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MYMYSTIC Tonkinese - The 'Orange' Colours © Linda Vousden
Red, Cream, Apricot & Tortoiseshell Tortoiseshell comes about as a result of the behaviour of the Orange-making gene, which is why its included it in this section. I haven't included Cinnamon or Fawn as they are not recognised UK Tonkinese colours. |
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The effect of the Orange-making gene is dominant.
> It masks the Brown & Chocolate base colours with a Red coat.
base colours with a Cream coat.
with Apricot (modified Cream) Please note that this illustration is especially simplified - there is normally a slight visible difference between a blue-based and a lilac-based caramel.
The Orange gene is sex-linked. If it is present the gene will be found on the female sex chromosome (X) - not on the male sex chromosome (Y). There are very rare exceptions to this 'rule' - a male tortoiseshell may exist if the genetic development is abnormal but it is usually sterile; this is so rare that it is not included in the table. The following normal variations occur (the red asterisk * indicates the presence of the Orange gene) :-
As you can see from the table above - > Where the Orange gene is present on both of female sex chromosomes ( X*X* ) a Red, Cream or Apricot female may be produced. > Where the Orange gene is present on just one of the pair of female sex chromosomes ( X*X ) a Tortoiseshell female may be produced, i.e . the Red, Cream or Apricot colour incompletely masks the base colour in random patches (mottling). > An Orange male ( X*Y ) will only be produced if its dam is Orange (i.e. Red, Cream, Apricot or Tortoiseshell).
The Orange Mating Chart To find out what colours your kittens could be you need to know what base colour your Orange parent is (Red may be Brown or Chocolate based; Cream/Apricot may be Blue or Lilac based) and what colours those base-colours carry - then you apply the rules for mating the base colours. There is a comprehensive colour-mating chart in the book ‘Tonkinese Cats’.
This chart shows, in more detail than the above table, whether or not you could get Orange and/or Tortoiseshell kittens from a mating that includes the presence of an Orange gene. For the purposes of this table, the colours are described thus:- Orange = (Red, Cream or Apricot - or Tabby in these colours) Tortie = (Tortie in Brown, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac or Caramel, or Tortie-Tabby in these colours) Non-Orange = (Brown, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac or Caramel, or Tabby in these colours)
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