From the Science Newsletter Editor’s Desk:
Dear TICA Science Fans:
Hopefully 2024 brings you ample fulfillment and many felicitous moments. TICA is fortunate to be a membership of curious feline enthusiasts with keen observation, willingness to participate in discovery and a system to apply improved understanding into practice for cats.
The rich hues, deep shades, and radiant highlights that color a cat’s fur have entranced humankind as part of the feline mystique since the dawn of civilization, based on feline depictions on some of the oldest human artifacts. TICA is a genetic registry and more feline genes have been identified relating to the coloration and color pattern of cat fur than any other trait. This edition of the newsletter seeks to reacquaint us with these.
More genetic variants/mutations have been identified for cat colors than ever before. Does this mean cats are mutating or something is causing more colors to be created?
I postulate, NO! Variation in feline coloration is likely part of the important evolutionary adaptability of cats to exist wherever prey may be found. The most important responsibility of a cat’s (or any mammal’s) fur, a bird’s feathers, or a reptile’s scales is to protect the animal from the hazards of the sun’s rays.
A close look at several wild cat species demonstrates some very likely analogs to the variation we see in domestic cats. Only two species of wild cat have ever been examined as examples, and both times they existed. The Tiger (Panthera tigris) can have Corin, Tyrosinase (Colorpoint) and even Classic or Blotched Tabby. King Cheetahs are an example of a very similar mutation or variant in typical cheetahs that make a striped tabby become a blotched or classic tabby. Shout out to TICA breeder Chris Kaelin, PhD for bringing about and including TICA in some of that research. Read more about Kaelin’s groundbreaking study.
This month’s newsletter highlights NEW and existing research in feline coloration that when taken together help explain how these variations occur, what their benefits may be for cats, and how TICA’s members and their cats continue to play a role in expanding the understanding for all cats – big & small, wild, and domestic.
The efforts to inform and engage feline enthusiasts couldn’t have occurred without the leadership of Vicki Jo Harrison and Liz Brown PhD. Please thank them as we venture into another year of cat science.
Anthony Hutcherson
TICA Science Newsletter Editor
