Traits

In New Paths, we sort cats into three genetic boxes: 

XY - Sire
XX - Dam
XXY - Intersex

Variations you may know include "Tom" and "She-Cat" or "Molly" in various fandom spaces. For New Paths, we opted for gender-neutral terms. A "Dam" is simply a cat that is capable of being pregnant, while a "Sire" can impregnate another cat. An Intersex cat typically will be either capable of one or the other, or infertile, but this is left up to the player.

Note: There are other variations of intersex genetically speaking-- including XX and XY intersex individuals!-- but this is simplified for the sake of gameplay purposes while allowing representation.

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!

For the purposes of New Paths, there are four basic genes that go into a cat’s fur type. This has been simplified for the purposes of allowing more creative freedom.

The default fur length is either Short (LL or Ll) or Long (ll), and Long fur is recessive. These genes may be hidden or altered by other pelt genes.

See also: Rex, Hairless, LaPerm, Lykoi

The Agouti gene controls the color banding in a cat’s fur. In Pigmented cats, Solid still presents with tabby markings, but these can be made more subtle for artistic interpretation. 

This gene determines whether a cat is Tabby (AA or Aa) or Solid (aa). Tabby is dominant over Solid.

Design Note: A Black cat with Tabby will present as a Brown cat with Black striping.

See also: Charcoal

There are two default varieties of Tabby that can be further modified by other genes.

Tabby comes in Mackerel (McMc/Mcmc) or Classic (mcmc). Mackerel is thinner striping that typically runs perpendicular to the fur, whereas Classic is thicker, more swirled striping.