Temperature-sensitive colors
The temperature-sensitivity of certain cat colorations is a spectacular phenomenon. Different parts of the cat will show different shades, since the efficiency of pigment production now depends on the local temperature, so it works better on the extremities than on the body.
Here's a picture of the heat emmission pattern of a cat, and next to it a photo of a colorpoint kitty:
Source: this video
It really is similar, isn't it?
You can follow this effect on kittens: before they are born, they bath in the even warmth of the womb, so first they’re evenly white colored, then quickly start to gain their marks: first only on the nose, the ears and the tail, only later a full mask and darker legs.
The development of Best Angel's Fernando, a black point mitted ragdoll:
Mink and sepia cats also do this, but they are darker at every given point then their pointed equivalents.
Meowmar’s Hel, black sepia burmese:
This temperature sensitivity works on adult cats, too: if a cat loses some of its fur for some reason, and later it grows back, it’ll be noticeably darker then the surrounding area, because the naked skin means the temperature is lower there.
This cat from messybeast had a leg injury that needed surgery, so now he wears pants until the next molt.
An interesting question is whether the karpati pattern is temperature-based or not. It often called "reverse colorpoint", because the most whitish areas are suspiciusly the same as on colorpoints: limbs, face, ears. It also changes most in the first months - however the direction of the change is the same: they born light and darken with age.
The development of Pablo Grey Heart, a black karpati transylvanian cat (he's one of the lighter kittens I believe):
555 notes
·
View notes
Hi! In your recent post, (the drawing of Eddie) you mentioned that you were struggling with the coloring. As someone who is obsessed with coloring and color theory, I was wondering if you would like some tips? If not I completely understand!
But just so you know, your coloring is awesome and I ADORE the color palette <333 have a lovely day!
(p.s, I'm sorry if I'm overstepping boundaries, it's not my intention but if I am let me know <3)
its not that i dont Understand! on a technical level, i do. i've watched/read countless tutorials, helpful posts, tips tricks shortcuts - you name it! i can look at someone's art and pick out the process behind it. hell, i look at my own work and im able to go "oh, this is what's wrong with it"
but there's just... idk some sort of disconnect in my head. a mental color blindness of a sort. its like looking at a thing and knowing how it works, but once you go to put it together your mind goes blank.
i mean i wouldnt say No to some tips. you never know what you don't know. there could be something You know that i somehow havent seen yet that would help immensely. so sure!
36 notes
·
View notes
Drumrolls....
Congratulation to color restriction, the winner of the cat color gene tournament!
An extremely variable, extremely cool gene, with at least five different alleles! Thank to this gene we have the iconic pointed, the elegant sepia, the mysterious mocha and the infamous albino, then (as a bonus) several curious heterozygotes, most importantly mink.
Thank you for participating in my tournament, i loved making it, collecting pictures and writing fun facts, and seeing your reactions. I hope you enjoyed it as well 😸 special thanks to @best-fictional-cat for sharing some of my polls and thus doubling the number of votes 😹
I won't abandon this blog, stay tuned for more cats and more cat genetics!
69 notes
·
View notes