|
|
|
|
|
Points (Fur Color) points (coat color) In cats, a point is a dark coloration of tail, face, ears, and paws. It is often, but not always, quite dark or black. Points are found in several cat breeds and are sometimes part of these breeds' standards. Especially in lighter colored cats (eg, the Siamese) the points can be of several shades. If not black, or at least quite dark, they are often referred to as colourpoints. The cause is a gene which is heat sensitive. On cooler areas, like the tail and ears, the pigment is expressed and the fur is darkly tinted. On warmer skin surfaces, the gene's operation is repressed. In most breeds, points are not apparent at birth, there having been little temperature difference in the womb, but begin to appear after several weeks. The effect can be quite striking, as in Siamese and other similar breeds or more subtle, as in the 'natural mink' Tonkinese.
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|