![]() ![]() Although if you try telling the cat that, it will probably just look at you quizzically before sauntering away. So, the next time you see a kitty wearing white socks, you'll know that this signature feature is a result of genetic mutations, domestication and developmental biology. Felines develop white feet, faces, chests and bellies when these cells don't quite make it all the way. Tortie Tortoiseshell and calico cats come in various colors: black, red, and white. If those waves of cells move far enough to meet each other on the cat's front side, the embryo will be born a solid-colored kitten, such as an all-black or all-orange cat. 5:33 PM EDT This is a typical calico cat with bright color patches. ![]() Then, those cells slowly migrate down and around the body. The cells that give cat fur its color first appear as neural crest cells, which are located along what will become the back, Lyons said. ![]() These distinctive fur colors and markings emerge while a cat embryo is developing. It's true of horses, pigs, mice, cows and rats. Behavioral traits seem unrelated to coat color, but for reasons that scientists don't fully understand, white spots tend to appear when the tamest individuals are selected and bred. Also known as a patched tabby, a Torbie is a tortoiseshell that has a very distinct tabby pattern on all coloured parts of the cats coat (but not on the white). Humans probably also selected for cats who were calm and comfortable around humans, Lyons said. Let's make sure it survives,'" Lyons said. "There were probably people saying, 'I particularly like that kitten because it has white feet. When humans started taking an interest in cats, these white paws would have stood out to them, too. In its native mixed forest or scrub desert environment, a cat with stark white paws would have stood out to predators and prey. There isn't much evidence to indicate why early cat people chose the individuals they did, but Lyons said the range of coats seen on modern domestic cats shows that our agrarian ancestors favored cats with markings that would have interfered with their camouflage. ![]()
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