No, cats with a true purple coat color do not exist naturally. While you won't find a cat that looks like a vibrant purple crayon or flower, there are certain feline coat colors that some people might perceive as shades of purple under certain lighting conditions or in descriptions.
Understanding Feline Coat Colors
Feline genetics dictate the wide range of coat colors and patterns we see in cats. The primary colors are black and red (orange), and all other colors are variations or dilutions of these base pigments.
Lilac and Lavender: What's Behind the Name?
The reference provided highlights that what some might associate with a purplish hue in cats is actually a specific dilution of traditional colors.
- It's a combination of the “blue” gene (most people think it is “gray” - but the cat fancy eschews the term “gray”) and the chocolate/brown gene.
This genetic combination results in a coat color officially known as lilac or lavender. This color is a pale, warm grey with a pinkish or purplish cast, which gives it its name.
- You can look up lilac/lavender cats. It's a common color of Siamese.
Breeds like the Siamese, Oriental Shorthair, and British Shorthair commonly exhibit the lilac color point or solid patterns.
Why Not "True" Purple?
The reference mentions:
- As for “true” purple, the problem is blue.
This suggests that the genetic pathways controlling feline coat color simply do not produce the specific pigments required for a color we would definitively call "true purple." The "blue" (grey) dilution is the closest genetic color modifier involved in creating the lilac shade, but it doesn't extend to producing a vibrant or deep purple.
Coat Color Genetics Simplified
Think of cat colors like mixing paints (very simplified):
| Base Color | Modifier Gene(s) | Resulting Color | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Dilution (d/d) | Blue (often called Grey) | A diluted black, appearing as various shades of grey. |
| Black | Chocolate (b/b) | Chocolate (or Brown) | A lighter brown version of black. |
| Black | Dilution (d/d) + Chocolate (b/b) | Lilac (or Lavender) | A diluted chocolate, resulting in a pale, warm grey with pinkish or purplish undertones. This is the closest cats get to a 'purple' shade. |
| Red | Dilution (d/d) | Cream | A diluted red, appearing as a pale orange or beige. |
| Various | White Spotting Gene | Adds white patches (bi-color, tuxedo, vân, etc.) | |
| Various | Agouti Gene (Tabbies) | Creates patterns (stripes, swirls, spots, ticks) | |
| Various | Colorpoint Gene | Restricts color to extremities (Siamese, Ragdoll) |
As shown, the "lilac" color is the result of specific genetic interactions, which yield a unique shade that is distinct from both grey and brown and can have a faint purplish cast. However, it is not the vibrant color commonly understood as purple.
In conclusion, while cats cannot be genetically "true purple," the beautiful and unique coat color known as lilac or lavender is a fascinating result of feline genetics that offers a hint of purplish-grey hue.
