     
History of Smoke Persians
by Pat Lichtenberg, Palmetto cattery
Basic Smoke Color Genetics
The following information is from The Book of the Cat
published by Summit Books, copyright 1980
Genotypes of Smoke Colors
| A |
Agouti -ground-color of tabby; banded yellow/orange |
| a |
Non-agouti - hair that is not banded |
| B |
Black pigment |
| C |
Full-color, or maximum pigmentation |
| D |
Dense pigmentation |
| d |
Dilute pigmentation (blue or cream) |
| I |
Inhibitor gene - suppresses pigmentation |
| i |
Normal pigmentation - full pigmentation |
| O |
Orange - all pigment yellow/orange |
| o |
Normal pigmentation (not orange) |
| aaB-D-I |
Black Smoke |
| aaB-ddI |
Blue Smoke |
| D-I-O(O) |
Red Smoke (Cameo) |
| ddI-OO |
Cream Smoke |
| D-I-Oo |
Tortie Smoke |
| ddI-Oo |
Blue/Cream Tortie Smoke |
The hairs on smokes are tipped with color and the  depth of the tipping distinguishes a cat as either Shell, Shaded, or Smoke. A Shell has the lightest tipping and the next darkest color is the Shaded group. The darkest and most common are the Smokes, with most of the hair shaft being pigmented.
The best-known color for a smoke is black, and it is due (as with all smokes) to the combined action of the Inhibitor gene, I, and the non-agouti a. The I gene produces a white undercoat, but the a gene produces extra amounts of pigment. The result is profuse tipping, but modifiers can increase or decrease the tipping. The only cats that have the Inhibitor gene are Smokes, Silvers, and Silver Tabbies. Being a dominate gene, it is not carried recessively. Therefore, at least one parent must display the Inhibitor gene (have tipped hair) to produce tipped offspring.
Cameos are the red equivalent of black smokes. The result from combining the I gene with the orange O. These cats possess a white undercoat and an overlay of rich apricot to red tipping. As with all red cats, however, tabby marking are inherent and can be dispersed only by selective breeding. This is because the non-agouti gene is ineffective on orange pigment, and for this reason too the smoke cameo - unlike other smokes - owes its intensity of color only to polygenes and selective breeding, not to a non-agouti genotype. When tabby markings are allowed to remain, the result is the cameo tabby, with red markings on a white background.
WiccaCats cattery is registered with the Cat Fanciers’ Association for the purpose of exhibition of quality Persian cats and kittens. All of our efforts are strictly in favor of this hobby. WiccaCats is not a business. We do not conduct business activities and therefore do not have a business telephone, address, or facility.
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