A male cat can very rarely have two X chromosomes. If one is red and one is black, he will be a calico (that is if he also has the gene for white spotting.) With two X chromosomes the male will usually not be fertile.
Russian Blue is a breed. They only come in one color - blue. People often call blue cats grey, but the inside terminology is blue, probably because the grey tends to go more towards cold (steel) than warm nuances. Blue is diluted black and to get a blue/grey cat both parents must carry the gene...
According to Robinson's cat genetic book, about 1 in 3000 male births are tortoiseshells, and of course the frequency of fertile males with black and red (or blue and creme) is very very much lower, and there are several theories on how this occurs. I suggest you get a copy of the book and read...
If you are worried about the cat's breathing, ask a vet about it.
As for ancestors - who knows? That is the beauty of non-pedigree cats, there is no way to know and it should not be. Just enjoy and love the cat.
This link may help
http://zooclub.ru/eng/cats/okras/7.shtml
If you make sure you don't mix up the B,b,b1 etc it is really easy.....
Make a chart and plot in what you know (the phenotypes) and you may have a good guess. Of course if would help to know the phenotype of the grandparents and...
To CinArt the original poster: I take you are a member of a breeding association and also an association of breeders and owners of you special breed? That would be the way to go, if you are a serious breeder. Your association(s) should know where to find what you are looking for, as such cats...
It depends on the breed standard I suppose. My Norwegian Forest Cats must have the hair between their toes and under their feet intact - the more the better!
How and when white lockets are formed is quite complicated. It is probably polygenic. The gene(s) for white are in the embryo cells, as are all the other color genes, but as the cells multiply and form the skin, the color is sort of diminshed and will not reach all the new cells. The cells...
It is not difficult to breed calicos if you know your color genetics. And calico is an american expression for the European tortoishell, and specifies that the black, red and white are in patches, not mingled. A tortoishell can be both.
If one or both the parents have much white you get a...
I have never even heard of this breed, so I got interested and googled a bit. I found this breeder
http://www.fanciers.com/people/thomcats.html
and one site said there is a breeders' list in the magazine Cat Fancy. Have you looked there?