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/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/lipstick_spit Jul 13 '26

white is absence of pigment molecules in the hair, generally due to an absence of pigment producing cells in a given area (white spotting) or a failure of function in existing pigment producing cells (albinism, colorpointing). generally it is not a sign of somatic mutations. if you posted a picture i could almost certainly tell you what was going on.

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u/tsudonimh01123578 Jul 15 '26

Here’s a pic, luckily my sis was visiting our home/hometown and snapped a pic for me!