Colour genetics
The basic colours
The red gene
The lynx gene
Matings board : the basic colours
| PARENTS | SEAL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
 |
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| SEAL | |
100%  |
50% 50%  |
50% 50%  |
25% 25% 25% 25%  |
|
50% 50% |
50% 25% 25%  |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5%  |
|
|
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
50% 25% 25%  |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5%  |
|
|
25% 25% 25% 25% |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% |
25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5%  6,25% 6,25% 6,25% 6,25% |
|
| PARENTS | SEAL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
||
| BLUE |  |
100% |
50% 50% |
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
 |
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
50% 25% 25% |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% |
|
| PARENTS | SEAL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
||
| CHOCOLATE |  |
100% |
50% 50% |
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
 |
50% 50% |
50% 25% 25% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
25% 25% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% 12,5% |
|
| PARENTS |
SEAL |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
||
| LILAC |  |
100% |
50% 50% |
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
|
| PARENTS |
BLUE |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| BLUE | |
100 % |
50% 50% |
|
50% 50% |
50% 25 % 25% |
|
| PARENTS |
BLUE |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| CHOCOLATE | |
100 % |
50% 50% |
|
50% 50% |
25% 25% 25% 25% |
|
| PARENTS |
BLUE |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| LILAC | |
100 % |
50% 50% |
| PARENTS |
CHOCOLATE |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| CHOCOLATE | |
100% |
50% 50% |
|
50% 50% |
50% 25% 25% |
|
| PARENTS |
CHOCOLATE |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| LILAC |
|
100% |
50% 50% |
| PARENTS |
LILAC |
|
|---|---|---|
|
||
| LILAC |
|
100% |
Matings board : the red gene
The red gene is sex linked (to the X chromosome).
All females being XX and males being XY, a male kitten only needs one red gene to express the colour and hence, always follows the mother's colour.
For a better understanding, we used the word BLACK, determined by eumelanin but, concerning the Ragdoll, it can either be SEAL, CHOCOLATE or CINNAMON (and their dilutions BLUE, LILAC, FAWN).
As opposed to the RED gene, responsible for the red colour (or its dilution, CREAM).
The combination of both colours is called tortie and can only be found in females (males are an exception).
The Tabby gene (A for Agouti, a for non-agouti) is called LYNX in the Ragdoll breed. All cats carry 2 Tabby genes, even if they do not express the Tabby markings. Tabby is not a colour but a pattern.
Nota : of course, you can find cats that combine the RED colour and the TABBY pattern. A tortie female that also shows the tabby pattern is called tortie lynx, also called « torbie » (tortie + tabby).
All females being XX and males being XY, a male kitten only needs one red gene to express the colour and hence, always follows the mother's colour.
For a better understanding, we used the word BLACK, determined by eumelanin but, concerning the Ragdoll, it can either be SEAL, CHOCOLATE or CINNAMON (and their dilutions BLUE, LILAC, FAWN).
As opposed to the RED gene, responsible for the red colour (or its dilution, CREAM).
The combination of both colours is called tortie and can only be found in females (males are an exception).
| PARENTS |
RED MALE | BLACK MALE | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
||
| BLACK FEMALE |  |
 100%100% |
100%100% |
| RED FEMALE |  |
100%100% |
100%100%
|
| TORTIE FEMALE | |
50%50%50%50% |
50%50%50%50% |
|
Matings board : the lynx gene
The Tabby gene (A for Agouti, a for non-agouti) is called LYNX in the Ragdoll breed. All cats carry 2 Tabby genes, even if they do not express the Tabby markings. Tabby is not a colour but a pattern.
Nota : of course, you can find cats that combine the RED colour and the TABBY pattern. A tortie female that also shows the tabby pattern is called tortie lynx, also called « torbie » (tortie + tabby).
| PARENTS | LYNX AA MALE |
LYNX Aa MALE |
non-LYNX aa MALE |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
||
| LYNX AA FEMALE |
 |
100% |
50% 50%  |
100% |
| LYNX Aa FEMALE |
 |
50% 50% |
25% 50% 25% 
|
50% 50%
|
| non-LYNX aa FEMALE |
 |
100% |
50% 50%
|
100% |
|
