24 Aug 2006

Understanding Caramels

Deb Armishaw

& the Dilute Modifier effect

24 Aug 2006

Black versus Red

• pigment in cats comes in two basic forms.

• Eumelanin is the dark pigment • it produces black, brown (i.e.

chocolate/cinnamon) colour• Phaeomelanin is the bright pigment • it produces red colour

24 Aug 2006

Dense Colours

• Black = round shaped Eumelanin granules• Chocolate = oval shaped Eumelanin

granules• Cinnamon = spindle shaped Eumelanin

granules• Red = round shaped Phaeomelanin

granules• dense coloured pigment granules tightly

pack hair shaft

24 Aug 2006

Dilute Colours

• Blue = clumped round shaped Eumelanin granules

• Lilac (Lavender) = clumped oval shaped Eumelanin granules

• Fawn = clumped spindle shaped Eumelanin granules

• Cream = clumped Phaeomelanin granules

• dilute colour pigment grains clump together in hair shaft

24 Aug 2006

Dilute Modified Colours

• Blue Caramel = break away single + clumped round shaped Eumelanin granules

• Lilac (Lavender) Caramel = break away single + clumped oval shaped Eumelanin granules

• Fawn Caramel = break away single + clumped spindle shaped Eumelanin granules

• Apricot (Cream Caramel) = break away single + clumped Phaeomelanin granules

24 Aug 2006

3 Lavender Caramel Oriental Kittens with a Lavender & Blue

24 Aug 2006

Effect

• colour granules are clumped • single grains break off • muddies the light in the hair shaft • causes the blue, lilac, fawn and

cream to modify • appears to have a browning effect• Coat can have metallic sheen

24 Aug 2006

Caramel is the modification of a colour.

• Like tabby or silver it does not and can not stand alone.

• It has to have a colour to exist. • It is impossible for a caramel to appear

in a litter of two blue, two lilac, two fawn or two cream parents.

• The Dm gene has no apparent effect on dense coat colours (Turner, 1992; Vella et al, 1999).

24 Aug 2006

Dense Dilute Modifier Dilute

Black

Chocolate

Blue Caramel Blue

Lavender Caramel

Lilac/Lavender

Cinnamon

Red

Fawn Caramel

Fawn

Apricot Cream

24 Aug 2006

There are four base colours• Blue

24 Aug 2006

There are four base colours

• Lilac or Lavender

24 Aug 2006

There are four base colours

• Fawn

24 Aug 2006

There are four base colours

• Cream or • Apricot

24 Aug 2006

Visual Chart of Dm Colours

Gene D B B1 O

Dense Black Chocolate Cinnamon Red

Dilute Modifier

Blue Caramel

Lilac/Lavender Caramel

Fawn Caramel

Apricot

Dilute Blue Lilac/Lavender Fawn Cream

These colours are not exact and are only to show where the Dm gene fits into the colour range.

24 Aug 2006

• Lilac Spotted Caramel Oriental

24 Aug 2006

Lavender Caramel Solid (s) Kitten

24 Aug 2006

Lavender Caramel Oriental

24 Aug 2006

Fawn Caramel Lynx (s)

24 Aug 2006

Fawn Caramel Solid Oriental (s)

24 Aug 2006 Blue Silver Caramel Birman

24 Aug 2006 Lavender Caramel Bicolour

24 Aug 2006 Blue Caramel Balinese

24 Aug 2006

References

• P Turner (1992) The Birth of Caramels. Courtesy: D Turner, NSWCFA

• CM Vella, LM Shelton, JJ McGonagle and TW Stranglen (1999) Colour Inheritance in Robinson’s Genetics for cat breeders and veterinarians. 4th edition, Butterworth Heinemann; Oxford, UK

• D Brown (1992) Feline Colour Genetics Dearinger Enterprises; Utah, USA