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Brindle cat ?
- Thread starter shemarie
- Start Date
She's a tortie, tortie cats are different from brindle coloured dogs.
The tortie colouring happens because the ginger or orange tabby colour is linked to a sex chromosome. So basically when the colour of the cat is being expressed if the X chromosome has the "be a ginger tabby" instruction of it and the cat is male i.e it only has the one X chromosome, he'll be a ginger tabby.
For a female to be a ginger tabby both her X chromosomes need to have the "be a ginger tabby" instructions.
In each cell only one of a paired cromosome is active. I.e in a female cell you've got two X chromosomes but only one of them is active and it's random which one is, so in Pixie in her cells where the X chromosome that has the "be a ginger tabby!" instruction is active you get the orange hairs and else where you get the colour that she'd be otherwise.
So yeah it's a completely random mix and can only happen in female cats (or in rare male cats that have two X chromosomes, they're infertile then and that's a genetic abormality).
I know I went really technical there.. the simple answer is just, she's a tortie
The tortie colouring happens because the ginger or orange tabby colour is linked to a sex chromosome. So basically when the colour of the cat is being expressed if the X chromosome has the "be a ginger tabby" instruction of it and the cat is male i.e it only has the one X chromosome, he'll be a ginger tabby.
For a female to be a ginger tabby both her X chromosomes need to have the "be a ginger tabby" instructions.
In each cell only one of a paired cromosome is active. I.e in a female cell you've got two X chromosomes but only one of them is active and it's random which one is, so in Pixie in her cells where the X chromosome that has the "be a ginger tabby!" instruction is active you get the orange hairs and else where you get the colour that she'd be otherwise.
So yeah it's a completely random mix and can only happen in female cats (or in rare male cats that have two X chromosomes, they're infertile then and that's a genetic abormality).
I know I went really technical there.. the simple answer is just, she's a tortie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks for the info - now I know! And I always did wonder why the torties / calicos were always female (except for when they're not) - so go technical on me anytime! Can't wait to see how the kittens turn out! And, I've fallen in love with Nikita. Claws & all.
Just wanted to say that Pixie is absolutely gorgeous!!
she is cool looking, I too cannot wait to see your kittens!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
I think the lack of "patches" was what was throwing me off. Pixie does have a few white hairs (goes well with my few gray hairs!) - but as you saw in the pic...is more "brushed orange" than patches. Never knew that less white = less defined patches. Any calicos / torties I've ever seen (or noticed) were more like Lucy. I can see hanging out here is definitely going to be a learning experience - not to mention fun!
