December is all about white cats!

December is all about white cats! 

It’s that time of year when snow starts flying here in Central New York and while this isn’t an exact breed, the allure of the pure white cat is perfect for this month.  We’ve been lucky enough to have a few pure white cats stay with us as hotel guests and they ranged from a domestic shorthair to a Turkish Angora. There are some very unique traits with white cats and you’ll be surprised by them! Hint- 5% of cats are all white! 

Genetics- When one thinks of a white cat, they may think of albino which is completely different.  Albino cats simply lack the gene for pigmentation which affects skin, fur and eyes and the gene causing this is from both parents.  Now with a pure white cat, there are genetics involved but much differently.  The KIT gene plays an important part in the color of a coat.  If there is to be any white in the cats coat, this gene will decide. There is a dominant gene called the W (white) gene or Locus C or W but the Locus C will cause the complete white color and deafness. More on that shortly! When the W gene is dominant, this will result in blocking the color of the fur and not allowing any color or patches of color to occur and the result is a completely white fur cat. 

Eyes- White cats can have a variety of eye colors or two different colors! This is called heterchromia and is part of the genetics of having any white in their coats.  Cats with darker coats will not have this genetic combination and therefore, you won’t see heterochromia on say a black cat.  White cats can have blue, green or yellow eyes and the blue eye will be lacking melanin while the other eye will have some melanin giving it the color. However, blindness is not common. 

Ears- As mentioned earlier, the deafness in white cats is legit. Blue eyed white cats run a very high risk of being deaf and even having 1 blue eye raises the chances.  Not all white cats are deaf though but the risk is higher.  The masking gene which blocks the color can affect the ears and cause deafness.  Another interesting point is that the deafness will be on the same side as the blue eye!  

Colors and Coats-Having had a few all white cats at the spa already, there are many breeds that can be all white. To name only a few are ragdolls, American & British shorthair, Maine Coon and Persians. 

Hot Tip- Be careful with the sunbathing with these kitties as they can be sunburned very easily!  

Get Lucky!- While we often hear about black cats being bad luck, it’s the opposite with white cats. Many cultures believe a white cat is good luck so consider that when looking to adopt one.

We’ll be sure to post a photo of an all white hotel guest kitty so be sure to follow our social media at FB @rockthecatspa and IG @officialrockthecatspa. 

Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! 

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