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Article By: PaulinaJenkins
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Understanding Kitty Chromosomes
The study of kitty chromosomes shows that all female cats possess two X chromosomes. On the other hand the males have the X and Y patterns. The mother passes the X chromosome on to her kittens, and the father gives either the X or Y chromosome. How these two kitty chromosomes are combined will determine the gender of the kitten.
In all cats there found to be 19 pairs of kitty chromosomes. One set is inherited from the mother; the other set is from the father. These kitty chromosomes determine the sex of the offspring and can be either X or Y chromosomes.
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.
When a kitten possesses the XX chromosome pattern, it will be a female calico cat. This X chromosome is the one that has the gene that gives the orange and black fur color. The Y chromosome from the male determines the gender of the kitten and the male offspring's development. This X chromosome does have any gene that is responsible for the fur color.
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: ArticleZones.com
About the Author
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a great website on cats. Learn about kitty chromosomes. What do you know about kitty chromosomes how it affects the gender and fur colors of a cat. Click here for other unique 'kitty chromosomes' articles.
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