There is some question as to whether a cat's coat color is a good predictor of his personality. Any cat owner will tell you this is true, and the web has several lists of personality types.
The book The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour, 2nd edition
by Dennis C. Turner, lists three possible mechanisms for a causal relationship between cat coat color and personality type.- Coloring can affect the animal's perceptions, putting him at a physical disadvantage that affects his behavior.
- The chemicals involved in pigmentation are related to, or metabolized to form, neurotransmitters that affect mood.
- The genetic code for personality is on the same chromosome as the genetic code for coat color.
Reference
Turner, Dennis C. The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour, 2nd edition
. Cambridge University Press. 2000. pg 54.
Hmmm. Does that explain why all our orange kittehs have been CRAY-ZAY?
ReplyDeleteM says she learned something new today, cuz she didn't know dat. I guess I didn't know dat either.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting. I never thought about that about cat coat color :).
ReplyDelete