Trait overview

The Siamese 'colorpoint' coat is a form of albinism characterized by darker pigmentation at the extremities of the body (ears, tail, paws). This appearance is due to a temperature-sensitive mutation in the tyrosinase gene causing pigment to be produced only at the cooler extremities of the body. This coat type is characteristic of Siamese, Birman and Himalayan cats.

Gene name(s)

TYR

Inheritance

Autosomal recessive (potentially co-dominant to Burmese coat color TYR mutation)

More common in the following breeds

Eastern and Western Siamese, , , Tonkinese

Citations

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15771720/