Curiosity question about colours and parentage

Talk of colours and genetics has got me speculating (not for the first time) about what colour and hair length my original cats' (Jaffa and his brother Magpie) parents might have been. I got them from a rescue so have no idea what they were and can only speculate at what they might have been. I'm curious though, esp as to whether they could have come from the same pairing or are likely to have had different fathers. They were total opposites in personality too.

Jaffa is a shorthaired ginger (orange) tabby and Magpie was a long haired black and white. I understand that white is not a true colour and that red and black are the only true colours - right? So Jaffa got the red and Magpie the black? From a tortie mother? Is long hair recessive? Would both parents have needed to carry the gene for long hair for Magpie to have been long haired?

Any thoughts and answers gratefully received!

Originally Posted by urbantigers

Jaffa is a shorthaired ginger (orange) tabby and Magpie was a long haired black and white. I understand that white is not a true colour and that red and black are the only true colours - right? So Jaffa got the red and Magpie the black? From a tortie mother? Is long hair recessive? Would both parents have needed to carry the gene for long hair for Magpie to have been long haired?

Any thoughts and answers gratefully received!

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Long hair is indeed recessive, so both parents would have had to carry the gene, though they could have both been short-haired cats themselves.

The gene for orange coloring is carried on the X chromosome, so a female cat would need two copies to be completely orange, and a male cat just one. (Orange color is created from a modification of the black color) A female with one non-orange X and one orange X would give you your tortie, and if she had the spotting gene, would have white patches and thus be a calico. So in this case, it would seem that your kitties probably had a tortie or calico mom, seeing as how boys only get the X chromosome from mom, and a Y from dad.

More then likely if you got both black/white and a red tabby in the same litter, the mom is a tortie or a calico. Dad more then likely is a black or black/white as you have a black female. The mom gave the red to the male. Mom can't be a solid red as the females would then be torties (with a black father) or reds (with a red father).

Longhair IS recessive to shorthair, so yes, both would either have to carry it or show it.

Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling mom would likely be a tortie. Magpie was a boy btw, and I know there was another long haired black and white boy in the litter, but I'm not certain if there were any others that were rehomed before I got my boys. So I know the litter consisted of 1 short haired red tabby male and 2 black and white long haired males, at least.

Ok if you had one boy that was red and one that was black - then mom HAS to be tortie/calico and either a longhair herself or carrying it as a recessive gene.