The other colour is red. Red too knows its dilutions viz. Cream and under the influence of the dilute modifier gene apricot. As the colour red does something for me and as I always express that, it seems useful to me to look a little closer at the hereditary factors of this beautiful colour.

A cat has 19 pairs of chromosomes. If we make a comparison between the female and the male we notice that the female has nine pairs of large and ten pairs of medium-sized chromosomes. The male on the other hand has 9 pairs of large and 9 pairs of medium-sized chromosomes, next to that he has one pair of chromosomes that consists of a medium-sized and a smaller chromosome. From this we can conclude that the separate pair of chromosomes is responsible for the determination of the sex of the kittens. The sex-determining pair of chromosomes of the females is indicated by XX, whereas that of the male is indicated by XY. The Y-chromosome develops the male characteristics in the ovum. As all chromosomes the sex-determining chromosomes carry genes.

As we are speaking of sex-determining chromosomes, this implies that the hereditary characteristics of the genes on these chromosomes are also sex-linked. With red it is the mutant that causes the orange-red pigment phaeomelanine. The genetic symbol is O. The gene O can be found on the X-chromosome which determines the colour. The Y-chromosome is smaller and does not carry a corresponding gene. We can therefore speak of two genotypes: the male animal that has only one X-chromosome and can therefore only be red or non-red, the latter is indicated by the symbol o. The female animal however has two X-chromosomes. Here there are many interesting possibilities like OO for red-red, the symbol of a phenotypically red cat, Oo for red/non-red, which gives a phenotipically tortie cat and oo for non-red/non-red, which we see as a black cat. The red cat OO is called homozygotous for red and the tortie cat Oo is called heterozygous for red. The tortie is in so far unique that the fur is influenced both by the gene O as well as the gene o (which I call, "genetic enrichment"). This explains the patched pattern. From the above we can deduct that infect the female that is determines the colour!

I have already mentioned the phaeomelanine. How does this orange-red pigment work. A biochemical process makes the black and all derived colours disappear from the hair structure. That gives a lighter pigment grain which we perceive as red. In other words: the eumelanine (black) becomes phaeomelanine (red). Another phenomenon with the red fur is that both agouti (A) and non-agouti (a) look the same phenotypically. This is called epistasis. The non-agouti (a) gene can only occur in black pigment. The light tabby markings do not disappear under the influence of the phaeomelanine. This explains why red hairs always have an agouti-pattern.

A not to be discounted and more difficult to manipulate group of genes is a group of modifiers, which are better known as polygenes. They are responsible for the deep red colour. By careful selection of males and females the colour can be intensified. Chocolate-based reds also give a warm intense pointscolour.

Frequently asked questions regarding the breeding of red.

• Does bar-less red exist?

From the above it goes that genetically this is not possible. There are tricks to make it appear bar-less but that is only an illusion. A bar can always be found somewhere. There are however Redpoints with a good colour with hardly an agouti-pattern but what causes this is not genetically  cleared for the moment. Reds with little agouti usually have very little or no colour in the legs or the inhibitor gene is involved.

• Is it possible to breed redpoints with points of which the intensity can be compared to the intensity of sealpoints.?

As explained, a non-agouti red cat is phenotypically identical to a red agouti cat. This gives us the right to compare red cats to black agouti cats. Look at the legs of a seal-tabbypoint! They also lack the full colouring of a sealpoint.

• Do redpoints carry other colours?

Red is epistatic, as mentioned before. Red cats can mask black or chocolate. A creampoint is blue under its coat.

• Do red cats always have freckles?

Very often they do. When getting older we often see them appear on the gums, ears or nose. Red cats masking black show them more than red cats masking chocolate. The colour of the freckles can be used to determine the underlying colour of the cat.

• Is the character of the red cat different from other cats?

Often red cats are more active, cleverer and affectionate. Experience has taught me that they are sometimes clumsier than other colours. It also depends on how you socialize them as a breeder.

• What about titles gained as Redpoint and due the offspring it turned out to be that the Redpoint is a redtabbypoint? (Fife cats)

The fife has come up with a simple solution.

Here an example; we have a Redpoint kitten out of a tabbypoint and a non-tabbypoint. As we have learned we registered the kittens as redtabbypoint. So we have a pedigree-registered redtabbypoint (SIA d 21) but he also looks like a Redpoint (SIA d) and is shown that way also because he then can compete in a bigger class. Judges have to judge phenotypic because that is what they see. Now he is already and Grand Champion and it turned out to be that he really is a redtabbypoint because he produced tabby offspring. On the pedigree of his offspring he will be registered as redtabbypoint but his title he will now registered as (phenotypic Redpoint)

Finally I would like to show you a number of mating possibilities. (See appendix, by hanging you mouse over the links. No need to click!)

Example. 1:   Here you see the diagram for a mating between a black male and a red female. The progeny will be red males and tortie females.

Example 2:    This is the result of a mating between a red male and a black female. Black males and tortie females.

Example 3:    More interesting are the matings with torties. A mating with a black male will give the following: black and red males, black and tortie females.

Example 4:    A mating between a tortie and a red male: Here you can expect black and red males as well as red and tortie females.

Example 5    Finally a  red-red mating. Ofcourse all Red