I don't think I've ever seen any research regarding the topic, but I can
tell you that it cannot possibly be a coincidence that many calico cats *do*
have an attitude!  A disproportionate number of the most
aggressive/temperamental cats that I have seen in my career are calicos or
torties.  Most everyone who works with animals has undoubtedly seen the same
thing.  So it makes perfect sense to me that there are certain behavioral
tendencies that are color-linked.  If you do find any research into it,
please let us know!

Deborah, DVM

It's not really clear what the link IS between epinephrine and melanin --
does the study mean that cats with more melanin have more ephinephrine?  In
that case, one would have to conclude that all-black cats (assuming their
skin is also black, which it isn't always) have more ephinephrine than
all-white cats, true?  I guess torties would fall in the category of having
a lot of pigment, as they tend to be mostly black/brown with some orange
mixed in.  However, a lot of calicos have a lot of white, so they wouldn't
be expected to follow the same pattern.  I would think tabbies would have a
lot of pigment (again, without actually shaving my cats, I can't say for
sure, and I'm not going there), yet I have two brown tabbies with
significantly different personalities.  It's an interesting scientific fact,
though.  I wonder if it carries over to humans?  Oy, I can hear the
political fallout already.... M9

In alt.med.veterinary Jack Crane <jdcrane7@yahoo.com> wrote:

Then, how would you explain my torbie?  She's a dilute tortoiseshell with
*heavy* tabby markings (the tabby markings are not just on teh various
spots, but she's tabby marked like a solid red tabby would be).  But both
she and her sister are definitely tortoiseshells.

natalie

I'd like to know if

How about nutrition and coat color:

full text available at www.nutrition.org
J. Nutr. 132:2037-2042, 2002
Nutrient Requirements
Cats Require More Dietary Phenylalanine or Tyrosine for Melanin Deposition
in Hair than for Maximal Growth1
Peter J. B. Anderson, Quinton R. Rogers and James G. Morris2
Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine,
University of California, Davis, CA

Introduction
The color of mammalian hair results mainly from the secretory products of
the melanocytes. Organelles referred to as melanosomes within these
specialized dendritic cells synthesize melanin, which is secreted into the
surrounding keratinocytes where they become incorporated into the hair.
Follicular melanocytes differ from those in the epidermis in that they
synthesize larger melanosomes, are active only during anagen stages III?VI
of hair growth, and are inactive during telegen (1 ). Two types of melanin
are synthesized in follicular melanocytes: eumelanin, which is brown to
black, and pheomelanin, which is reddish-brown (2 ). The pathways for the
synthesis of these two types of melanin were presented by Morris et al.
(3 ). The physiologic signals that regulate this switch include
the -melanocyte?stimulating hormone and the agouti protein (4 ).
Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA),3 the hydroxylated product of tyrosine, is the
precursor of both types of melanin. We have been unable to find any
reference to the effect of dietary tyrosine (or phenylalanine) on the color
of mammalian hair. However, the tendency for phenylketonuric human subjects
to have fair hair has been commented upon from time to time since the first
observations of Folling in 1934 (5 ).

Am J Vet Res. 2004 May;65(5):671-80.
Assessment of the neurologic effects of dietary deficiencies of
phenylalanine and tyrosine in cats.
Dickinson PJ, Anderson PJ, Williams DC, Powell HC, Shelton GD, Morris JG,
LeCouteur RA.
Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary
Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the neurologic effects of reduced intake of
phenylalanine and tyrosine in black-haired cats. ANIMALS: 53 specific
pathogen-free black domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were fed
purified diets containing various concentrations of phenylalanine and
tyrosine for < or = 9 months. Blood samples were obtained every 2 months for
evaluation of serum aromatic amino acid concentrations. Cats were monitored
for changes in hair color and neurologic or behavioral abnormalities. Three
cats with neurologic deficits underwent clinical and electrophysiologic
investigation; muscle and nerve biopsy specimens were also obtained from
these cats. RESULTS: After 6 months, neurologic and behavioral abnormalities
including vocalization and abnormal posture and gait were observed in cats
that had received diets containing < 16 g of total aromatic amino acid/kg of
diet. Electrophysiologic data and results of microscopic examination of
muscle and nerve biopsy specimens from 3 cats with neurologic signs were
consistent with sensory neuropathy with primary axonal degeneration. Changes
in hair color were detected in cats from all groups receiving < 16 g of
phenylalanine plus tyrosine/kg of diet. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:
Findings suggested that chronic dietary restriction of phenylalanine and
tyrosine in cats may result in a predominantly sensory neuropathy. In cats,
the long-term nutritional requirement for phenylalanine and tyrosine appears
to be greater for normal neurologic function than that required in
short-term growth experiments. Official present-day recommendations for
dietary phenylalanine and tyrosine in cats may be insufficient to support
normal long-term neurologic function.
PMID: 15141890 [PubMed - in process]

buglady
take out the dog before replying