Recently, an interesting message appeared on the social network Twitter Lucy Huber / Twitter from user Lucy Huber:
Yesterday I read somewhere that the reason why cats often have white paws and bellies, but never the other way around, is that even in the womb their color begins to develop on the spine and then spreads further. And everything that is not ready at the time of birth remains white. And I can't stop thinking about it.
This post quickly went viral, it has already had more than 13 million views. In the comments, the author suggested sharing photos of cats and cats, ironically at their "willingness".
Tikake and Zora are almost ready, but they were pulled out of the oven before they could become crispy.
My Teakake and her sister Tetley were cooked perfectly! I like their small white chins, which complement their beautiful striped fur.
My seemingly raw, but otherwise perfect girl. She has the softest fur.😻
According to this logic, a black cat is "completely ready", an absolutely white one is "raw", and a black and white one is "medium—ready" or "medium‑rare" (by an inappropriate analogy with steaks).
To the question of whether the theory about white paws and belly is correct, the Womansworld portal tried to answer after a consultation Why Do Cats Have White Paws? Vets Weigh in on the Fascinating Science of Cat Colors with a number of veterinarians and scientists. In short, it's not that simple.
According to Dr. Grant Little, a veterinarian and JustAnswer expert, it's all about genetics.
The pattern and color of a cat's fur is influenced by many genetic factors. When a cat (or other animal) has white spots, it is called a piebald. This is a genetic feature in which melanin does not fully mature in hair cells, and in most cats this is more common on the limbs than on the trunk.
There is truth in the statement about the spread of color from the back, noted veterinarian Lindsey Wendt.
Dark areas of cat hair are formed from cells known as melanocytes. The progenitor cells of the embryo's melanocytes originate from an area called the neural crest, which is located in the back area and becomes the spine.
According to Wendt, one theory is that these progenitor cells migrate across the surface of the skin, starting from the vertebral region, but they do not reach the most remote areas such as the paws, the tip of the muzzle and the abdomen, which leads to the absence of pigment cells and, consequently, to the white wool.
The second theory is that the pigment progenitor cells migrate evenly over the entire surface of the skin, but there is an opposite genetic or cellular mechanism that works in the opposite direction, destroying the pigment and leaving the limbs white.
Although there is a possibility that the dark coat begins to develop from the vertebral zone, Dr. Little notes that the spread of color has nothing to do with time.
No matter how funny it is to think that a cat is "not fully ready" (and I laughed at this joke), white paws may well be associated with intrauterine changes and have nothing to do with the length of stay in the womb.
White paws should be considered from an evolutionary point of view, says Dr. Annie Valushka, a specialist in pet behavior from Purina.
The fact that cats generally have white fur is interesting. Especially when you consider that for mesohistory A meso—predator is a medium-sized, medium-trophic predator that simultaneously hunts and becomes a victim. Such distinctive features are rather a minus, because they mean greater visibility, attracting the attention of both other predators and potential prey.
Also, the presence of white paws suggests that humans may have played a role in actively selecting such traits in the process of domestication, Annie added. According to her, when it comes to pets, in particular cats and dogs, in different species, behavioral traits that are selected during domestication are genetically related to physical characteristics such as curled tails, hanging ears — and piebald fur with white spots, among others.
Although all veterinarians say that there is some truth in the viral Twitter message, it does not reveal the whole story. Cats with light fur and dark paws are also found, albeit much less often. It is believed that such individuals have "color limitations," Dr. Wendt added. This means that they have a genetic mutation that affects temperature-sensitive areas and leads to a decrease in pigment in warmer areas of the body (trunk) and an increase in color concentration on the limbs, as well as ears, tail and muzzle. Such a coat is most often found in purebred Siamese cats.
This was confirmed by Annie Valushka, who noted that since pigment is produced only in the coldest parts of the body, Siamese kittens are born completely white, because they were warm in the womb.
To summarize, the genetic process that results in white paws is much more complex than the original post on social networks suggests. But at the same time, there is still a grain of truth in the version about the spread of dark color from the spine. Anyway, understanding the complex scientific theories about this issue only makes us appreciate these cute socks even more.
