Cats display a wide variety of coat colours and patterns. Classification of these colours can be confusing sometimes because different registries or associations may use different names for the same colour. Several genes determine the coat colour of a cat. Unfortunately not for all genes involved the genetic background is known yet. For the genes known as A-, B-, D-, C-, and E-loci the genetic background is known and a DNA-test is offered at VHLGenetics to determine the genetic status of those genes. For the G-locus (White gloves), the S-locus (spotting) and the W-locus (albino) VHLGenetics doesn’t offer a DNA-test yet. For the O-locus (Orange), I-locus (Inhibitor) and the T-locus (Ticked) the genetic background is not known yet and therefore it is not possible to determine the genetic status of those genes with a DNA-test.
Within the above described coat colour genes, four genes explain the major differences; the B-, D-, C- and O-Locus genes. In the table below the possible combinations of these genes are indicated.
| B-locus | D-locus | C-Locus | O-locus | Coat Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | D/D or D/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Black |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | d/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Blue |
| b/b or b/b’ | D/D or D/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Brown, chocolate |
| b/b or b/b’ | d/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Lilac |
| b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Cinnamon, Red |
| b’/b’ | d/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Fawn |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male) | Orange, Red, Yellow |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male | Cream |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Tortoiseshell (tortie), Calico |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | C/C or C/cb, C/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Blue-cream, Blue tortie |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Sable, Seal Sepia |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | d/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Blue Sepia |
| b/b or b/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Chocolate Sepia, Champagne |
| b/b or b/b’ | d/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Lilac Sepia, Platinum |
| b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Cinnamon Sepia |
| b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cb | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Fawn Sepia |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cb | O/O (female) or O/- (male) | Red Sepia |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cb | O/O (female) or O/- (male | Cream Sepia |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cb | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Tortoiseshell (tortie), Calico |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cb | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Blue-cream, Blue tortie |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Seal Mink, Natural Mink |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | d/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Blue Mink |
| b/b or b/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Chocolate Mink, Champagne Mink |
| b/b or b/b’ | d/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Lilac Mink, Platinum Mink |
| b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Cinnamon Mink, Honey Mink |
| b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Fawn Mink |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male) | Red Mink |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male | Cream Mink |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cb/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Tortoiseshell (tortie), Calico |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cb/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Blue-cream, Blue tortie |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | D/D or D/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Seal Point |
| B/B, B/b or B/b’ | d/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Blue Point |
| b/b or b/b’ | D/D or D/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male) | Chocolate Point |
| b/b or b/b’ | d/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Lilac Point, Platinum Point |
| b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Cinnamon Point |
| b’/b’ | d/d | cs/cs | o/o (female) or o/- (male | Fawn Point |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cs/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male) | Red Point |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cs/cs | O/O (female) or O/- (male | Cream Point |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | D/D or D/d | cs/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Tortoiseshell (tortie), Calico |
| B/B, B/b, B/b’, b/b, b/b’, b’/b’ | d/d | cs/cs | O/o (female) or O/o/- (male XXY) | Blue-cream, Blue tortie |
