Coat Color and/or Type

Birman cats have clearly defined white feet ("gloves") as part of their breed standard. This characteristic gloving is caused by a variant in the KIT gene and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

Dilute is an autosomal recessive trait that causes clumping and uneven distribution of pigment granules in the hair shaft, producing dilution of all coat colors.

Cats with colored 'points' have genetic mutations associated with temperature-sensitive pigment production. Pigment production is reduced in warmer areas of the body, leading to darker pigmentation in the cat's cooler extremities (paws, ears, etc.)

Cats with brown gene variants have reduced amounts of black pigment and appear brownish in color. 

In Norwegian Forest Cats, a recessive mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene leads to the gradual replacement of black pigment in the coat with yellow pigment, producing the amber coloration.

The agouti signaling protein interacts with the melanocortin 1 receptor to switch between black and red pigments, creating a banding pattern in individual hairs. Mutations in the agouti signaling protein gene (ASIP) prevent this switch from occurring, resulting in hairs of uniform color.

Cornish Rex cats have short, soft, curly coats inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. This trait is fixed in the breed.

The Selkirk Rex breed has curled hair that can be short or long. A single copy of the variant that causes the Selkirk Rex coat produces wavy hair, and two copies produce a tighter curl as well as a slender body type with long ears.

The Devon Rex breed produces a curly coat and the Sphynx breed is nearly hairless. The nearly hairless coat of the Sphynx breed is recessive to normal coat, and the curly coat of the Devon Rex breed is recessive to the hairless Sphynx coat.