'Missing DNA’ in orange cats linked to fur colour, gender differences, brain & hormonal activity

If you have an orange/ginger cat, you know their energy is on a whole different level. They're wild, always zooming around, feisty, jumping on your head, getting into the fridge, hopping in the air; basically, everywhere. But no matter what, they're still super cute and special.

Ginger cats and their very odd personalities have intrigued so many cat lovers that some from all over the world have crowdfunded for scientists to do more research on what makes domestic ginger cats different.

Scientists across two continents have uncovered the DNA mystery that has given our furry friends, particularly males, their notable colour.

Two teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery in simultaneous papers published on Thursday (22 May 2025).

They discovered that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code, which means the cells in the ARHGAP36 gene responsible for their skin, eye and fur tone produce lighter colours.

The discovery also explains why most orange cats are male and why females with one copy of the gene develop calico or tortoiseshell coats.

The study suggests the orange gene may influence more than just coat colour, with possible effects on brain and hormonal activity.

For over a century, scientists have suspected that the orange gene is located on the X chromosome. Male cats, with only one X chromosome, will have orange coats if they inherit the orange gene.

Females, with two X chromosomes, need two copies of the gene to be fully orange, making them less common. If females inherit one orange and one black gene, they develop the patchy or mottled coats seen in calicos and tortoiseshells.

Since ARHGAP36 is active in many areas of the body, including areas of the brain and hormonal glands, the orange variant may cause shifts in gene activity elsewhere, influencing more than just coat colour.

'Missing DNA’ in orange cats linked to fur colour, gender differences, brain & hormonal activity

If your ginger cat is ALL personality and zoomies, this is for you.

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