Genetics

Articles that will help you better understand pedigrees
and the genetics of cat breeding

Titles marked with a red asterisk * are for ShowCatsOnline.com members only.

• Abyssinian Helps Decipher Feline DNA
  Cinnamon, a female Abyssiniancat, is the first feline in history to have her DNA decoded...
  
  November 2007


• * Are All Problems Inherited?
  Knowing which faults in your kittens may be genetic, and which may be due to other factors is essential to evaluating which cats to include or remove from a well thought out breeding program.
  
  March 2004


• * Breeding A Cat With A Genetic Fault
  Should you use a cat with a genetic fault in your breeding program? While the answer may not a simple yes or no, here are things to consider that may help you make an informed decision...
  
  February 2008


• * By The Sire, Out Of The Dam
  When listing or discussing a cat's sire and dam, there is a standard protocol that should be used. Learn how to understand and be understood when discussing your cat's parents...
  
  October 2012


• Calico Genetics
  Calico cats are perhaps the most striking color of feline. Acclaimed author, Wendy Christensen, explains the genetics behind their beauty.
  
  February 2007


• * Developmental Accidents
  Do you understand the difference between an inheritable mutation and a developmental accident? Learn the answer to this question and much more ...
  
  April 2010


• DNA Offers New Insight Into Cat Evolution
  DNA analysis is used to re-draw the feline family tree.
  
  June 2006


• DNA Test For PKD Approved For British Shorthairs
  The DNA test for PKD developed for Persians and related breeds is now being offered to British Shorthair breeders.
  
  July 2005


• Eye Color In Pointed Cats
  Understand why the eye color of pointed cats can vary from pale blue to deepest navy.
  
  February 2006


• Free DNA Blood Type Testing for Ragdolls
  Ragdoll owners are invited to submit blood samples to UC Davis and will receive free blood typing of their cats.
  
  August 2007


• * Gene Inheritance Patterns
  An understanding of the various types of patterns of inheritance is a basic component to the development of a successful breeding program. Learn the 10 main types of gene inheritance that the cat breeder should know ...
  
  October 2009


• * Genetic Notation
  Learn the few simple rules of genetic notation that you need to know to understand a cat's individual genetic makeup, and to plan your breeding program.
  
  October 2008


• * Genetic Symbols For Breed Characteristics
  In cats, some breeds are defined by a single distinctive breed characteristic. It may be a unique coat type, an unusual ear or tail or even toes or body shape. Learn which genes produce each unique characteristic...
  
  June 19


• * Genetic Terms
  Knowing the terminology used in a discussion about genetics is the first step towards understanding the principles of feline heredity.
  
  May 2003


• HCM Gene In Ragdolls Identified
  With funding from the Winn Feline Foundation, researchers from Washington State University and the University of California, Davis announce they have identified the gene in Ragdolls responsible for HCM
  
  June 2007


• * Hybrid Vigor
  Whether breeding carnations, cattle or cats, every breeder should understand the meaning and implication of hybrid vigor in their breeding program.
  
  September 2007


• * Odd-Eyed
  The odd-eyed cat has one of the most unusual and stunning expressions in the feline world. Learn how and why these unique cats get their miss-matched eyes...
  
  November 2008


• Possum: Tail of Two Kitties
  "Possum" is the name of a most unusually marked kitten. Half Himalayan and half tortoiseshell, this unique feline is a chimera - the result of two different embryos fusing together early in their development and growing as a single individual!!!
  
  May 2008


• * PRA... Blind! And It`s Hereditary
  Could you have a blind kitten and not know it? The problem is called Progressive Retinal Atrophy.
  
  August 2003


• * Sharing Pedigrees: Good Or Bad?
  Some breeders believe in sharing their cats' pedigrees. Some breeders do not. Learn the reasons why people are either for and against the making public their cat's pedigrees...
  
  October 2010


• Siamese/Oriental Lymphoma Information Requested
  Dr. Leslie Lyons of UC Davis requests your help in the genetic study of Siamese and Oriental related lymphomas.
  
  February 2006


• Sphynx Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Study
  Researchers at Western State University Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory are requesting blood samples from Sphynx diagnosed with HCM
  
  May 2007


• * Tarnishing
  Tarnishing can occur in any cat that is a silver or silver tabby. Tarnish is a browning or yellowing of areas of the silver coat, the result of incomplete clearing of color by the inhibition gene....
  
  March 2009


• * Those Sneaky Recessives
  Recessive genes can be difficult to manage in a breeding program. Some are good, some may be bad.
  
  April 2006


• Tracking The Cat
  A five year genetic study of over 1000 felines of 22 breeds confirms that the domestication of cats about 10,000 years ago originated in an area known as the Fertile Crescent, which stretches from Turkey to northern Africa and to modern-day Iraq and Iran.
  
  August 2008