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Siamese genetic question

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 8:20 am
by oaieove
My kitten is all black but his father was a pointed seal color & his mother was black like him . I know of 2 brothers in his litter one being pointed & one being black like him. I am curious as to whether he potentially carries pointed gene. I plan on neutering g him but think I may have already had an accidental pregnancy between him & my other (pointed) female cat (also planning to be spayed) I just curious as to genetics if any of the offspring may have pointed markings...

Re: Siamese genetic question

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 11:11 am
by Lilith
Hi and welcome.

Yes, your boy will carry the pointed gene, and if a kitten has parents who both carry the pointed gene even without showing it, then it's possible for it to be pointed - but by no means guaranteed. It's a complete gamble.

I knew someone who had a lilac-pointed Siamese who got out and mated with a black Siamese cross, and the results were: one black, one dark tortie, and three black and whites (I suspect she had a quickie with a black and white tom on her way home ...)

This is just my personal view but in your place I'd be inclined to have your boy and girl neutered as planned, instead of hoping for a pointed kitten, and, if you want another Siamese, to buy one, as you'll be able to see what you're getting. Not all litters arrive safely and normally (which means vet bills) and there is the bother of finding homes for the ones you can't keep (which can be heartbreaking as 'kitten season is coming, with too many kittens for too few homes) as well as the merry mess of bringing the little darlings up - exhausting lol.

Hope all goes okay, all the best.

Re: Siamese genetic question

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 12:12 pm
by Mollycat
Prepare to have your mind blown - cat genetics according to my vet are just about the most fascinating subject in science!

For example - there are 3 different whites. There is a white masking gene, that covers up all other colours. There is the gene for tuxedo markings and you'll notice that fur has a different texture to the rest of the coat. So you can have an all white cat that is actually coloured covered up by white with white paws and chest! And there's albino.

Albino is even more interesting because the Siamese points and blue eyes are another form of albinism ... temperature-sensitive albinism to be precise. This is a recessive gene (meaning that the gene can be carried without showing, like yours, and pop up if they breed with another carrier). It's not a Siamese gene, it's just a gene that the Siamese and other pointed breeds like Birmans and Ragdolls have as their only colouring genes. Ragdolls can be 'mitted' with tuxedo white, as the tux white is a different gene, as are Birmans. Blue-eyed cats from the temperature-sensitive albino genes are more sensitive to light, and here's the killer fact I love - the temperature sensitive part. The cooler the body temperature, the darker the colour. The warmer, the paler. That's why the kittens are white and colour develops as they mature, and as they get old they get darker. If you bandage a leg for say 6 weeks, when you take the bandage off the fur will be paler, because it's been warmer.

You're welcome!

PS two non-pointed cats who both carry the pointed gene have a 1 in 4 chance of a pointed kitten, 1 in 4 of a coloured non-pointed gene carrying kitten, and 2 in 4 of coloured and point-carrier kittens.

Re: Siamese genetic question

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 2:07 am
by oaieove
Thanks for replies! Honestly, hoping to get spay & neutered before any kittens from my 2 but just fascinated by genetic aspect. It's so interesting...