Five Little Monkeys

Top: Gretl, Brigitta, Upper middle: Kurt, Lower middle: Liesl and one of the greybies but I couldn't tell you who!

Kurt has always been lighter than Brigitta. But he's obviously darker than Liesl. I do genuinely wonder whether he's a chocolate after all? A chocolate solid? Or is it just natural variation? I'm going to register him as a brown solid, but... oh bother it! I'm just not sure. Oh well, as ever, if he is obviously NOT brown as an adult I'd be more than happy to change his pedigree.

I do think, in my next litter, I really need to find myself a chocolate stud. I thought two of my blues were chocs, so I need a chocolate, or a chocolate and lilac ONLY litter, in order to get my mind straight as to what chocolate actually looks like... because you see I've only ever seen it at shows, not here, every day, for 13 weeks.  I'm not even sure if there is a chocolate stud in Tonk-world at the moment, or up and coming, at least as it will be next year minimum. Hope so!

Speaking of monkeys... Louisa was the first today to scale the 'cat gate' and get into the kitchen. She was incredibly pleased with herself. What a minx!

Kurt... and Brigitta

Oh those brown kittens! Some people love them, some not at all. The last two visitors on Saturday had only the brown solids left to choose, and they both had the same question to ask- how dark will they get?

Well the truth is, it's like asking how long is a piece of string. It really is. Google 'solid brown Tonkinese' and you will see a wide range of colouration from a rich warm brown to a very deep, dark shade indeed. Google 'natural solid Tonkinese'- the phrasing they use in the USA, and some of the cats look almost black- although still with distinguishable points. I suspect they have slightly different colouration standards over the pond as I've never seen such a dark brown solid here in the UK (on exhibition at shows etc) but it is possible, at least.

Now me, I like a really dark cat, but when some people think 'Tonk' they are really thinking of the siamesey colouring, and a solid can throw them a little. And then they have to decide whether they want a cat that is so dark. Because if truth be told, the light colours seem to be the most favoured ones. (Some breeders though specialise in the browns... it's all a matter of personal taste after all)

Now this might seem irrelevent... after all does it really matter? Well, yes I think it does. There are lots of reasons for choosing a particular pedigree cat, but aesthetics surely play their part. I first fell in love with the Tonkinese breed because they were beautiful, before I ever found out about their wonderful temperaments and decided to get my Indigo. And when I chose Indigo I specifically wanted a lilac, and I would have waited for a lilac if one hadn't been available. I didn't want a brown or a chocolate, and while I do have a soft spot for blue that wasn't my preference either.

So I showed our guests pictures in books and on the net, and made sure both knew how dark a solid brown can get. And with both parties I said that if at all unsure about a cat, I strongly advised NOT getting said cat. It's worth hanging on for the right one, is my feeling, even if you have to wait a few months. And indeed one family decided that would be most appropriate... and one decided she liked Kurt very much whatever his eventual colouring might be and he was going to be her next cat. Both decisions were undoubtedly the right ones :)

So Kurt had been claimed by M, and that just left Brigitta...

I'd had a call on Saturday from C, to find out if I had any Tonks left in the litter. Her family are bringing home a lilac boy any day, and they had been expecting a dark pointed siamese boy at the same time, but the breeder of the siamese decided to keep him for breeding at the last minute (bit unfair that, they'd had a contract and everything...) One single cat wasn't their idea at all, so the hunt was on for a playmate.

Well, the kittens were utterly delightful. They played, they snuggled, they romped and they climbed. They ate their dinner nicely, and some of them took themselves off to the litter tray as well. Basically they did themselves proud. Yes please we would like Brigitta, said the family, we'll PayPal you when we get home.

And then... THEN... the Siamese breeder decided the boy was available after all, and given he'd be the same age as the Tonk they are getting, they had decided it would be more appropriate to have him as they had originally intended. By which time I had turned down another two prospective families for Brigitta, who have now arranged to see other cats and will probably choose them, so I'm really quite annoyed about it. Not with C, I'm sure she was most embarrassed about it (I would have been...) but with the Siamese breeder.

So anyway, sweet Brigitta is still on the lookout for her family, and I've learned a thing or two. As a result though, I'm no longer accepting payments- deposits or balances- via PayPal. For reserving a kitten, its cash at the time and no reservation till payment is made, and equally balances cash only please. I'm sorry to be a pain but I had a lady ring who was desperate to have Brigitta who has now chosen another kitten- that could have been Brigitta's home if I hadn't assumed payment was on the way. I'm sure someone else will claim her, but even so, I could kick myself for being naive.

The Browns

Ok, more colour musings today!

As far as I can tell at this point, I have three brown kittens- Liesl, Kurt and Brigitta. I was pleased to have a good number of browns and chocolates this litter as my last litter were all dilute. No idea what I will go for next year- it depends on the available studs I suppose.

Liesl

Deep brown points with a pale body- Louisa must be a brown mink. This is the colouration of her father Monty (Hylily Priceless Picasso) and she does look awfully similar.

 Brigitta:

Brigitta is my darkest kitten, with noticeably less contrast between her points and body than her sister. She could turn out to be a brown mink, but my guess is that she is a brown solid.

Kurt

And Kurt is somwhere inbetween! The jury is out with Kurt at the moment- I'm thinking mink now but I coud easily change my mind. But he has the 'golden Siamese' look about him- and the golden Siamese were mink cats.

The pens, by the way, are so I can tell which cat is which! When they are all together I can pick out individuals no problem, but when there's just the one it's a bit trickier, plus in years to come, will I necessarily remember just by a photo?

Here's Monty, the kittens' father, owned by Hylily. He's an adult brown mink. A couple of links- and these are not my cats, I'm just using them for illustrative purposes- this is an adult brown solid http://www.flickr.com/photos/cox-on-the-box/2604815833/  and this is an adult brown pointed http://www.mimaperks.co.uk/

Poo!

Ah, the moment when one comes in in the morning to find A POO IN THE LITTER BOX. Wonderful! It means that for one kitten, at least, the penny has dropped, and where one kitten-er- 'goes', the others will follow. And indeed by the time of typing, half five in the evening-ish, there are now three poops where indeed they ought to be. Hurrah!

Yes, I am sad and have no life! Yes, I am aware I have just advertised my kittens, linking to this site and here I am writing about poop. I can't help it, I'm thrilled! (welcome, by the way, if you've popped over from an advert or on recommendation :) )

They are funny when they first start to go on their own though. They utter agonised howls, attracting the attention of Mama and the rest of the litter, and settle down on the litter with a look of absolute concentration. *snigger* It's pretty funny.

Brigitta and Kurt in the litter trays. Brigitta is sniffing a tissue I had just wiped up someone elses piddle with. She then promptly pooped in the tray herself. Hurrah!

Interestingly, this photo shows the difference in colour between Kurt and Brigitta. Brigitta does seem darker doesn't she? I had thought both were brown solids, but now I think Brigitta is a solid and Kurt is a mink. You can see that lovely colour around his shoulders that first led brown Tonks to be called the 'Golden Siamese'? Bear in mind a) I am a pants photographer, b) they are kitten-fluffy still but they WILL be sleek and glossy when older and c) it's mid-winter and the light quality is bad- imagine Kurt (or Liesl, or Brigitta for that matter) in the summer, in a beam of sunlight, with all that goldenness shining off a sleek coat... mmmmmm!

*I cannot keep another cat, I cannot keep another cat, I cannot....*

More Colour Musings

But firstly, once again, if anyone is here from the advert in Your Cat, welcome to my blog, where I ramble on about my kittens and permanent resident cats and post lots of cute pictures... like this one!

This is Freddie, and yesterday he officially became the first kitten to crawl out of the nest. Very clever!

I've had another nibble, someone who may want a kitten. Hello, P, if you are reading this!

I'm going all out this time to get the colours correct *grin* so now that their nose leathers are starting to colour up- the earliest indicator- I've taken pictures of the kitten's noses to see if they hold true- plenty of time for them to change, but we will see.

I'm only lightly holding the kittens heads in these piccies... of course they all screamed their heads off like I was murdering them hehe. The photos aren't clear (my replacement camera isn't as good as my other one, but what do you do just before Christmas??? Still haven't found it...)

Liesl.

Nose leather really quite dark. She's also developing quite a marked difference between ears and body, so my guess is brown mink.

Friedrich

I'd had Freddie down as a brown solid, but look at his nose. It's dark, but a warmer, pinker dark than Liesl's. He's still pretty dark all over though, so I'm going for chocolate solid.

Kurt

Very dark nose. I think he must be a brown, whether a solid or a mink I have no idea because of his odd colouring- I got a pic of it...

his bottom half looks really pale in comparison to his dark little head. No idea what's going on there! Judging by his head colour I'd say solid, but by his bottom colour mink. Um...?

Louisa

I had Louisa down as a chocolate, but that nose is looking very lilac to me... much paler than her possibly chocolate siblings noses. Her fur has lightened up considerably too and her ears are not really noticeably darker than the rest of her- yet. So possibly a lilac solid. Otherwise a chocolate.

Brigitta

I had thought she was a choc solid before, but that nose is really dark, so now I'm thinking brown solid

Marta

Looks like a chocolate nose to me. Chocolate solid?

Gretl

That little face cracks me up!

In the photo her nose looks a bit pinky but looking at Gretl and Louisa side by side, Louisa's is much warmer. I'm sticking with my original thought here, blue mink.

Anyway them's my thoughts at the current time! No doubt they will change again though, but I think having a visual record will help me in future years when it comes to determining a kitten's colour. Whatever they are, they are all yummy! 

Colourful!

Ok, so I thought I'd do the same thing I did a few days ago re sexing the kittens- that is, take photos of their colour/ pattern development for future reference. As we all know I wasn't too hot on the whole colour question last time (although to be fair it is difficult!) so I thought an aide-memoir on here would be a good thing.

I think I can rule out having any lilac or chocolate minks. I know that they are born nearly white, and none of my kittens are that pale. A sfor what they actually are, shall we just note here and now that really, I have no idea, I'm just guessing at this stage!!!
Kitten 1

One of the 'inbetween' kittens. My guess, chocolate solid or brown mink.

Kitten 2

The teenager calls this 'The Wendell kitten' and insists he's just like him but I don't think he is really, he's too dark for a blue. I'd guess brown. He's darker than his father, coat wise, too, so I can't see how he could be anything other than a brown solid

Kitten 3

An inbetween kitten. The photo of him didn't come out, but he is most alike in colour to kitten 5. A lovely warm colour. Well his head is, his bottom is much paler! (must get a photo of him, he's odd!)

Kitten 4

Another inbetween kitten. Slightly cooler in tone.

Kitten 5

The fourth inbetween kitten. This one is a lovely rich warm colour in the light, I'm guessing this is a chocolate solid.

Kitten 6

This is the other dark kitten, nearly as dark as kitten 2. My guess, a brown solid.

Kitten 7



The lightest kitten. I don't think its a lilac solid- the tips of the fur are dark in certain lights. Given that I don't think any of the kittens were light enough to be chocolate minks, I'm going with blue mink for this baby. But I don't really know!

So there's my litter... quite, quite different to the last one, I'm sure you will agree!

Genetics: Brown, Chocolate And Cinnamon

It all sounds good enough to eat, doesn't it?

I spoke before about all cats being basically black, genetically. I also discussed how this is actually dark brown, and is known by several different names, such as seal, or natural.

The brown gene can be expressed different ways and the different expressions (of any gene, not just this) are known as alleles. There are three alleles in this instance; brown (black, seal), a warmer brown called 'chocolate', or a rich, auburny colour called cinnamon. Cinnamon is not an accepted colour in the Tonkinese, but it's worth including it in the discussion.

The brown gene is not sex linked, like the orange gene is, so all cats will have two alleles in their genetic profile. These can be the same, for example, brown and brown, or different, for example chocolate and cinnamon. Having two alleles the same is known as being homozygous, two different alleles is known as heterozygous.

So which allelle eventually determines the cat's colour? Well, some allelles are dominant over others. Brown is dominant to chocolate and cinnamon. Chocolate is recessive to brown and dominant to cinnamon, and cinnamon is recessive to both brown and chocolate. A pecking order, if you will.
So a black (brown, seal, natural) cat  might be homozygous (brown/brown) or heterozygous (brown/chocolate or brown/cinnamon) but it will still be a brown (black!) cat.

My black cat Sofia could be brown/brown, brown/chocolate or brown/cinnamon, genetically.

It's important though, as the recessive alleles can be passed on genetically, and when, for example, two chocolate alleles are passed on, one from each parent, the kitten will be chocolate and not brown. Which is why, in the cat fancy, you might see a cat described as 'brown, carrying chocolate' (for example). That means that the cat is heterozygous for colour. It's colour is brown, as it has one brown allele which is dominant. But it also has one chocolate allele, which it can potentially pass on to its offspring.

clear as mud- or chocolate- eh?

It's worth mentioning that the orange gene masks the colour gene, however it presents itself- brown, chocolate or cinnamon. Also the important word here is mask- not replace. The colour gene will be hidden but genetically still be present and will still be passed down to subsequent generations. This is what I got wrong last year!