Traits

Cats either have one base color or two. These base colors come in either Black or Pigment. In normal cat genetics, Pigment is known as “Red”, but in New Paths, this comes in three different variations: Red, Yellow, and Blue.

Typically, only Dams (cats capable of bearing kits) are capable of carrying more than one copy of a Black and/or Pigment gene as they are attached to the “X” chromosome. Rarely, a mutation or a stray gene will allow for a Sire to carry both, though this sometimes causes infertility. In New Paths, we describe these cats to be apart of the wider Intersex spectrum. 

Examples:

• XoY - Black Sire
• XORXOR - Red Dam
• XORXo - Classic Red/Black Tortoiseshell Dam
• XOBXOY - Blue/Yellow Tortoiseshell Dam
• XOBXoY  - Blue/Black Tortoiseshell Intersex

These are basic color palletes for each of the base coat colors. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines!

Eumelanin affects the Black pigment in cats and is almost exclusive to Black base coat cats. There are two variations, Chocolate and Cinnamon. The Chocolate gene (bb) turns black into a chocolate-brown, while the rarer Cinnamon (blbl) turns black into a lighter, cinnamon-brown.

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Bb) would be only a carrier of the gene. Chocolate is dominant over Cinnamon, so if a cat has a single copy of both genes, it will present as Chocolate.

Examples:

• BB: No change.
  
• Bb or Bbl: No change, carries Chocolate or Cinnamon respectively.
  
• bb: Chocolate
  
• bbl: Chocolate carrying Cinnamon
• blbl: Cinnamon

These are basic color palletes for chocolate and cinnamon. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines!

Design note: Chocolate is still darker than most Pigmented cats, while Cinnamon can be as or more light than Pigmented cats. While Pigmented Cats can have this gene, it is up to the artist if they want to have a distinct difference (Eumelanin may optionally make Pigmented cats slightly lighter) and is not required. Please note that eumelanin affects all black, including the tabby striping as well.

Dilution is a recessive gene that lightens a cat's coat overall. Dilution (dd) turns Black cats Gray (Sometimes called “Blue” in real life, such as the Russian Blue breed), Red cats Cream, Yellow cats Sand, Blue cats Ice. 

These are basic color palletes for each of the dilute coat colors. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines!

See also: Dilution Modifiers Warm and Cold.

New Paths has two different Dilution Modifiers, as opposed to the Caramel Modifier that exists in real life. Both Dilute Modifiers are Dominant, but only present if the cat displays the Dilute Gene as well.

Warm pushes a cat’s overall color toward warmer colors. Turns Gray cats Caramel, Cream cats Apricot, Sand cats Honey, and Ice cats Heather.

These are basic color palletes for each of the warm coat colors. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines!

New Paths has two different Dilution Modifiers, as opposed to the Caramel Modifier that exists in real life. Both Dilute Modifiers are Dominant, but only present if the cat displays the Dilute Gene as well.

Cold pushes a cat’s overall color toward warmer colors. Turns Gray cats Slate, Cream cats Wine, Sand cats Tea, and Ice cats Cyan.

These are basic color palletes for each of the warm coat colors. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines!

A Colorpoint (cpcp) cat has fur that is darker at the extremities or “points”. Also known as Siamese, Burmese, or Mink. When a cat shows Colorpoint, the artist may determine how sharp this contrast is, as we do not differentiate between Siamese and Burmese genes.

These cats are born completely white and darken over time. Around three weeks of age, the points will start to darken, but the full colorization won’t appear until around one year of age.

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Ccp) would be only a carrier of the gene. Colorpoint is dominant over Albino, so if a cat has a single copy of both genes, it will present as Colorpoint.

Examples:

• CC: No change
  
• Ccp: Carries Colorpoint
  
• cpcp: Colorpoint
  
• cpc: Colorpoint carrying Albino

See also: Albino

Albinism is a rare, recessive gene that causes a cat to have no pigment. This gives them a white pelt, pink skin, and blue or red eyes. This hides all markings, similar to Dominant White. It only presents if a cat has two copies of the gene (cc).

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Cc) would be only a carrier of the gene. Colorpoint is dominant over Albino, so if a cat has a single copy of both genes, it will present as Colorpoint.

Examples:

• CC: No change
  
• Cc: Carries Albino
• cc: Albino
• cpc: Colorpoint carrying Albino

Also known as: Golden

The Wideband (WbWb/Wbwb) is a dominant gene that causes Tabby cats to have a Golden color regardless of their base coat. Their stripes will still present as normal and be tinted as appropriate for their base color.

This gene has no effect on Solid cats. Interacts with the Inhibitor gene.

Also known as: Silver, Smoke

Inhibitor (InIn/Inin) is a dominant gene that affects the Wideband gene. The Inhibitor gene causes Wideband Tabby cats to be Silver instead of gold, with stripes presenting as normal and tinted as appropriate for their base color.

Additionally, Inhibitor has a unique interaction with Solid cats, with or without Wideband. Solid Inhibitor cats present as Smoke, a lighter gradient appearing throughout the fur due to having lighter strands with dark tips.

Sunshine (shsh) is a recessive gene that is similar to Wideband, however the cat is born as their basecoat and “warms” over time to a golden. Paw pads and tail tip remain darker in color. When present, the Inhibitor gene causes a cat to be bimetallic, appearing as patches of gold coloring that develop over time in a silver cat.

Although Sunshine is recessive, cats that carry the sunshine gene may be warmer in hue than they otherwise would be.

One of three Gemstone genes, Amber is comparable to the Amber gene in Norwegian Forest Cats, and appears as a drastic pelt change with age. Over time, the Amber (eaea) gene will begin to turn black pigment an amber (yellow) color starting from the back and working its way down.

A Solid Black cat will turn Amber but may retain black striping, as well as a black nose leather. A Black Tabby will turn into an Amber Tabby, similar to a Yellow Tabby but richer. A Black/Red tortoiseshell will become Amber/Red.  

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Eea) would be only a carrier of the gene.

See also: Sapphire and Ruby.

One of three Gemstone genes, Sapphire is comparable to the Amber gene in Norwegian Forest Cats, and appears as a drastic pelt change with age. Over time, the Sapphire (eses) gene will begin to turn black pigment a sapphire (blue) color starting from the back and working its way down.

A Solid Black cat will turn Sapphire but may retain black striping, as well as a black nose leather. A Black Tabby will turn into a Sapphire Tabby, similar to a Blue Tabby but richer. A Black/Red tortoiseshell will become Sapphire/Red.  

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Ees) would be only a carrier of the gene.

See also: Amber and Ruby.

One of three Gemstone genes, Ruby is comparable to the Amber gene in Norwegian Forest Cats, and appears as a drastic pelt change with age. Over time, the Ruby (erer) gene will begin to turn black pigment a ruby (red) color starting from the back and working its way down.

A Solid Black cat will turn Ruby but may retain black striping, as well as a black nose leather. A Black Tabby will turn into a Ruby Tabby, similar to a Red Tabby but richer. A Black/Red tortoiseshell will become Ruby /Red.  

This is a recessive gene, so a cat with (Eer) would be only a carrier of the gene.

See also: Amber and Sapphire.

The Opal gene is a mutation of the Gemstone genes that occurs when two different Gemstone genes are present. As with other Gemstone genes, it appears as a drastic pelt change with age. Over time, the Opal (eaea) gene will begin to turn black pigment into a mix or combination of the two Gemstone genes starting from the back and working its way down.

There are three variations:

• Sun Opal: Amber and Ruby (eaer) (gold-orange-red, fiery hues)
• Earth Opal: Amber and Sapphire (eaes) (blue-cyan-green-yellow, watery, beach hues)
• Moon Opal: Ruby and Sapphire (eres) (blue-violet-pink-red, after-sunset hues)

Any variation of a mix between the two colors is acceptable. A design may be a perfect mix (Sun Opal being a Rich Orange) or present as similiar to Sunshine but using the two Gemstone colors. Gradients or Tortieshell presentation is both valid. In general, taking inspiration from the actual Opals they are named after is welcome, though the colors are limited to the range between the two Gemstones.

Vibrant is a variation on Dilution Modifiers that occurs when a cat has both a Dilute Cold Modifier and a Dilute Warm Modifier. This gene results in a vibrant color within the range of the cat's original basecoat, and has several variations.

These are basic color palletes for each of the vibrant coat colors. You are not required to color pick these when designing your cat as these are only guidelines! As a general rule, Vibrant Black should be less saturated and much darker than a Vibrant Pigment.

For Vibrant cats with Tabby, they may display in a few different ways:

• A Dilute or Modified Dilute Basecoat with vibrant stripes (ex: Tea with Vibrant Tabby)
• A Vibrant Basecoat with darker, less saturated stripes
• A Vibrant Basecoat with darker, but still highly saturated stripes
• A Vibrant Basecoat with stripes using a different hue of the Vibrant Basecoat

For Vibrant Black, any hue may be used for the Basecoat, but it should stay either relatively desaturated and/or relatively dark compared to a Vibrant Pigment.

You may still have the same variants as above. Examples:

• A Dilute or Modified Dilute Basecoat with vibrant stripes (ex: Gray with Vibrant Tabby)
• A Vibrant Basecoat with darker stripes.
• Vibrant Black (Purple hue).
• Vibrant BLUE - not Vibrant Black.

Compare the last two for a better idea on what Vibrant Black vs. Vibrant Blue using similiar hues should be. Note how Vibrant Black is similar to a purple-tinted grey, where as Vibrant Blue is a fully saturated purple.