There is an opinion that only cats can be tri-color, and tortoiseshell cats - that's what rare owners of three shades of wool are called - do not exist. Still, why are there no tricolor cats? Biologists associate obtaining unusual color in animals with a mutation at the genetic level.
Tortoise color. Characteristics
True tortoise color consists of the following shades: bright red, red or orange in combination with white and black / gray / chocolate shades.
So are tricolor cats or not? Many people can only determine by the color of their coat the cat in front of them or the kitty, and all because of the 3,000 tricolor individuals, only one male can be found. Moreover, out of 10,000 such males, only one will be able to have offspring.
Biology. Why are there no tricolor cats?
The above figures, biologists have found a completely scientific explanation. It turns out that the color of cats is determined at the genetic level. The genes responsible for the black color are tied to the X chromosome, and the white gene is in no way associated with the sex of the individual. Now recall the biology lessons: females have 2 identical chromosomes (XX), and males have 2 different chromosomes (XU). This is the answer to the question of whether there are tri-color cats or only cats.
That is, the color of a cat can be one-color (red, black) or two-color (red-white or black and white), but not three-color and not red-black - since such a combination of colors is not inherent in its genes.
Genetic mutation - Klinefelter syndrome
Why cats are not tricolor is understandable. But is this always the case? How do tricolor males appear after all? This fact explains the usual genetic mutation. Such cats do not have 2 chromosomes (HU), but three - HHU. Moreover, 2 of them are female and 1 male. A similar mutation occurs in humans, it is called Klinefelter's syndrome. This anomaly does not prevent cats from leading a normal lifestyle, the only difference is that the tortoise cat cannot give offspring.
Thanks to this syndrome, tricolor cats are of particular importance to genetic scientists. In the middle of the past, tortoiseshell cats were very popular among biologists for studying Down syndrome, which is also characterized by the presence of the third chromosome.
Signs associated with turtles
As we all already understood, tricolor cats still exist. Extremely rare, but they are born. That is why it is believed that such an instance will bring good luck to its owner and will protect against various troubles. You can find a lot of stories in which people talk about their growth in careers, personal relationships, successes in creativity after this rare miracle of nature appeared in their lives.
The Japanese, these amazing mutants are very expensive. Fishermen could give a fortune for a tricolor cat, because it was believed that the ship on which it lives, this animal, will never go to the bottom.
Mutant Daily Life
In fact, these wonderful animals with rare beauty are not much different from other cats. Like many fluffy soap bubbles, they are very fond of affection, but their color indicates a possible increased aggression.
Tricolor rocks
Several breeds fall under the description of tricolor cats, all of them are beautiful and unusual in their own way. Here is some of them:
- The Persian cat is one of the oldest breeds, characterized by a calm, but at the same time obstinate character. The cat is very beautiful, completely devoid of hunting instinct - a real pet that will not survive on the street.
- Exotic cat - in color it is very similar to the Persian one, but unlike the calm Persians, exotic cats are very active, playful and sociable.
- The British Shorthair cat is a beautiful and not picky life partner, a real companion.
- Manks is a tailless friend, smart, good-natured and sociable. Sometimes you can’t even believe that this is a cat.
- Japanese bobtail is a wonderful breed of cats with a calm temperament. The peculiarity of this breed is that they are easier to train than other cats.
- American Shorthair is one of the most ideal breeds for keeping in the house. Firstly - short hair, secondly - moderate in nature, will not get tired of its mobility, but will not turn into a tired toy.
Now we understand the difficulty of obtaining precisely the three-color offspring of these breeds. This is the answer to the question of why there are no three-color cats. More precisely, they still exist, they can be found at various cat shows, however, very, very rarely. Even if you do not have such a pet, but managed to see him at the exhibition - this can already be considered a good sign, so soon things will go uphill! If you ever wondered why cats are not tricolor, now you know the answer!