Genetics

Tabby Genes

From Children of StarClan

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Genetics Department
Department Mission
  • To provide genetic information for every character who procreates in game, and to provide genotypes as requested by players.
Genetics Information
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The genetics of a tabby are complicated and this article is indented to explain the polygenes that result in a solid or tabby cat.

Tabby Patterns

Tabby-types.jpg

Pattern Notes

  • Alternate Names
    • Classic: Blotched, Marbled
    • Mackerel: Tiger, Striped
    • Spotted: None
    • Ticked: Abyssinian
      • Residual Markings: Barring, Barred, Primal
  • Exclusions
    • Modified Classic: Extremely rare, to the point of only appearing in a specific wild population. Little is known about the genetics and they will not be discussed here.
    • Rosetted: Product of Wild/Domestic Hybridization.
    • Marbled: Product of Wild/Domestic Hybridization.
    • Candle-flame/Braided: Product of Wild/Domestic Hybridization.

Agouti

The Agouti Gene controls whether or not tabby genes are displayed at all.

Agouti Genes

AA: Agouti (Homozygous); A Tabby Cat
Aa: Agouti (Hetrozygous); A Tabby Cat
aa: Non-agouti; A Non-tabby Cat

Agouti Breeding

  • Tabby (AA) x Tabby (AA) = 100% (AA) Tabby
  • Tabby (AA) x Tabby (Aa) = 50% (AA) Tabby, 50% (Aa) Tabby
  • Tabby (Aa) x Tabby (Aa) = 25% (AA) Tabby, 50% (Aa) Tabby, 25% (aa) Non-tabby
  • Tabby (Aa) x Non-tabby (aa) = 50% (Aa) Tabby, 50% (aa) Non-tabby
  • Non-tabby (aa) x Non-tabby (aa) = 100% (aa) Non-tabby
  • Tabby (AA) x Non-tabby (aa) = 100% (Aa) Tabby


Click here to see the Agouti Gene Breeding in Visual Format
Click here to see the Agouti Gene Breedings in Punnet Squares

Ticked Tabby

The ticked gene is the most dominated of the tabby genes, and will display over all other forms of tabby.

Ticked Tabby Genes

TaTa: Ticked Tabby (Homozygous); A Ticked Tabby without Barring
Tata: Primal Tabby (Hetrozygous); A Ticked Tabby with Barring
tata: Unticked Tabby; a typical cat.

Ticked Tabby Breeding

  • Ticked (TaTa) x Ticked (TaTa) = 100% (TaTa) Ticked
  • Ticked (TaTa) x Primal (Tata) = 50% (TaTa) Ticked, 50% (Tata) Primal
  • Primal (Tata) x Primal (Tata) = 25% (TaTa) Ticked, 50% (Tata) Primal, 25% (tata) Unticked
  • Primal (Aa) x Unticked (aa) = 50% (Tata) Primal, 50% (tata) Unticked
  • Unticked (tata) x Unticked (tata) = 100% (tata) Unticked
  • Ticked (TaTa) x Unticked (tata) = 100% (Tata) Primal


Click here to see the Ticked Tabby Gene Breeding in Visual Format
Click here to see the Ticked Tabby Gene Breedings in Punnet Squares

Spotted Tabby

Spotted tabby displays when the Agouti Allele permits tabby display, and the ticked allele indicates an un-ticked cat.

Spotted Tabby Genes

SpSp: Spotted Tabby (Homozygous)
Spsp: Spotted Tabby (Hetrozygous)
spsp: Un-spotted Tabby

Spotted Tabby Breeding

  • Spotted (SpSp) x Spotted (SpSp) = 100% (SpSp) Spotted
  • Spotted (TaTa) x Spotted (Tata) = 50% (SpSp) Spotted, 50% (Spsp) Spotted
  • Spotted (Spsp) x Spotted (Spsp) = 25% (SpSp) Spotted, 50% (Spsp) Spotted, 25% (spsp) Un-spotted
  • Spotted (Spsp) x Un-spotted (spsp) = 50% (Spsp) Spotted, 50% (spsp) Spotted
  • Un-spotted (spsp) x Un-spotted (spsp) = 100% (spsp) Un-spotted
  • Spotted (SpSp) x Un-spotted (spsp) = 100% (Spsp) Spotted


Click here to see the Spotted Tabby Gene Breeding in Visual Format
Click here to see the Spotted Tabby Gene Breedings in Punnet Squares

Mackerel & Classic Tabby

The basic tabby gene controls the most common forms of tabby. These genes display when Agouti permits tabby and no ticking or spotting are present.

Tabby Genes

McMc: Mackerel Tabby (Homozygous)
Mcmc: Mackerel Tabby (Hetrozygous) Carries Classic
mcmc: Classic Tabby

Tabby Breeding

  • Mackerel (McMc) x Mackerel (McMc) = 100% (McMc) Mackerel
  • Mackerel (McMc) x Mackerel (Mcmc) = 50% (McMc) Mackerel, 50% (Mcmc) Mackerel
  • Mackerel (Mcmc) x Mackerel (Mcmc) = 25% (McMc) Mackerel, 50% (Mcmc) Mackerel, 25% (mcmc) Classic
  • Mackerel (Mcmc) x Classic (mcmc) = 50% (Mcmc) Mackerel, 50% (mcmc) Classic
  • Classic (mcmc) x Classic (mcmc) = 100% (mcmc) Classic
  • Mackerel (McMc) x Classic (mcmc) = 100% (Mcmc) Mackerel


Click here to see the Tabby Gene Breeding in Visual Format
Click here to see the Tabby Gene Breedings in Punnet Squares

Conclusion

The complexity of the control of the tabby display is resultant of the pattern being spread over four genes. This means that to decipher the tabby pattern a genotype indicates, one must examine all of the related genes rather than looking at the individual parts.

Application Examples

aa Tata SpSp mcmc
aa (Solid Cat) Tata (Carries primal ticked tabby) SpSp (Carries spotted tabby) mcmc (Carries classic tabby).
A Self/Solid Colored Cat.
Aa Tata SpSp mcmc
Aa (Tabby will be displayed) Tata (Cat is a primal ticked tabby) SpSp (Carries spotted tabby) mcmc (Carries classic tabby).
A Primal Ticked Tabby Cat.
AA tata Spsp Mcmc
AA (Tabby will be displayed) tata (Cat is not ticked) Spsp (Cat is spotted tabby) Mcmc (Carries mackerel and classic tabby).
A Spotted Tabby Cat.
AA tata spsp Mcmc
AA (Tabby will be displayed) tata (Cat is not ticked) spsp (Cat is not spotted tabby) Mcmc (Cat is a mackerel tabby and carries classic tabby).
A Mackerel Tabby Cat.
Aa tata spsp mcmc
Aa (Tabby will be displayed) tata (Cat is not ticked) spsp (Cat is not spotted tabby) mcmc (Cat is classic tabby).
A Classic Tabby Cat.

References

Messybeast on Spotted Cats
Genetics Symbols