However, mutations often occur leading to white spots or thinner stripes. Further, pigmentation alterations can also occur such as an all-black coat-- when the pigment cells produced only dark ...

A new study is the first to identify a molecular basis for cat coat patterns. Could cat stripes be an immune defense mechanism? By Rebecca Boyle Published Sep 20, 2012 11:46 PM EDT Get the Popular ...

Dark and mysterious with piercing eyes, black cats have long been considered underdogs in a competitive adoption market. Overlooked in shelters and associated with bad luck, they are passed over ...

To find out, Lewis Hong looked for genes whose activity varied between the yellow and black zones of a cheetah’s skin. His search yielded 60 genes that were more active in the black spots, and ...