How to Choose a Mate for your Cat
If you own a pedigree cat, you will probably want to breed it with purebred cat of the same breed. If you plan to exhibit any of the kittens in the various cat shows, study the breed standards. Each breed has a standard of perfection - that is, a set of requirements which would add up to the perfect cat for the particular breed. This perfection is rarely achieved, but cat fanciers keep trying. Many of them have come very close to the standard of perfection.
If you are not interested in cat shows or breed standards, mate your cat with one that closely resembles yours in size, color and disposition.
GENETICS
Genetics plays a major role in animal breeding. Briefly, genetics is the science of heredity. The primary concern is the transmission of heredity units from generation to generation, as well as the assertion of these heredity units during the growth and life of the cat.
An in-depth. The average cat owner who may want to mate his or her cat should know some basic genetics.
The basic units of heredity are called genes. They are found along the chromosomes (rod-shaped bodies) of cells. A specific gene occupies certain spot on a particular chromosome. Theoretically, every mature reproductive cell (e.g. sperm and ovum) contains a gene for every inheritable characteristic. An individual resulting from the union of two such reproductive cells is endowed with a set of genes from each obits parent. Inheritable characteristics include shape and height of the body, color, length and texture of hair, etc.
Genes allow certain enzymes to be formed, which in turn allow specific chemical reactions to occur. These reactions ultimately determine the specific patterns of growth and development. Genes may also reproduce themselves. Geneticists tell us that genes are made up of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. However, some protein must be unhanded for the genes to function. Occasionally, a gene will produce a new hereditary trait through a change in its chemical structure (it is estimated that such a change will occur 1 time in 100,000). This spontaneous change is known as a mutation. Genes will mutate more frequently under irradiation or in the presence of certain chemicals. Finally, genes may be dominant or recessive.
However, some protein must be unhanded for the genes to function. Occasionally, a gene will produce a new hereditary trait through a change in its chemical structure (it is est.-mated that such a change will occur 1 time in 100,000). This spontaneous change is known as a mutation. Genes will mutate more frequently under irradiation or in the presence of certain chemicals. Finally, genes may be dominant or recessive.
Dominant characteristics
A dominant characteristic is one of any pair of opposite characters (for example, tallness and shortness) which, when genes for both are present in the germ plasma, rules or dominates over the other and appears in the offspring. Or, to put it another way, one gene in a pair may hide or prevent the expression of the other one.
Recessive characteristics
A recessive characteristic is the opposite of a dominant one. It re-mains latent or undeveloped.
Incomplete dominance
Genes are not always completely dominant or recessive. The alterna-tive forms of a gene are known as alleles. In some characteristics, bothalleles of a pair may be expressed. For example, the color of Short-horn cattle is a good illustration of incomplete dominance. A hom-ozygous red Shorthorn (i.e. when the paired genes for a particular trait are the same, the animal is homozygous for that trait) mated with homozygous white Shorthorn produces an offspring with a blend of red and white, or a roan color. The lack of a tail in the Manx cat is another example of incomplete dominance.
Pedigree cat
A pedigree cat is one that has recognized characteristics which have been preserved through generations of unmixed descent or breeding. (Abyssinian, Burmese, Siamese, etc.)
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy requires three generations of pure breeding before recognizing a new variety which has been obtained by crossing two different breeds, e.g., Colourpoint.