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How do cats get their spots?

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80% Informative

Researchers have identified two genes that affect the size and shape of spots and stripes.

Domestic cats with one or two normal copies of a gene called Taqpep have stripes.

Another gene that seems to affect spotting is Dkk4 , a gene that can also modify spots.

Although mutations in these genes can modify spots, these genes do not by themselves control whether cats have spots or stripes.