Sharon Ardalo reports Mutation Has Led to a New Type of Cat, Scientists Say:
A research team has identified a new type of cat which has the typical adorable face and fur pattern of the black and white tuxedo cat, but with a difference: the fur on this feline’s back starts off with a solid color at its base, such as black, and gradually turns white at the tip — all caused by a unique mutation.
The researchers — made up of scientists and animal welfare advocates — revealed this new cat in a study published earlier this month in the journal Animal Genetics and gave its uncommon cat coloring the name salmiak, after a popular salty licorice in Finnish, to invoke the salt and pepper fur of this kitty.
The cat was first noticed back in 2007 in Central Finland, where people spotted local cats with these distinct coats. Besides the particular pattern on its back, the cats tended to have white or almost white tails and their eyes were generally yellow or green.
They also came in different variations with black, brown and tortoiseshell, and were thought to be possibly infertile due to the relatively low incidence of this fur type — until people discovered a salmiak cat give birth to a litter of squealing, melt-in-your-face-cute kittens.