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The study of kitty chromosomes is really not much different than studying human chromosomes. It is a fascinating procedure that can offer an insight to how cat development occurs. There are many different aspects that need to be taken into consideration when studying feline DNA, and the results are astounding to many in the medical and veterinarian field. Studies have found that there are nineteen pairs of kitty chromosomes in all cats. One pair of chromosomes is inherited from the mother and the other set is from the father. The X or Y chromosomes are responsible for the sex of the offspring. The mother always passes on the X chromosome, but the male cat can only give an X or Y chromosome. The gender of the kitten will depend on which chromosome the father gives. The kitty chromosomes from the father also affect the fur color and pattern. A male calico or tortoiseshell cat has two X and one Y chromosomes. All female cats have two X kitty chromosomes that contain genes creating the three calico pattern colors. A male calico or tortoiseshell has only one X chromosome. This X chromosome gives the fur color of orange or black. In the calico cat there is a gene for the white color of the calico pattern. It may sound a bit confusing; a male calico or tortoiseshell could either be of the XY pattern or XXY combination. A female cat possesses the XX chromosome pattern. A male calico or tortoiseshell is very rare and will always be sterile. For this reason, it is not possible to mate a female calico with a male calico or tortoiseshell cat. In order for a cat to have a Calico coat, it must have the two fur color genes. These X chromosomes that the mother cat gives to the kitten. If the kitten somehow gets two X and a Y chromosome, it will be born sterile and the kitten will always be male.
Article Source: http://www.fubrus.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a great website on cats. You can read and learn about kitty chromosomes. Understand just how kitty chromosomes can affect the fur colors and gender of a cat.
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