Until I started collecting a variety of cats it never occurred to me that paw pads might come in different colors. I know that the breed standard for ruddy abyssinians is black or brown paw pads. Merlin's are brown, although they appear to me to have quite a bit of red in them. Maybe that's what makes them brown instead of black.
My DSHs are all over the map.
Shareena is a blue and white bicolor. Her paw pads look light gray at first glance (except for one pink toe), but in better light they actually have a lavender tint to them. The color in the pictures isn't really accurate, too dark and too much magenta.
Miss Patchwillow is black smoke and white bicolor. Her large paw pads are all black and her toes are pink. . .
. . . except for one foot where she switched the color between one toe and the edge of the large pad.
Goldy is a red tabby with light pink pads
Her little boy, Lion, was also a red tabby, and as far as I can remember had all pink paw pads. I only found one picture that shows his pads.
Iris and Cali, Goldy's other two babies, are brown patched tabbies. Their paw pads are a random mix of black and pink.
Iris
Cali
So my question is: is the paw pad color determined by the same gene as fur color? Would you ever find a red tabby with black pads or a calico with solid pink pads? What color are your kitties' toes?
Okay, so I have way too much time on my hands. You should have seen me chasing cats around trying to get pictures of the bottom of their feet.
My DSHs are all over the map.
Shareena is a blue and white bicolor. Her paw pads look light gray at first glance (except for one pink toe), but in better light they actually have a lavender tint to them. The color in the pictures isn't really accurate, too dark and too much magenta.
Miss Patchwillow is black smoke and white bicolor. Her large paw pads are all black and her toes are pink. . .
. . . except for one foot where she switched the color between one toe and the edge of the large pad.
Goldy is a red tabby with light pink pads
Her little boy, Lion, was also a red tabby, and as far as I can remember had all pink paw pads. I only found one picture that shows his pads.
Iris and Cali, Goldy's other two babies, are brown patched tabbies. Their paw pads are a random mix of black and pink.
Iris
Cali
So my question is: is the paw pad color determined by the same gene as fur color? Would you ever find a red tabby with black pads or a calico with solid pink pads? What color are your kitties' toes?
Okay, so I have way too much time on my hands. You should have seen me chasing cats around trying to get pictures of the bottom of their feet.