A weird breeding story.

Ok I have a question for some experienced cat breeders out there, or at least people knowledgable about cats.

Our family has had barn cats for several years, we got one cat years ago and from that cat sprung many more (we always find homes for the ones we do not keep). The cats were always from the same family with maybe the odd stray finding its way into the gene pool.

Last year when our cat had four kittens, three were normal looking barn cats (very common looking, multicolored cats color). But one cat was different, one looked exactly like a seal point himilayan cat (almost exactly like the one pictured here http://www.100megspop3.com/kittens/Lady.html ). We gave away 2 of the 4 cats (including the strange one) and kept the two normal looking barn cats. The next spring I think the two siblings mated and produced 4 kittens. This time three out of the four cats looked exactly like the seal point himilayans. They looked nothing like the parents.

The question I have is. Is this a common thing with cats? Does this happen often where some gene reservices like this?

They were beautiful cats and very easy to give away.

Quite honestly, barn cats should be neutered and or spayed, there is such a bad overpopulation problem with cats as it is, even though the kittens are "easy" to give away, it is hard on the cats to mate and go into heat, and give birth. It opens them up to different types of cancers, and spaying and neutering is the only real option for them to live a quality life.

Look thru the genetics thread for some answers to your questions. There are a lot of posts on hereditary chains.

I agree with Hissy on the neutering though. What started as barn cats at my house (kittens are easy to adopt out) turned into a feral colony pretty quickly. Feline leukemia virus hit mine last year transmitted from a wandering tom to an unneutered female and she had 7 sick kittens which in turn infected others. Hard lesson to learn when I lost 9 cats to the disease. Please save yourself and your cats grief by getting them neutered!

The pointed gene is the result of a recessive gene. Many cats can mask it, if two cats mate both having the recessive gene, the resulting litter will have approximatly 1 of 4 cats who are pointed, 2 of 4 who carry the gene, and one who does not carry it. There are many cats who are pointed, just because the cat is pointed doesnt mean it is a purebred siamese or himi or whatever else.

I would take the advice of others on the forum and get your cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated. It really is healthier for the cats, and there are millions of cats and dogs euthanized every year, a result of over population.