring of points, the color is often difficult to establish in the first few months from birth) and it is not possible to determine the true genetics of the animal by pedigree, the best way to determine the presence striping will be a genetic test or more labor-intensive and time-consuming - mating with animals of the same color.

Colors with white spots

White areas may appear on any colored spot. Sometimes their presence is mandatory, and in other cases it is a serious fault or even a disqualifying defect (see the standard of the specific breed).

So, white areas appear due to the action of the dominant white spotting gene S. Moreover, the white area is larger if the cat is homozygous, that is, SS. Heterozygous Ss individuals tend to be more colorful. With ss, there are no white spots at all (except for a small white area under the chin, which appears under the influence of other, “secondary” genes).

There are many modifier genes that affect the location, shape and number of white spots. Unfortunately, the genetics of cat colors does not yet provide a clear answer to the question of which genes and how they influence the degree of spotting. For this reason, working with colors such as van, harlequin and bicolor is quite difficult. It is no easier for those who strive to get perfect “socks” or an even white “mask” - even two excellent parents give birth to kittens with “tight” socks or “masks” that go beyond the desired boundaries.

White monochrome (solid)

This shade is rare for Maine Coon skin; it appears due to the complete absence of pigment, that is, albinism. Getting such individuals is fraught with dire consequences.

Along with their snow-white coat, cats run the risk of inheriting incurable and difficult-to-correct genetic diseases. Animals are often born with congenital problems such as deafness and blindness.

In essence, whiteness among Maines is the absence of color. However, healthy cats do not completely lose their coat pigmentation. Upon closer inspection, fuzzy spots are visible on the whitening fur coat - a shadow pattern that becomes paler with age.

spotted tabby

A color in which there are separate spots on the body, ideally clear and not merging, uniform on the sides and back. It is formed with the help of the main Tabby genes and a complex of polygenes that “tear” the pattern into separate spots. Spotted and striped colors often form multiple transitional forms, and all these options are always classified as spotted color, because the stripes tend to “tear” as the animal grows older. Therefore, spotted is the most common color among the British patterned. Marble color is less susceptible to the action of “tearing” polygenes, because this is a wider and denser pattern, so only marble that is completely torn into spots is classified as a stain, while marble that has only been slightly exposed to polygenes will look like marble. In any case, the spotted pattern clearly shows which color was used to form the spot.

Diagram showing how brindle and merle colors are transformed into spotted colors by polygenes.

Various modifications of spotted color
small dots based on ticked color	round polka dots based on brindle color
loose large stains based on marble	rosette spots based on marble

Modifications of marble pattern (classic and bordered)

This is true for all patterned colors - they value the correctness and clarity of the pattern. And also, according to the standard, a patterned animal must have a warm undercoat tone, which can vary from light sand to rich beige.

Quite a contrasting pattern. At the same time, we see an intermediate option between brindle and spotted - dotted stripes along the ridge, the spots are not located in a checkerboard pattern, but in the form of vertical broken stripes, partially turning into spots.

Low-contrast blurry, too light pattern, fuzzy spots, blending into the background. Often, such a pattern is obtained as a result of mating with shaded ones, it is like an intermediate option between a chinchilla and a silver tabby, I call it a “hedgehog”.

Table showing possible problems with the patterned color using black silver marbled pattern (BRI ns 22) as an example.
Correct clear pattern, contrasting to the light background	The pattern is tipped like the Russian Blue breed (the hairs at the end have light tips), so it looks as if it was sprinkled with powder	Veil-like, light, not deeply colored, tipped pattern. Intermediate between chinchilla and silver tabby

Interesting facts, beliefs and signs about black Britons and more

The black breed of British cats traditionally arouses interest and curiosity. The signs accompanying these animals are diverse not only in nature, but also in geographical location.

1. The black cat is the only animal that has its own holiday. It was founded by Italian cat lovers and falls on November 17th.
2. “It will be unlucky if a black cat crosses the road” - this is not the common belief in all countries. Black Britons are very lucky. In England, they are endowed with positive properties, and the woman who has such a cat will always be the center of attention.
3. The Irish believe that the charcoal anthracite cat brings wealth and prosperity.
4. Even superstitious British sailors willingly took black cats on risky voyages. They believed that animals of this color bring good luck.
5. In Russia there has always been an ambivalent attitude towards black cats. Having met them, in the old days people were baptized and cursed the evil one. But at the same time, they believed that black cats scared away thieves and guarded the house.
6. Of all the breeds that have been officially registered in the world, only 22 have representatives of pure black color. The British Shorthair is one of them.

There is also an interesting observation: the population of black Britons is larger in cities than in rural areas. According to one version, this is due to the fact that black cats adapt better to urban conditions than their tabby or tortoiseshell counterparts.

Such “fatal” Britons, as a rule, are created by wealthy people, extraordinary personalities, prone to exaltation. They rarely live alone; the doors of their home are usually open to numerous guests.

It has been noticed that even the British, who are reserved and selfish by nature, show sociability in such conditions and often become the center of attention.

Genetics of the red (red) color of the British

The British Shorthair breed allows for approximately 250 different color combinations, with solid colors playing a major role. Ginger cats are not unique here, they are often found in litters and were once even quantitatively ahead of the blue-gray color that is considered traditional for the British.

All the tools of the genotype take part in the process of color formation: chromosomes and genes, alleles, loci and pigmentation.

1. The main role in the formation of the red color in the British is played by the pigment pheomelanin - elongated ellipsoidal granules that reflect light in the range of red, yellow and orange shades.
2. Genes are a library of hereditary data that is passed on from parents to offspring and continues the chain of ancestral connections ad infinitum.
3. Alleles come in different forms that genes can take on. They are located on certain parts of the chromosomes - in the example of red British cats, this is a very important point.
4. Locus is the location of a gene (allele) in an ordered list of chromosomal compounds.

There are 19 pairs of chromosomes in a cat's set. They store the hereditary instructions, and any deviation from the norm ends in an uncontrolled mutation. British redheads are not subject to this risk, as they are an ancient breed with an established genotype.

Genes and chromosomes that influence the formation of red color are distributed as follows:

1. The O (orange) gene is responsible for the production of the red pigment pheomelanin in the British (and not only in them). It has only one permanent locus attached to the X chromosome, which determines the sex of the future kitten.
2. The O gene exists in 3 alleles: OO (natural red), Oo (red and black tortoiseshell British), oo (red is blocked and does not cause pheomelanin pigmentation). The final example in practice means only one thing - the cat will be black.
3. For ginger cats, there are 3 color combination options: OO, oo and Oo. For red British cats, only 2 options are possible - O and O, since they have one X chromosome.
4. According to the laws of genetics, a British cat inherits the orange gene from its mother. Therefore, in a pair with a red mother and a blue-gray father, male kittens will definitely receive the properties of the red gene, and the female cats will be tortoiseshell, cream or blue.

All British red coats have a tabby pattern on their coats. It is formed under the influence of the A gene (agouti) and exists in two alleles: dominant A and paired homozygous aa. In the second case, agouti suppresses another important component of the genotype - the T (tabby) gene, which is responsible for the ornamentation on the fur coat.

The unique property of the red color is that aa (not agouti) has no effect on it. Therefore, all red British cats are always tabby.

The L gene is also involved in the formation of red color. Thanks to him, purebred British cats have short and thick hair.

Patterns

Stains and spots are often found among purebred representatives. Patterns cover the back, sides and head. The most common is the variety called tabby. Tabby originated with Maine Coons and is considered a distinctive breed. Over time, the tabby divided into different types:

• brindle - the stripes are arranged vertically like tigers, a dark furrow is noticeable on the back,
• spotted - intermittent features act as spots,
• classic - stripes are directed in different directions and resemble the surface of marble,
• ticked - stripes are localized in the forehead, cheeks and around the eyes, rare among Maine Coons.

It's funny that many cats have a mark in the shape of the letter "M" on their faces. The mark is localized on the forehead, so that when you look at it, it immediately becomes clear what breed the animal is. Such drawings can be used in exhibitions, which is why special names have been invented to describe maines and there are generalized classifications. The main criterion for suitability for participation in exhibitions is a uniform, evenly outlined contour of the spots.

Table of pictures:

№	Code	Description
1	01	van (white color, one or two spots allowed)
2	02	harlequin (white with spots on the back)
3	03	bicolor (two-color cat)
4	11	shaded smoke (the tip of the hair is colored ?)
5	21	agouti (stripes)
6	22	marble

The abundance of colors, spots, stains and different pigmentation of fur give each pet a unique flavor. Here are some examples of what a cat's fur can look like.

Is it only cats?

There is a persistent myth that only cats can be carriers of tortoiseshell coloring - due to the fact that their sex chromosomes look like XX and make it possible for both black and red colors to appear simultaneously. It is not true. It is also not entirely true that, according to statistics, for every three thousand tortoiseshell cats, only one cat of this color is born - and that one is somehow sick, defective and practically sexless.

Tortoiseshell cat or tortoiseshell cat?

The quirks of nature are much more diverse and sophisticated than our understanding. Genetic solitaire games sometimes produce unpredictable results that are difficult to explain from a scientific point of view. For example, felinologists claim that the birth rate of tricolor cats directly depends on the region of their residence - scientists have not yet found an explanation for this phenomenon. But statistics on this matter, alas, are inaccurate—systematic studies have not yet been conducted.

Tortoiseshell cats

Contrary to popular belief, tortoiseshell - calico - cats do exist. But in order for the “female” color to appear, the cat must have a certain gene anomaly: the formula of their sex chromosome set is XXY. Such males are usually sterile, although there are exceptions.

Quite a lot of tricolor chimera cats are known. They can be anatomically and behaviorally similar to cats, practically do not mark their territory, do not react to females in heat and, accordingly, do not give birth to offspring. Calico-colored cats are more common than “tortoises”; they are usually cryptorchids - but that’s a completely different story.

Since the nineteenth century, felinologists from different countries have described many tricolor cats. Unfortunately, most of them were not only sterile, but also did not live long, since along with the genetic mutation they received various serious diseases.

Character of British pets

Representatives of the British breed belong to the category of pets with a difficult character.

1. Sociable, but do not allow familiarity. You can pick up a British cat only if she is currently in the mood for it. Any violence or action against the will is regarded as an insult. The cat may proudly walk away, or it may bite.
2. The Briton is not prone to active group games. He will most likely stay in a safe place and look down on all the fun.
3. Very persistent in expressing their own demands. There are times when cats of this breed do not eat for a long time just because they want to change the place for their bowl.

There is a tendency towards aggression in the behavior of British Shorthairs. But it is never groundless. If the cat does not feel discomfort, then it will not terrorize the household with its bad inclinations.