![]() The white on both the calico and caliby is due to the white spotting gene that prevents melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) from proliferating fast enough. This leads to the formation of melanin clumps of varying sizes along the hair shaft, as well as areas lacking in pigment, resulting in a coat colour that appears lighter than it actually is. In cats with dilute colouration, the process of melanin synthesis remains unchanged, but the pigment granules in the hair become enlarged and unevenly deposited. These cells contain melanosomes, which synthesize and store melanin before it is transported out of the cell via dendrites to adjacent keratinocytes – the cells responsible for producing the protein keratin. This gene encodes melanophilin, which is a carrier protein responsible for the proper distribution and transportation of pigment granules in pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. The process of dilution in cats occurs due to the deletion of a single base pair in the melanophilin (MLPH) gene. If the cat also carries the dilute gene, black is diluted to grey, chocolate to lilac and red to cream. Dilution:īoth calico and caliby cats carry the dilution gene, which alters the colour of the coat. ![]() Both patterns are characterized by a tri-colour coat consisting of white and red, with the addition of a third colour that can vary between black, grey, brown, cinnamon, lilac, or fawn. Both the caliby and the calico coat pattern/colour combination occur almost exclusively in female cats, which we will go into later.Ĭalico and caliby cats share some similarities that may lead to confusion. Calico and caliby are both coat colours and patterns that are widespread among random-bred as well as purebred cats.
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