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      The VAN coat pattern in Persians.

Patterns Produced by the White Piebald Spotting Gene

All Black = Grade 1    Mitted (Ss)= Grades 2 to 3, low grade white   Bicolor (Ss) = Grades 4 to 5, medium grade white   Harlequin (SS) = Grades 6 to 8, high grade white   Van (SS) = Grade 9, highest grade white   All White = Grade 10

Cats have only two basic colors (Black and Red). All other colors are variations produced by the affect of the dilute (recessive) and/or agouti factors in the coloring matter in the hair fibers (melanin). 

• Male cats carry only one color (Black or Red)
• Female cats carry two colors (Black and Black); (Black and Red); or (Red and Red).
• Male kittens get their color from their dam (i.e..Black dam produces Black sons).
• Female kittens get one color from each parent (i.e..Black dam x Red sire produces Tortoiseshell daughters).
• If both parents are dilute (Blue, Cream), then the color of all offspring must always be dilute.

• A White cat must have a white parent.

The piebald spotting gene is inherited as an incomplete dominant gene.  This is what causes the variation in penetrence and expressibility.  EXPRESSIVITY - Refers to the degree of phenotypic expression of a gene or genotype.  Absence of expressivity is also called nonpenetrance. 

Vans (Harlequins) are produced from a (Bi-Color x Bi-Color), and (Bi-Color x Van Bi-Color). When both sire and dam are Vans, then all kittens produced will be Van Bi-Colors. A Van is a white cat with color confined to the extremities; head, tail, and legs, one or two small body spots or color patches on the body are allowable. 

• When a Solid color is bred to a Bi-Color (or Calico), you would expect 50% of the offspring to be a Solid color and 50% of the offspring to be Bi-Color and Calico.
• When a Bi-Color is bred to a Bi-Color (or Calico), you would expect 25% of the offspring to be a Solid color, 50% of the offspring to be Bi-Color, and 25% of the offspring to be Van Bi-Colors.
• When a Bi-Color (or Calico) is bred to a Van Bi-Color, you would expect 50% of the offspring to be Bi-Color and 50% of the offspring to be Van Bi-Color.
• When Van Bi-Color is bred to a Van Bi-Color, only Van Bi-Color offspring can produced.
• When a Solid color is bred to a Van Bi-Color all resulting offspring will be Bi-Color or Calico; Van Bi-Color kittens can not be produced when one parent is a Solid color.