2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39
The Siamese Cat belongs to a celebrated oriental breed that has a large following around the world, and is easy to recognize for its bold colorpoint pattern, in stark contrast to the rest of the body which is usually white or cream. But it's possible that there is a All black Siamese? We will try to answer you in this article.
The answer to this somewhat complex question is technically yes: there are black Siamese, but not in the usual sense of the term!
The colorpoint of these cats comes in a wide range of shades, some of which have been made official as part of the breed standard. Initially, in fact, only the seal point was considered the distinctive trait of a pure Siamese.
However, what unites them all is the presence of color contrast between tail, muzzle and legs, darker, and the rest of the body, lighter. However, we still hear about Siamese, or Siamese-like, with all black hair. How then to explain the existence of these animals?
To determine the colorpoint of the Siamese is a so-called gene Himalayan, which generally makes the hair black but which in the specific case of this breed is expressed as a particular type of albinism. This is why Siamese cats they are born completely white and develop their distinct coloration over time.
The Himalayan gene prevents the production of melanin (pigmentation) in the hair, but only in the hottest areas of the body. Since kittens still in their mother's womb are kept at a constant temperature throughout their body, they are white at birth. But once outside, the temperature is obviously destined to vary: the extremities of the body are always the coldest and therefore are those that take on a darker color.
The Himalayan gene is recessive, so each kitten must inherit it from both parents. Any crosses with other breeds that do not carry this gene can have multiple results:
- If both parents have the gene, the litter will be colorpoint;
- If neither parent has the gene, the litter will not be colorpointed unless one parent belongs to a breed carrying a gene similarly responsible for the colorpoint pattern;
- If only one parent has the gene, no kitten in the litter will be colorpoint, but they may carry the gene and thus pass it on to their offspring.
Consequently, a seal point Siamese is genetically a black cat even if its coat is not visibly black, due to the albinism with which the gene is expressed. The color of the seal point is black, although it can often appear to be simply dark brown.
If you happen to see a completely black cat but otherwise look like a Siamese, you are probably in the presence of a cat. Oriental, which is a breed with similar characteristics. Another possibility is represented by the cat Havana Brown, which carries the same gene.
In conclusion, a uniformly black cat cannot be a purebred Siamese, but it can belong to any other oriental race: their genetic heritage and their history are inevitably very similar.
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