Chip Chick
Cats are one of the world’s most beloved creatures, and they’ll still be one of the most popular animals for us to have in our homes for many years to come.
Not only are cats cute and great to have as pets, but they’re also fascinating creatures.
Recently, a specific kind of cat has sparked interest in the science community after their unique fur color was discovered to be caused by a genetic mutation.
When I hear the words “salty licorice,” I think about the Nordic snack with an acquired taste. However, Salty Licorice is also the name of a newer Finnish cat breed with beautiful black and white markings.
If you know anything about cats, you know there are already several breeds of domestic cats that can be found with black and white fur, like tuxedo cats.
However, the Salty Licorice cat is a special breed, as not only is it rare, but it also has a unique coat caused by a genetic mutation.
Salty Licorice cats have beautiful fur strands that start growing black and then eventually turn white towards the tip. This sparked the interest of scientists, who were determined to figure out how these cats could be born with what’s essentially natural ombré fur.
These special kitties were first spotted in 2007 in a Finnish village and, for years, were studied by researchers at the University of Helsinki. Their findings were recently published in a report for the Animal Genetics journal and proved to be quite interesting.
After studying the DNA of these rare cats alongside the DNA of around 40 other cat breeds, researchers found that a gene mutation is responsible for their unique fur.
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