Wondering about red cats.

Again, I have no idea where to put this, but I noticed that some people here knows a few things about feline genetics and that's basically what I'm looking for, but as usual: move the thread if so desired.

Ok, so I was wondering something.

I have two cats. A male mackerel tabby and a female marble tabby. They are both from the same litter and both are red-haired. The litter they came from had 5 kittens, all red. One male and 4 females. The mother was also red. No idea about the father.

Does the father have to be a red cat as well, to get a 100% red litter? And why are most of the litter female? I was always told that red cats are predominantly male, and the few red kittens I have seen were all from litters with only 1 red cat. 

I have really no knowledge of feline genetics, but I had never seen a 100% red litter (usually only 1 red kitten per litter, 2 max). Does this happen often? I found it extraordinary when I saw the litter, they were all so beautiful and similar, except for Eleni, who was the only marble tabby and stood out immediately. 

Any insights would be appreciated. I am extremely curious.

Yes, if the females were red as well, that means the father was red. Males get their color from mamacat only, females get one color gene from each parent. So if the father weren't red, the females would have been torties instead.

The reason more red cats are male is because both parents have to be red (or red daddy, tortie mother and she passes the red gene to her girls) to get red females, whereas red males can come if the mother is red or tortie, and, well, there are a lot of tortie females :lol3:. It doesn't have anything to do with red being rare in females or anything like that, it's just that 2 red cats don't get together as often as other colors sneak in.

Thank you for that clear answer. I have called the man who gave us the kittens and he swears the father was black&white. Could a male cat be a red gene carrier without being red himself (the way you see in humans)? Or did mamacat have a secret adventure with the neighborhood Tom?

Nope! If girl kittens are red, Daddycat has to be red! Mamacat got around, LOL :tongue2:.

No, the red gene can not be carried. It is a dominant color, so if the cat has the red gene it must show it in the coat color.

If the father had been a black and white, then as Willowy says all the females in the litter would have been torties (red and black)

So my guess is mom cat had a secret liaison with a local red tom cat :lol3:

Haha oh oh, naughty cat.

Thank you for the answers! I learn something new every day at TCS!

Edit: One more question. Sorry, just curious. :lol3: Is the father then 100% a red cat? Or can he be a tortie too? I mean, are there even male torties? I don't think I have ever noticed one, but then.. I haven't been looking..

Can a male cat have multiple color genes? Or does he only get one gene from the mom cat?

Although, maybe it would be too much of a coincidence if all the females got the same gene from him, so I'm guessing he was 100% red. Hmm.

Males can be tortie but it's pretty rare. The color gene goes with the x chromosome so either he has 2 X chromosomes (XXY---called Kleinfelter's syndrome in humans, usually sterile) or he's a chimera or some other genetic oddity. Those who have fertile tortie males in purebred breeding programs say that they pass on only one color, not both like a tortie female. So theoretically, he could have been a tortie that passes on the red gene but it's not likely at all. The chance of a male tortie is only 1 in 3000.

I see, and even if he were a male tortie, the chance would have been even slimmer of passing on the red gene to not one, but four girls!

Red it is.

Thanks again for the answer. Much appreciated!