Back in 2007, the first reports of unusual coloring of some cats appeared in Finland. They looked as if the printer where their pelts were “printed” had run out of toner. In many ways they had the features of a typical “tuxedo”: white chest, belly and paws. Less often such coloring was received by tortoiseshell and striped cats. The back was unusual in all cases: hairs on it have black color at the base and gradual transition to white at the tips.
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Researchers who studied this new type of cat coloring, called it “salmiak” – because of its similarity to the color of salted licorice, common in Finland. Scientists at the University of Helsinki wanted to identify the genetic basis for this coloration.
To begin with, they examined the region of DNA responsible for typical feline colors. They looked for variations that affect the white color in the coat. However, no peculiarities were identified there. More data was needed for analysis.
