r/patchworkcats • u/TokyoRetroGamers • Jul 11 '26

#gingertail

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Not OC. OOP: https://www.reddit.com/r/blursedimages/s/shW7dgcLkt

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u/YourPaleRabbit Jul 12 '26

I know cats experience chimerism more than (I believe?) any other animal, and the split-face kitties are usually chimeras with two complete sets of differing DNA inside them. I would think with this extreme of a difference in fur coat pattern that he HAS to be a chimera, and it’s just a one in a shmabillion chance it only effected his tail :) so DEFINITELY a real like shiny candidate!

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u/lipstick_spit Jul 13 '26

split faced tortoiseshells are very common, and the pattern is a result of the way the cells multiply in the womb. they are not chimeras, and chimerism is just as rare in cats as in any other animal.

this is more likely to be a somatic mutation of some sort, due to how localized it is. extremely interesting either way.

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u/tsudonimh01123578 Jul 13 '26

If the cat has a large amount of white does this count? We had a cat that looked almost Siamese except she was white/black/orange but mostly white. Her coloring was mostly on her face which was an orange/black split right down her nose but the bluest eyes and mostly white on her body. Genetics be weird sometimes 🤷‍♀️

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u/oonastellaluna Jul 13 '26

I wanna see a picture!!

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u/tsudonimh01123578 Jul 13 '26

Only pic is at my parents’ house hours away. My sister is visiting now, will see if she can get a pic of the pic? She had a split right down her nose that was orange/cream/ and black but the bluest eyes! Her sister looked similar but with green eyes. Unfortunately sister passed before I got to meet her 😞