Why does my white cat have a black nose??

This is my cat, Binona. I saw her on Craigslist, and waited a week or two before contacting her owner. They had surrendered her to a shelter, where I adopted her. I've had her for a month and a half, and her coloring just makes no sense to me. Pink eyelids, pink ears, snow white fur, and a full jet black nose. She has some faint dark spots on her tail (only two right next to each other like a colon) and some random dark hairs on her neck. I would describe the dark color as a dark gray. I can't find any type of cat with this coloring. Any ideas on her genetic makeup??

So in doing a little bit or reasearch, I found that when a cat is white, it is actually a mutation or defect in the cats genes that cause the lack or color of fur. This can happen to any breed or color of cat. Since black cats always have black noses, I would assume this is a black cat (or tabby since you said you see some faint lines) that has the mutation or gene that causes the lack of color in fur. Hope this helps!

Has it been black since young that you know of? How old is she?

The black in the neck could be a marking spot that some white cats get born with. It disappears over time.

Oh my goodness, that's so cute.

I have only a very passing familiarity with how cat coat genetics works, but I believe there are two possibilities:

1)This is is an extreme expression of the gene that causes colourpoint colouration (like a siamese). Siamese and other colourpoint cats have a gene that causes "temperature dependent albinism", so the cat is albino except on the extremities. Thus in your cat's case, there is almost complete albinism with a black nose and a bit of colouration on the tail (and maybe the feet?)

2)This is a very complete expression of the white spotting/piebald gene. Basically it would be the same as tuxedo or black/white spot cats, except almost all of the hair ended up white instead of a more even distribution. 

This might help: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_c...inism.2C_dominant_white.2C_and_white_spotting

I've got an 6 months old kitten named Oreo she is black and white with an black nose

Re the TS. Cat: the white gene is so strong it covers other colors. TS whitie is black genetically but the qhite covers it all. Think snow if you want.

New answer here above

leoandbinona said:

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• leoandbinona
• Nov 25, 2015

This is my cat, Binona. I saw her on Craigslist, and waited a week or two before contacting her owner. They had surrendered her to a shelter, where I adopted her. I've had her for a month and a half, and her coloring just makes no sense to me. Pink eyelids, pink ears, snow white fur, and a full jet black nose. She has some faint dark spots on her tail (only two right next to each other like a colon) and some random dark hairs on her neck. I would describe the dark color as a dark gray. I can't find any type of cat with this coloring. Any ideas on her genetic makeup??

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This was my sweetheart, Madison. She too was solid white with a black nose.