Latest news with #gingercats
Asharq Al-Awsat
17-05-2025
- Science
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Decades-Long Mystery of Ginger Cats Revealed
Garfield, Puss in Boots, Aristocats' Toulouse – cultural icons maybe, ginger most certainly. And now scientists across two continents have uncovered the DNA mystery that has given our furry friends, particularly males, their notable color. They discovered, according to BBC, that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code, which means the cells responsible for their skin, eye and fur tone produce lighter colors. The breakthrough has brought delight to the scientists but also the thousands of cat lovers that originally crowdfunded the research. The scientists hope solving the puzzle could also help shed light on whether orange colored cats are at increased risk of certain health conditions. It has been known for decades that it is genetics that gives orange tabby cats their distinctive coloring, but exactly where in the genetic code has evaded scientists till now. Two teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery in simultaneous papers published on Thursday. What the teams found was that in the cells responsible for giving a cat its skin, hair follicles and eyes their color - melanocytes - one gene, ARHGAP36, was much more active. Genes are made up of pieces of DNA which give instructions to a cat's cells, like other living creatures, on how to function. By comparing the DNA from dozens of cats with and without orange fur they found that those with ginger coloring had a section of DNA code missing within this ARHGAP36 gene. Without this DNA the activity of the ARHGAP36 is not suppressed, and therefore, it is more active. The scientists believe that the gene instructs those melanocytes to produce lighter pigment. Also, for decades scientists have observed that cats with completely ginger coloring are far more likely to be male. This tallies with the fact that the gene is carried on the X chromosome. Chromosomes are larger sections of DNA, and male cats like other mammals have an X and a Y chromosome, which carry different number of genes. As it is a gene only on the X chromosome, in this case controlling the pigment production, then one missing piece of DNA is enough to turn a cat fully ginger. In comparison female cats have two X chromosomes so the DNA needs to be missing in both chromosomes to increase lighter pigment production to the same extent - it means a mixed coloring is more likely. 'These ginger and black patches form because, early in development, one X chromosome in each cell is randomly switched off,' explains Prof Hiroyuki Sasaki, geneticist at Kyushu University. 'As cells divide, this creates areas with different active coat color genes, resulting in distinct patches.'
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
What makes ginger cats ginger?
From Garfield to Puss in Boots and Captain Marvel's feline friend Goose, the movie world isn't short of iconic ginger cats. But what is it that makes them ginger? And why are 8 out of 10 ginger cats male?Well, scientists from two continents think they have uncovered the have discovered that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code. What makes cats ginger cats ginger? What exactly makes ginger cats ginger has been a long standing mystery for scientists. Whilst it has been known for decades that it is down to genetics, it hasn't been discovered where in the genetic code this distinctive colour comes from until teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery. It is all to do with the catchily-named ARHGAP36 has found that cats with orange colouring have a section of DNA code missing within this gene. Why are most ginger cats male? Not only does this section of missing DNA code explain the cats colouring, but it also explains why many ginger cats are male. The gene with the missing code is carried on something called the X chromosome. Chromosomes are larger sections of DNA. In male cats there is both an X and a Y chromosome, meanwhile in female cats there are two Y means for a female the missing part of DNA must be present in both X chromosomes for a cat to be fully ginger, whilst in male cats it only has to be present in the one X chromosome. Because of this mixed colouring, such as ginger patches, are more likely in the females.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Eight out of 10 ginger cats are male - and scientists have finally found out why
It is commonly believed that a ginger cat is more likely to cause trouble than other breeds but most feline fans might not realise that orange-coloured moggies are predominantly male. Scientists have now uncovered why 80 per cent of domestic ginger cats are boys - and it is all to do with the Arhgap36 gene. This piece of DNA, also found in humans, usually controls the nervous and hormonal systems, with no relation to pigmentation. But American researchers found in a cat's X chromosome a variation that switches on the Arhgap36 gene inside pigment cells. For male cats - who are made up of XY chromosomes - they only need one piece of this DNA to turn them orange. Whereas female cats - whose make-up is XX chromosomes - would need both pieces of this gene to match up to make them completely ginger. Having only one will lead to a partial tinge in a tortoiseshell or calico pattern. Other ginger-tinged mammals, like orangutans, tigers - and even redheads - will have this disruption take place at an earlier stage in a different gene and so affect males and females equally. 'This is a very unusual mechanism where you get misexpression of a gene in a specific cell type,' Dr Christopher Kaelin from Stanford Medicine in California said. 'In a number of species that have yellow or orange pigment, those mutations almost exclusively occur in one of two genes, and neither of those genes are sex-linked.' The lead researcher of the study published in Current Biology, which looked at 51 variations of cat genes, said that it arose 'probably early on in the domestication process'. Paintings from the 12th century have depicted ginger cats, suggesting this mutation has been around for hundreds of years and could have become more common as humans bred them for their radiant colouring. 'We know that because there are paintings that date to the 12th century where you see clear images of calico cats, so the mutation is quite old,' Dr Kaelin explained. So while ginger cats may be known as feisty, chaotic or fearless, this might just be down to them being male. 'There are not many scientific studies of the personality of orange cats,' the lead researcher added. Last summer, the 'orange cat behaviour' tag went viral online and had 643.1 million views on TikTok which showed off an abundance of rambunctious pets. Dr Anna Foreman, in-house Vet at Everypaw Pet Insurance, told MailOnline that though the science is vague, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence pointing to the conclusion that gingers are wilder than their counterparts. 'Studies on owner's perception of their cat's personality have shown that ginger cats are seen as more friendly, affectionate and playful,' she explained. Ginger cats are not only known for their extroverted personalities, but have become notorious through their popularity in pop culture and media. Winston Churchill famously kept an orange cat called Tango, and celebrities including Elizabeth Moss and Ian Somerhalder have shared snaps of their copper-haired felines on social media too. Elsewhere the film Garfield, which features a friendly but exceptionally lazy, ginger cat, has also likely played a part in people's association with the spirited creatures. In videos posted on social media, ginger cats can also be seen acting with bountiful energy and bravery, with one clip showing a pet jump from the top of an electricity pole all the way to the floor, much to their owner's horror. Cat behaviour expert Roger Tabor explained that science points towards there being differences in breed temperament but little to point directly to colour changing cat's behaviour, despite the claims made of orange cats.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
The reason your ginger cat is likely to be male
The ginger gene for cats has finally been found and explains why 80 per cent are male. For more than 100 years, scientists have suspected that the reason there are so many more male cats with orange fur lies in the X chromosome. Male cats only have one X chromosome, so it was proposed that even if they only inherited one copy of a 'ginger gene' they would still have orange fur, whereas females would need two copies because they have two X chromosomes. Scientists at Stanford University and Kyushu University in Japan have found that a mutation of the ARHGAP36 gene is responsible and it could also be linked to personality traits that owners have spotted in their pets. Ginger males are often dubbed 'Velcro cats' because they are affectionate and less aloof than other breeds. However, ginger females are often considered aggressive and irritable, particularly when being handled, and are unfriendly with strangers. According to Ontario Veterinary College, the pigment pheomelanin, present in cats with orange hues, is the same one that gives humans ginger hair, and science has shown that red-headed women have a lower tolerance to pain and discomfort. There is speculation that it affects female cats similarly, which makes them more cautious and standoffish, especially with people they do not know. Gene 'may influence more than coat colour' Prof Hiroyuki Sasaki, a geneticist at Kyushu University in Japan, said: 'Identifying the gene has been a long-time dream, so it's a joy to have finally cracked it. 'Since it is active in many areas of the body, including in areas of the brain and hormonal glands, it's possible that the orange variant may cause shifts in gene activity elsewhere, influencing more than just coat colour. 'For example, many cat owners swear by the idea that different coat colours and patterns are linked with different personalities. There's no scientific evidence for this yet, but it's an intriguing idea and one I'd love to explore further.' Prof Sasaki's team analysed DNA from 18 cats, 10 with orange fur and eight without. They found that all orange cats shared a specific deletion in the ARHGAP36 gene while the non-orange cats did not. Further analysis showed that the mutation was linked to reduced activity in many genes involved in melanogenesis, the process that produces pigment in skin and hair. The team believes the mutation may steer pigment production from dark eumelanin to lighter pheomelanin, creating orange fur. Different from tigers Female cats that inherit only one copy of the gene appear partially orange with a mottled pattern known as tortoiseshell, or with patches of orange, black and white known as calico. The findings were backed by a second study from Stanford which also identified the same gene and found it is completely different to the mechanism that causes orange fur in other species, such as tigers or orangutangs. Scientists believe that it was once rare in nature, but the adaptation may have made cats more appealing to humans, allowing the trait to proliferate with domestication. Orange cats are now widely distributed throughout the world. Dr Christopher Kaelin, a senior scientist in genetics, said: 'This is something that arose in the domestic cat, probably early on in the domestication process. 'We know that because there are paintings that date to the 12th century where you see clear images of calico cats. So the mutation is quite old.' The Stanford scientists believe that the differences in behaviour between ginger cats and other breeds may be less about genetics and more to do with them being largely male, but they could not rule out any impact from ARHGAP36. 'I don't think we can exclude the possibility that there is altered expression of the gene in some tissue we haven't tested that might affect behaviour,' Dr Kaelin said.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Decades-long mystery of ginger cats revealed
Garfield, Puss in Boots, Aristocats' Toulouse – cultural icons maybe, ginger most now scientists across two continents have uncovered the DNA mystery that has given our furry friends, particularly males, their notable discovered that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code, which means the cells responsible for their skin, eye and fur tone produce lighter colours. The breakthrough has brought delight to the scientists but also the thousands of cat lovers that originally crowdfunded the research. The scientists hope solving the puzzle could also help shed light on whether orange coloured cats are at increased risk of certain health has been known for decades that it is genetics that gives orange tabby cats their distinctive colouring, but exactly where in the genetic code has evaded scientists till teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery in simultaneous papers published on the teams found was that in the cells responsible for giving a cat its skin, hair follicles and eyes their colour - melanocytes - one gene, ARHGAP36, was much more are made up of pieces of DNA which give instructions to a cat's cells, like other living creatures, on how to comparing the DNA from dozens of cats with and without orange fur they found that those with ginger colouring had a section of DNA code missing within this ARHGAP36 this DNA the activity of the ARHGAP36 is not suppressed i.e. it is more active. The scientists believe that the gene instructs those melanocytes to produce lighter pigment. Ginger cats mostly male For decades scientists have observed that cats with completely ginger colouring are far more likely to be male. This tallies with the fact that the gene is carried on the X chromosome. Chromosomes are larger sections of DNA, and male cats like other mammals have an X and a Y chromosome, which carry different amounts of genes. As it a gene only on the X chromosome in this case controlling the pigment production then one missing piece of DNA is enough to turn a cat fully comparison female cats have two X chromosomes so the DNA needs to be missing in both chromosomes to increase lighter pigment production to the same extent - it means a mixed colouring is more likely."These ginger and black patches form because, early in development, one X chromosome in each cell is randomly switched off," explains Prof Hiroyuki Sasaki, geneticist at Kyushu University. "As cells divide, this creates areas with different active coat colour genes, resulting in distinct patches." Although couched in science, the study originally started off as a passion project for Professor had retired from his university post, but as a cat lover said he wanted to continue working to uncover the orange cat gene in the hope it could "contribute to the overcoming of cat diseases".He and his team raised 10.6m yen (£55,109) via crowdfunding for the research from thousands of fellow cat lovers across Japan and the contributor wrote: "We are siblings in the first and third grades of elementary school. We donated with our pocket money. Use it for research on calico cats." The ARHGAP36 gene is also active in many other areas of the body including the brain and hormonal glands, and is considered important for development. The researchers think it is possible that the DNA mutation in the gene could cause other changes in these parts of the body linked to health conditions or ARHGAP36 gene is found in humans and has been linked to skin cancer and hair loss."Many cat owners swear by the idea that different coat colours and patterns are linked with different personalities," said Prof Sasaki. "There's no scientific evidence for this yet, but it's an intriguing idea and one I'd love to explore further."
