Lynx Point Siamese Cats

Lynx Point Siamese Cats - photo jade-rabbit

In the cat world you will find a wide range of appearances of any one type or breed of cat. In the example of the Lynx Point Siamese Cats the range will be particularly wide because there is more than one type of marking called "Lynx Point" and more than one type of cat called a "Siamese Cat".

There are officially 2 types of Siamese Cat (and a spectrum in between). One the one hand you have the Traditional Siamese, now called a Thai by The International Cat Association (TICA), the only American association as far as I am aware to register what is the original Siamese cat. Siamese cat history is interesting for its development to the Modern Siamese (or contemporary Siamese). The modern is skinny with a pointed head and the Traditional has a look that we expect to see in a cat (more rounded and normal). In between we have the classic look.

The cat above is traditional in conformation and very handsome. As for the pointing you can see more photos on pointing generally by clicking on this link. There are at least two different types of Lynx pointing (a) seal lynx pointing which is the classic seal point broken up by the tabby gene. You can immediately see the lynx point because of the classic "M" marking on the forehead and (b) blue lynx pointing, which is a dilute form of the lynx. When black is diluted by a modifier gene it becomes blue. The tabby markings become more dilute as a result and a little blue. The pointing is obviously softer.

The cat above has the lynx markings, totally undiluted. I suspect that he/she is not one of the classic purebred Lynx Point Siamese Cats (wrong? - please tell me) but a fine cat nonetheless. As I said at the beginning there is a wide a range of cats that do not fit the breed standards and wouldn't win prizes but are great cats.

Photo copyright Helmi Flick

Above: This cat is not a Siamese (guess that is obvious) but is shown here to illustrate the Seal Lynx point pattern. You can see the same marking on the legs and face as the cat heading this post. The body color though is more inline with the breed standard I suspect.


Lynx Point Siamese Cats to Home Page

Types of Domestic Cats

Above: this is darling Faolan a Traditional Persian Cat of awesome appearance. He lives with Dani Rozeboom who runs the cattery Yeri Shaes in The Netherlands. Dani's partner is Rick. The photograph in copyright Dani Rozeboom. Dani is a fine cat photographer.

Types of Domestic Cats is another search term sometimes used and it does make me think. On the face of it there is only one type of domestic cat - the domestic cat. But the domestic cat can be categorized in various ways. The method of categorization dictates the type of domestic cat.

For example there are mixed breed and pure bred cats. There is only one mixed breed cat but he or she has an infinitely variable appearance. The number of purebred cats varies. It depends on which association you're talking about. The Cat Fanciers Association say that there are 41 (I think it still is). TICA say there are more. There are more North American cat associations with slightly different views. The Europeans (GCCF and FIFe) categorize differently anyway and have less de-marked cat breeds. It's all very complicated.

If you categorized by origin of a purebred cat, you could subdivide between wildcat/domestic cat hybrid, natural cats and domestic cat hybrids. An example of the first would be the Chausie (Jungle cat/Abyssinian) or the Savannah (Serval/Domestic), an example of the second would be the Norwegian Forest Cat (mankind didn't intervene until about 1930) and the third would be the Exotic Shorthair (Persian/American Shorthair). There many more examples under this categorization. In this form of categorization you are dividing up Types of Domestic Cats into their respective origins.

Another way to find different Types of Domestic Cats is to divide by size and weight. The vast middle area of domestic cats are of average weight, about 9 lbs. But some are larger and heavier such as the Maine Coon, the largest domestic cat registered with the CFA. The wildcat/domestic cat hybrids mentioned above are heavier than the Maine Coon especially at the first generation level. The smallest domestic cat (as a cat breed) is the Singapura. You can see a breakdown of domestic cat by size by clicking on this link.

A third way of categorizing cats is by coat type. Coat types cut across cat breed boundaries. The associations dictate which cat breed can have which type of coat. Sometimes they say that the coat can only be of only one color and texture. In that case it is to preserve the original appearance of a naturally occurring cat such, for example, the Chartreux a grey cat breed.

Sometimes the cat associations are generous in allowing a cat to have an almost infinite number of coat types such as the Maine Coon or Persian. But in both these cases the pointed coat is disallowed in the States. The pointed Persian is called a Himalayan.

So, you've got tabby cats and calico cats and hairless cats etc. These are various Types of Domestic Cats that can be found in a wide range of cat breeds. Of course you can find all these coat types without restriction in mixed breed cats. If you click on this link you'll see a list of postings on the cat coat types.

These probably are the main methods of categorization that come to mind.

Update 11th Jan 2010: Another way to categorise domestic cats into "type" is by reference to say:

• Dwarf Cats
• Exotic Cats (such as the Savannah cat)
• Hybrid Cats

I discuss this kind of categorisation on this page: Different Cat Breeds.

Yet another way is to categorise by cat body types or head shape.

Types of Domestic Cats to Home Page

Chinchilla Persian Cats

Chinchilla Persian Cats are Persian cats with chinchilla coats (I guess that sounds obvious but it might not if you are not part of the cat fancy). So, what is a Chinchilla coat like? Chinchilla is one of a range of tipped coloration of the hair of a cat. Tipped coloration means that the tip or top of the each individual hair shaft is a different color to the rest of the hair strand. The color near the top of the hair strand is called the "top color" and the different color below the top extending to the base of the hair strand is called the "under color".

China the greedy Chinchilla Persian who loves Coco Pops. Picture: Kennedy News.

The hair shaft is then made up of two colors. In tabby cats the hair shaft is also more than one color but the shaft is banded all the way down. The Chinchilla though is genetically a tabby cat despite the "banding" of the hair being very different. In Chinchilla Persian Cats the tipping is very light. This is because the very tip of the hair shaft is colored and the rest of the hair shaft is colored silver giving a light sparkly appearance. 

Chinchilla Persian cats are probably the most well known and desirable of all cats with this type of coat. The Silver Chinchilla has fur with a black tip and white under color. A short haired cat with the same markings is the Burmilla. The degree of tipping can vary. When the top color extends about half way down the shaft of hair the tipping is called "shaded". When the top color almost reaches the bottom of the hair the tipping is called "smoke". 

 Persians are the obvious choice of cat to show of this kind of coat pattern because their fur is the longest in the cat fancy (as far as I am aware - sometimes, it could be argued, too long). This allows the tipping of the hair to take on a very interesting, fine and exotic appearance.

A rescued Chinchilla Persian shaved for health reasons. Photo: Rex/Shutterstock.

Tipping, shading and smoked coats in Persian cats go back a long way to the earliest moments of the cat fancy. Apparently, the origin is in a female named Chinnie in 1882. The word "chinchilla" also describes a type of cloth or fabric. I am not sure if the name for the cat coat came from this or the other way around. The name of the tabby cat comes from a type of silk found originally in a particular area of Baghdad in Iraq so I am guessing that the cat coat called Chinchilla followed the name of the cloth - wrong? please tell me.

Chinchilla Persian Cats to Burmilla Cats

Tabby Cat Breed

Tabby cat with white - Photograph copyright tanakawho (see below)

A tabby cat breed is a breed of cat that a considerable number of people think exists but does not. It is easy to get into this mode of thinking as we hear about tabby cats a lot. We hear about them in the same way that we hear about genuine cat breeds.

A tabby cat is a cat with a certain type of coat. In fact it is the most common type of coat. It is a coat that has it's origins in wild cats and is clearly seen in wild cats such as the Scottish Wildcat and the American Bobcat. The Egyptian Mau an exotic looking naturally spotted cat and a tabby cat is thought to be a domesticated African wild cat, which of course is also a tabby cat.

The tabby coat is the most natural looking coat and provides the best protection in terms of being camouflage. It also can produce an appearance that is does not look like camouflage at all but is in fact well suited to forest light. I am talking about the Tiger. There is also perhaps the fact that this big wildcat is so dominant that he or she does not need to be camouflaged in the same way as the smaller wildcats.

Some cat breeders are doing their best to replicate the ubiquitous but remarkable markings of the Tiger in a domestic cat called the Toyger (toy Tiger). The Toyger's appearance is based around the tabby mackerel coat but very refined and carefully bred to resemble the Tiger. The Toyger is a designer cat and very distinctive. If there was a tabby cat breed this cat would be at the top of the list of examples, perhaps.

Update: There is another post on the tabby coat with some of Helmi Flick's pictures of tabby cats. I also discuss the genetics behind the tabby look in this post. The linked post is actually very comprehensive and I would recommend a look as it covers genetics and the various types of tabby cat coats.

In the domestic cat there are several types of tabby coat patterns including Abyssinian (ticking), mackerel (stripped), mackerel spotted (Bengal arrow head or rosettes for example) and blotched (Bengal marbled pattern).


Mackerel Tabby -- cat a fine mixed breed cat photo copyright Helmi Flick

Cat coat genetics are not only extremely complicated but as as far as I am aware are still being researched. Often there is an interplay between various genes to produce a coat that on first sight cannot be pigeon holed into a cat coat category. An example might be lynx pointed cats. You wouldn't have thought the tabby pattern could be found in a pointed cat. We think of Siamese cats as pointed cats and cannot initially see a connection between the tabby pattern and color points. But cat breeders have developed various types of points and one is a pointed pattern where the dark extremities are broken by the gene that produces the tabby pattern. You can see a lynx pointed cat in this post.

The tabby pattern is cuts across cat breeds and is found most commonly in cats of mixed ancestry (mixed breed cats or Moggies). In fact, not only does this coat pattern cut across breeds it is found equally in domestic and wild cats. The tabby coat is seen is so many different cat breeds that it would be impossible to consider a tabby cat breed in any event.

The classic brown tabby is well known and looks not dissimilar to the Scottish Wildcat referred to above. This is to be expected as the domestic cat's origins are in the wildcats.

The splendid Maine Coon often has a tabby coat. A TICA champion Maine Coon of great distinction has a tabby pattern. The beautiful and wonderful looking Maine Coon cat called Daisy at the top of this page also has a tabby patterned coat. Daisy lives with Dani Rozeboom who photographed Daisy. Dani is a fine cat photographer.

Photograph at top of this page on tabby cat breed: This is a tabby and white cat photographed by a well known and talented photographer who publishes his photographs on Flickr called tanakawho. We know about you now.

Tabby Cat Breed to Maine Coon cats.

Bengal Cat Coat Glitter

Photo: Helmi Flick

Photo: Reddit

Bengal cat coat glitter - Photograph of Bengal cat copyright Helmi Flick. It is obviously difficult to photograph "glitter" on a coat when you are photographing the whole cat. A macro shot is normally required I would have thought.

Bengal Cat Coat Glitter is obviously a sought after quality giving even more "bling" to a cat possessed with a considerable amount of bling already. However, in terms of the breed standard no preference is to be given to a cat with glitter over one who has not.

What causes it? Can the cat breeders make sure their cats have it? The Bengal cat is essentially a tabby cat, although you can hardly believe it. The black or dark patterns in various shapes from spotted, rosetted and marbled for example are the tabby gene (T) at work in combination with the agouti (A) gene producing banding on the individual hair shafts.

I had thought that glitter was due to the effect of the agouti gene. If the top band of a banded (agouti) individual hair is yellow/red/ or golden in color and these particular hairs are scattered over an area then the glitter effect may be apparent. It seemed to me that you have to add a highly reflective quality to the hair shaft, as well. This would indicate to me that the hair shaft is glossier or less matt (i.e. smoother) to allow light to reflect from it in one direction producing that sharp reflection. A smoother (less ridging) or straighter shaft (c.f. the curly hairs of the American curl for example) would also let the natural oils produced by the subaceous glands pass down the shaft more easily. This would make the hair more glossy and reflective. The Bengal cat coat is very tight to the body, smooth and silky naturally in any event. However, this it seems that this is not the case.

Apparently in some cats it is caused by deposits of mica, a silicate crystal, in the tip of the hair shaft. This crystal is reflective. The deposits are, it is thought, due to a recessive gene mutation as yet not fully identified.

In some cats the effect is throughout the hair shaft. This is called satin glitter. In this instance the hair shaft has air trapped in it (apparently) and it is these areas that reflect the light differently causing the satin sheen effect. This is also caused by a recessive and as yet not fully identified gene. This effect is also found in Oriental type cats.

What is interesting is where this came from and why it exists. It makes the cat more noticeable, a detriment in survival. I have doubts that it would occur naturally in the wild and is possibly a by product of the breeding programme. But I may well be wrong? Please tell me if I am.

Update 11-3-08: AKerr's Bengals say that glitter is possibly caused by the shape and make up of the hair shaft being different (i.e. that it is not due to the reasons set out above). In the hair shaft that glitters the shaft is "like asparagus" with triangular ridges down the shaft. These are more pronounced than on normal hair. The shaft is thinner too. This different configuration reflects/refracts the light in a way causing glitter. More research is being carried out on this desirable effect.

They also say that it is a recessive gene that directs this effect and that this gene originates in the street cat imported from India by Jean Mill at the outset of her breeding programme.

Sources:

• Messybeast
• AKerr's Bengals

From Bengal Cat Coat Glitter to Home page

Cat Coats Curly

The Selkirk Rex is known as a cat in sheep's clothing. They look very cute to me. They have "rexed" fur which is curly fur. This is due to a genetic mutation. They are quite rare purebred cats despite their attractive appearance. You can read more about this cat by clicking on the following link: Selkirk Rex.

Curly cat coats are well known to people in the cat fancy. These are Rex coats, named after that now famous Belgium King of the 19th century (latin for King is "rex") with his very special curly coated rabbits. The gene that causes curly and frizzy coats as we know cuts across cat breeds and species (humans, rabbits, horses, guinea pigs etc.). In humans, hair is curly due to the shape of the hair follicle (the area from which the hair grows). This is dictated genetically. Curly hair can be drier than straight hair because the oils produced by the sebaceous glands (adjacent to the follicle) does not flow down the hair shaft.

The cat breeds (that come to mind) that have curly hair are:

• LaPerm
• Skookum - LaPerm/Munchkin cross
• Devon Rex
• Selkirk Rex
• Cornish Rex
• German Rex

The genetics of cat coats is, I believe, to a certain extent, "work in progress". There are probably genes at work that are yet to be isolated. Those genes that produce curly cat coats that have and have been selected by cat breeders are the following rex genes, "r" gene (recessive) for the Cornish Rex, "re" for the Devon Rex (recessive), "Se" for the Selkirk (incomplete dominant), "Lp" (LaPerm - dominant gene).

Curly-coated cat. The Selkirk Rex. Photo: Nathalie Jacques , Saint-Léonard d'Aston , Québec, Canada 

There have been many occurrences of curly haired cats, which have gone largely unrecorded. Here are some recorded instances: -

• 1930s - Prussian Rex
• 1930s - USA - Karakul cat
• 1940s - Russia - Urals Rex
• 1946 and 1950s - German Rex
• 1950 - Italian Rex
• 1950 - Cornish Rex - England - see above
• 1953 - Ohio Rex USA
• 1959 - California Rex - USA
• 1960 - Devon Rex - England - see above
• 1969 - Dutch Rex
• 1972 - Victoria Rex - England
• 1981 and 2002 - Lanzarote - Canary Islands
• 1981 - Bohemian Rex - Czech
• 1982 - LaPerm - USA - see above
• 1987 - Selkirk Rex - USA
• 1980 - 90s - Curly haired Maine Coon (horror :)
• 1990s - Missouri Rex - USA
• 2001 - Iowa Rex - USA
• 2000s (early) - The Ruffle - USA
• 2002-3 - Canadian Farm

There are more, almost an endless stream of cat coats - curly, as could be expected. No doubt there will be many more to come.

Update 5th December 2008 - The Selkirk Rex - Curliness of the coat is apparent from birth. Homozygous cats (SeSe) have a different type of coat. It is finer, more curly and there is less of it. The "better" cats in terms of show cats are the heterozygous cats.

The two best known rex breeds are the Cornish and Devon Rex cats. The Cornish Rex does not have guard hairs but normally has a denser coat. The Devon Rex's coat is more prone to lacking hair, a feature of rex coats. Breeders try to improve coat quality through selective breeding. Polygenes control coat quality. 

Sources:

• Pictures of Cats
• Messybeast
• Wikipedia
• Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians

From Cat Coats Curly to Home Page

Cat Coats Hairless

Cat Coats Hairless looks like an illogical statement as there is meant to be no coat but as you might know, even in hairless cats, there is a coat (of sorts). 

Sphynx cats can have oily skin which smells unless bathed regularly. Picture in public domain.

Often there is a downy coat particularly in kittens and on the muzzle, nose, tip of tail, for example. 

The gene that produces a hairless cat is not confined to the Sphynx cats. I'm talking of the Sphynx (Canadian) and the Don Sphynx (Russian). 

It is possible to think that these are the only hairless cats, which as stated is not the case. The Donsky is more hairless apparently than the Sphynx, perhaps due to the dominant gene producing hairlessness in the Donsky allowing for more efficient breeding. 

Another notable hairless or semi-hairless cat is the Peterbald an associate or relative of the Don Sphynx (same founding cat). This cat breed was created in 1993 (a cross between the Don Sphynx and Oriental/Siamese). 

There have been numerous occurrences of the manifestation of the phenotype (physical attributes) of the mutant gene over the years as it pops up here and there. There is a link with the Rex coat as well. 

The Rex coat is crinkly and curly. Some Don Sphynx kittens have a Rex coat until adulthood. The Don Sphynx whiskers are often crinkly and brittle to the point where they snap off. 

The Rex coat is found on cats such as the Laperm and Devon Rex. The Devon Rexes are prone to baldness (hairlessness) so you can see link between these genetic traits. Sarah Hartwell records the occurrences of hairless cats on her website. 

Here are some recorded instances: 

- Latin America 1830

- Paraguay "Scant-haired cat" 1902

- Mexican Hairless (Mexico) 1932 

- Le Chat Nu (the naked cat) 

- France 1930s? 

- "Cat-Dog", Carolina, USA 1950 

- Paris France - two hairless cats born to Siamese cat 1963 

- Toronto, Canada 1978 

- Toronto, Canada - hairless street kittens 1978

- England - hairless Birman kittens 1981, 1984 

- England - reports of hairless kittens 2002 

- Hawaii - Hawaiin Hairless 

There are other examples and there will be more no doubt in the future, occurring randomly of their own accord. 

The gene that produces the hairlessness is dominant for the Don Sphynx and recessive for the Sphynx. 

The gene for the Donsky (dominant) is labelled "Hp" and the gene for the recessive (Canadian) Sphynx is labelled "hr". 

There are apparently two other recessive genes producing hairlessness (there may be more) and these are the French "h" and the British "hd". 

From Cat Coats Hairless to Peterbald cat

Cat Coats White

Cat coats white is the last in a series on the cat coats. See all the articles by clicking on this link. In previous articles I have mentioned the Piebald gene (White Spotting gene). The gene usually (denoted by the letter "S") produces coats with white "spots" although "spots" is a misleading term. It produces areas of white leaving other areas in a wide range of colors and patterns such as Tuxedo, Tabby, solid colors and others (it is perhaps best to see all the posting to get the complete picture). 

All-white Maine Coon

 As can be expected if the white spotting works to maximum effect, then the whole of the cat will be white instead of areas of white, either small or large. Accordingly, one of the three genes that produces all white cats is the white spotting gene. Its actions are wide ranging as can be seen. That's why it is said to have "variable expression". It is called "recessive white" sometimes and I suppose because of its variable actions, it is "semi-dominant". 

 The genes that produce white fur cover up the other colors. Note: Albino cats are due to a different effect, the lack of production of color (see below). 

The other gene that produces cat coats that are white is the dominant white gene ("W"). This gene masks all other colors. 

As a result, it is impossible by looking at the cat to see what other genes are present. To use technical language, the gene W is "epistatic" meaning it masks all other color genes. There may be an exception in relation to eye color. The dominant white gene is a simple non sex related dominant gene. The white cat is not due to the presence of a number of piebald (white spotting) genes. 

Russian-bred all-white British Shorthair kitten. Photo: Альбина Шконда питомник британских кошек Golden Leris nursery Golden Leris. WCF.

The W gene is at a different position on the chromosome to the white spotting gene and is therefore independent of the white spotting gene. Epistatic crudely means that where there is a competition between genes as to what color or type of coat will be seen (for genes involved with coat color), the gene whose phenotype (the appearance) is expressed (the appearance seen) is said to be epistatic. 

The W gene is also associated with deafness as it can affect the cochlea in the inner ear (the fluid filled chamber that converts sound waves to nerve transmissions to the brain). The gene produces blue, orange or odd eyes. If the cat has blue eyes there is a good chance that he/she will be deaf as well. If she has one blue eye, there is a good chance that she will be deaf in the ear on the side of the blue eye. 

As the name of the gene implies this is a dominant gene so if fully present its effects are produced (from genotype - the genetics to phenotype - the physical result). In a survey of 185 cats, one quarter had normal hearing and yellow eyes, 31% had normal hearing and blue eyes, 7% were deaf and had yellow eyes and 37% were deaf and had blue eyes. 

 The third and highly unusual genetic make-up that results in all-white cat coats is the albino. This is complicated genetically so a brief mention is probably best. There are alleles that are known to produce albinism. 

An allele is one member of a pair of genes at a certain point on the chromosome. The alleles concerned are blue-eyes albino, pink eyes albino, Burmese Pattern, Siamese Pattern and full color (ref: Sarah Hartwell). These cats have pink eyes. The all-white cat is more prone to contract skin cancer as the skin more readily absorbs ultraviolet light. This should be born in mind by keepers of white cats in hot climates. Source:

• Messybeast
• Robinson's Genetics
• Me

Cat Coats Pointed with White

Seal Point with White in a mitted pattern. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick

Cat Coats Pointed with White is another posting in a series that I have made on cat coats. This is the penultimate (I think :).

I have discussed pointed cat coats on this page. When the gene that produces the pointed coat is accompanied by the White Spotting gene or Piebald gene ("S") you have a pointed with white coat. You can read about this gene on this page as it can also have an effect on eye color and cause odd-eyed cats.

Pointed with white cats have blue eyes. See all the postings on cat coats by clicking on this link. A rather rare cat that has a pointed with white coat is the Seychellois.

The White Spotting gene is semi-dominant and its presence is shown in a wide range of appearances ("variable expression"). Here are examples in addition to the header picture:-


Seal Tortie Point with White. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Seal Tortie Point with White. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Seal and Blue Point with White - Bicolor. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick.

From Cat Coats Pointed with White to Home page

Odd-eyed cats

Photograph of odd-eyed white cat copyright sophiasue105

What causes odd-eyed cats? The color of eyes of an odd eyed cat are blue plus either yellow, orange or green.

The difference in color is due to a lack of pigmentation in the blue eyes. This lack of pigmentation is due to the same gene that causes a lack of pigmentation in the fur.

There are 2 different genes that do this. There is the dominant white gene "W" (meaning the gene is dominant, which in turn means at least half the offspring will have the phenotype - appearance - directed by the gene), and the semi-dominant white spotting gene "S" which has what is called variable expression.


White cat odd-eyed photo copyright dashananda. The cat is big, he snores and he is called Murchik.

The dominant white gene produces a completely white cat masking all other color, while the white spotting gene as the name suggests produces a wide range of coat types from small areas of white (e.g. Tuxedo cat) to larger areas (e.g. Japanese Bobtail) to complete white.

The dominant gene produces cats with both blue or odd-eyed cats as described. It can also cause deafness in the cat. White cats produces by the "W" gene and with 2 blue eyes have a higher likelihood of being deaf than those with 2 orange eyes.

With respect to the white spotting gene, this prevents color pigmentation reaching areas of the body farthest from the spine during development. This can be the paws for example. It might be one eye, in which case the eye will be blue. If the other eye is unaffected it will be a different color.

60-70% of odd-eyed cats that are white can hear (Wikipedia). Quite a substantial percentage are therefore deaf. The deafness is caused by the white gene degenerating the cochlea in the ear starting soon after birth.

The cochlea is a hollowed bone in the inner ear that converts sound to nerve transmissions through the air pressure moving a fluid in the cochlea, which in turn moves minute hairs.

In the Thai Cat Palace (an old Thai syle house on Boromarajajonani Road) odd-eyed Siamese cats are apparently breed, the pure white Maeo Khao Mani. They refer to the eyes as "diamond Eyes". Cats with odd-eyes are favored by the Thai royalty (the same attitude can be found in Turkey in respect of the all white Turkish Angora Cat).

From Odd-eyed cats to Different Cat Breeds

Cat Coats Pointed

Seal Point Ragdoll Cat photograph copyright Helmi Flick

Pointed cat coats mean Siamese cats to most people. The classic Siamese pointing color is seal, which means a color approaching black or shades of it to the layperson's naked eye. The seal pointed cat is the most ancient of the pointed cats, as I understand it. The "points" referred to are in fact the extremities of the cat, the face, feet, tail.

There are many types of points from a variety of solid colors (undiluted) to diluted colors and Tabby (Tabbie) points. The tabby point occurs when the solid seal color of the point is broken up by the tabby pattern. When the pointing is a tabby pattern the cat is called a "Lynx Point". Of course it is possible to have a lynx point that is diluted (Blue Lynx Point).

The Flame Point Siamese helps understand the actions of the genes in pointing. A Flame Point is essentially an orange cat. The pointing gene affects the production of a chemical which in turn affects the production of pigmentation. When two genes (homozygous state) of the pointing gene are present a red cat is turned to a pointed cat, pure white at birth (partial albinism). As the extremities cool after birth they turn the color of the cat (red/orange) forming the points. As the cat ages the pointing becomes less distinct. The pointing gene affect eye pigmentation too - hence blue eyed Siamese cats.

Ragdolls, Birmans, Tonkinese and Balinese are examples of other cats that have coats that are also pointed. Other breeds such as the Siberian and Exotic Shorthair have a wide range of acceptable coat colors and patterns including the pointed coat. You can explore them on the main site.

Sometimes pointing is called the Himalayan Pattern. Pointed cats are born all white as the gene that produces the pattern is heat sensitive (the gene produces white or lighter fur when the temperature is warm and darker fur when cold). As the womb is warm the color is white. When the ambient temperature is cooler (after birth) the pointing forms. But as the extremities of the cat are cooler than the central areas it is the extremities that turn dark making the cat pointed.

The contrast between the points and other areas lessens as the cat gets older. This is because the non-pointed areas darken slightly. The points also lighten up as the cat matures. Here are some examples:


Seal Point - photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Seal Lynx Point - photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Red Point - photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Cream Point - photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Blue Point - copyright Helmi Flick


Blue Lynx Point - photograph Helmi Flick

Sources:

• Beth Hicks
• Cat Fanciers
• Siamese Planet

From Cat Coats Pointed to Home Page

Cat Coats Tortie Torbie and White

Brown mackerel torbie with white - photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Brown classic torbie and white on an Exotic Shorthair cat photograph copyright Helmi Flick.

Cat coats tortie torbie and white is one of a series of posts on the cat coat colors. You can see them all if you click on this link.

The term "torbie" refers to a coat that is a mixture of tabby and tortoiseshell. There are posts on the tortie (tortoiseshell - this is about the black tortoiseshell) coats and the torbie (tabby and tortoiseshell mixed). You can read those first if you wish.

I have also discussed the action of the Piebald gene or White Spotting gene to produce white when I posted an article on the Tuxedo Cat, so this post is a simple extension or representation of those earlier postings.

Obviously in the case of cat coats that are tortie or torbie and white the areas where there is color is either the tabby pattern or the torbie pattern. The extent of this pattern is dictated by the white spotting gene during the growth of the embryo. For tortoiseshell cats without white there is a mosaic of orange (signified by the letter O) and black colored hairs (o). The presence of white fur causes the orange and black to make up patches.

An added area of potential confusion or complication, is to "overlay" (my term, not a technical term) a tortie and white coat with a dilute effect and I have discussed dilution in another article. This effect is seen in the Exotic Shorthair cat below.

It may help if I look at an example:


Black tortie and white. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick. You can see how the black tortoiseshell coat has been restricted in its spread over the body by the white spotting gene. The areas farthest from spine are affected, the paws, the chest and belly.


Blue tortie and white. In this picture of an Exotic Shorthair cat, you have multiple genetic actions and effects on the coat. The coat would have been a tortoiseshell but for the actions of the white spotting gene causing the white areas (no color pigment areas) and also the actions of the modifier genes which dilute the color.


Blue tortie with white. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick. Blue is dilute black.


Brown spotted torbie with white. The tabby pattern is the form of spots hence the term "spotted" and the tabby pattern is mixed with tortoiseshell and white. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick.


Silver Classic torbie and white. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick. The term "classic" refers to the classic tabby pattern, which is the pattern that is blotched and not spotted.


Silver classic torbie and white. Photograph copyright Helmi Flick.


Thanks to Beth Hicks - the cat coat descriptions are hers. And to Helmi once again for her fine photographs. These photographs are protected by copyright.

From Cat Coats Tortie Torbie and White to Cat Facts

Cat Coats Tabby and White

Blue Mackerel Tabby and White (top) and Brown Classic tabby and White (bottom) - photographs copyright Helmi Flick

Where the cat coat is tabby and white there is an interplay between the Primary Tabby gene (Mc/mc) and the White Spotting gene or Piebald gene (S/s) taking place.

The Piebald gene produces some well known patterns including the bicolor and van patterns. Classic cats having these patterns are the Japanese Bobtail (bicolor) and the Turkish Van.

The Tabby gene dictates the distribution of hairs with solid (non-banded) color. The White Spotting gene dictates the spread of the color granules in the hair follicles during the time the embryo is developing. These genes having varying degrees of effect resulting in more or less and smaller and larger areas of black hair mixed with the banded hair (in the tabby areas of the coat) and more or less white hair over the entire coat.

If you can find the time I discuss the other coats types and the effect of these genes on other postings. Click here to all the postings on coat colors on this site.

Here are some more examples of this interplay resulting in cat coats that are tabby and white:


Brown Mackerel Tabby and White photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Van Pattern photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Red Ticked Tabby and White photograph copyright Helmi Flick


Red Classic Tabby and White photograph copyright Helmi Flick

Source:

• Beth Hicks
• Me

From Cat Coats Tabby and White to Cat Facts

Cat Coats Torbie

Brown Classic Torbie Photo copyright Helmi Flick

Cat Coats Torbie? What's that? I don't know about you, but I find the myriad of combinations of cat coat types and descriptions confusing. One such confusing coat (I think) is the "Torbie". This is a combination of 2 coat types; the Tabby, which I have talked about on this page, and the Tortoiseshell. I have talked about the Black Tortoiseshell on this page.

We know that we get blotchy or striped markings with Tabby cats. We know that we get a mixed random effect of orange and black for tortoiseshell, the black color being the dominant color almost always. So we get one overlapping the other for Torbies.

If you overlay that further with dilution you get a massive range of possibilities. Here are some examples:


Silver Classic Torbie


Brown Mackerel Torbie


Brown Mackerel Torbie - there is comment about this coat, see below.

All photographs copyright Helmi Flick
Thanks too to Beth Hicks for her article on the same subject.

Grooming Your Cat

Even though cats are constantly grooming themselves, they often require a little help from their human companions, particularly the longhairs, such as the Persians. When grooming your cat, I think that it is important to not only concentrate on the coat, but to also pay attention to your cat’s eyes and ears.

Whether your cat is a purebred or of a mixed breed, the key to grooming your cat, lies in the strength of its coat. Those cats that have a very short, single coat such as the Siamese, Burmese and Cornish Rex, require very little grooming. Cats such as American Shorthairs, British Shorthairs and Scottish folds, with dense coats, require grooming on a monthly basis. Semi-longhaired cats such as Maine Coons need to be combed (and bathed if you wish) on a more regular basis. It is those cats such as the Persian breed that have a long coat, that need to be combed at least once every two days and their faces.

This type of cat should also be bathed on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. It is also important to clean the cat’s ears, when undertaking the bathing and grooming process.

The largest grooming obstacle is the coat of a cat, which can fall victim to shedding clumps of matted hair that are of a greasy consistency and stuck to your cat’s coat. These clumps are otherwise known as mats. Ensure that you comb the cat using gentle strokes from front to back, comforting your cat at all times with a gentle voice. Comb the cat as much as necessary in order to eliminate shreds and knots and to prevent them from building up. Whenever possible, always use combs and brushes that are specifically designed for grooming your cat.

Combs by the name of ‘greyhound combs’ are the best possible type that can be used on longhaired cats. A majority of these combs come with a colored anti-static coating and go through the mats on the coat with ease. Another great brand of comb is that of the ‘Pro Tech Comb’ which can be purchased from a majority of veterinary surgeries and catalogues. The 7.5 inch by one inch comb is the best size to use on longhaired cats that have thick coats. Combs that are 4.5 inches by one inch are great for using on all breeds. These combs are available with fine or coarse teeth.

Your cat can experience mats, even when it is the most well-groomed feline that you have ever known. This is especially common during seasonal shedding. If you find clumps of dry, tangled hair on your cat’s fur, it is recommended that you don't attempt to cut them out. This is of course important as you can quite simply slip and cut the skin of your cat. It is always advised to eliminate the mat by grooming the cat’s coat with a grooming comb.

Using one hand, hold the hair as close to the base as possible, ensuring that you are not directly pulling on the cat’s skin. In the other hand take the grooming comb and use the tip of that comb to pick gently at the mat until it begins to loosen slightly. It can be easily combed out once it has begun to break apart from the coat. This should be repeated when necessary.

As stated above, it is important to check your cat’s eyes. Eye matter can cause a great problem in big-eyed and short-nosed cats. The large eye opening along with the small distance from the tear ducts to the nose in certain cats, results in their being an area for more tears to occur than usual. Rather than the tears falling into tear ducts, they fall directly over the lower eyelids. It is when the tears come into contact with the air that they oxidize, which results in the area below the eyes turning brown in color and creating a substance that is glue-like. This substance needs to be cleaned out in order to keep the area healthy.

Always use a soft washcloth or cotton square which has been dipped in tepid water to undertake this form of cleaning. Wipe your cat’s eyes across the lower eyelid with the damp cloth whilst holding her head. Always ensure that you do not directly rub the eyeball. Allow the moisture to soften the matter in the eyes and then return to wipe the eyes again. Ensure that each time you rub the eye of the cat you use a clean piece of cloth.

When bathing your cat, it is always advised to use the kitchen sink or bathroom basin. Ensure that you place a non-slip mat on the bottom of the sink or basin to prevent the cat from slipping. If your cat normally wears a collar, then remove this before bathing.

It is imperative to use shampoos that are designed specifically for cats, as human shampoo can irritate the skin. Ensure that the water is not too hot or cold, it should generally be the same temperature as your cats body temperature. Wet the coat thoroughly before adding the shampoo. Talk to the cat at all times to reassure it and keep it calm. Shampoo firstly along the back and neck area, avoiding the eyes and then work your way over the entire body.

Once the cat has been washed all over, then proceed to rinse off all of the shampoo. Gently squeeze the coat to get rid of most of the water, then proceed to pat the cat with a soft towel. If your cat will tolerate a hairdryer, then of course this is the quickest way to dry it. Once the cat is completely dry, then comb through the coat once again, which will remove any hairs that were missed before bathing.

Grooming your cat should be done on a regular basis in order to keep its coat glossy and healthy.

{this article was written for Freddie and is approved by him}

Photographs
top copyright and By *B.G. Lewandowski*
second down copyright and by yajico
third down copyright and By Bonnie and Victor Cats
bottom copyright and by ChrissieWiz

From Grooming Your Cat to British Shorthair cat