1. 24 Aug 2006 Understanding Caramels Deb Armishaw & the Dilute Modifier effect

2. 24 Aug 2006 Black versus Red pigment in cats comes in two basic forms. Eumelanin is the dark pigment it produces black, brown (i.e. chocolate/cinnamon) colour Phaeomelanin is the bright pigment it produces red colour

3. 24 Aug 2006 Dense Colours Black = round shaped Eumelanin granules Chocolate = oval shaped Eumelanin granules Cinnamon = spindle shaped Eumelanin granules Red = round shaped Phaeomelanin granules dense coloured pigment granules tightly pack hair shaft

4. 24 Aug 2006 Dilute Colours Blue = clumped round shaped Eumelanin granules Lilac (Lavender) = clumped oval shaped Eumelanin granules Fawn = clumped spindle shaped Eumelanin granules Cream = clumped Phaeomelanin granules dilute colour pigment grains clump together in hair shaft

5. 24 Aug 2006 Dilute Modified Colours Blue Caramel = break away single + clumped round shaped Eumelanin granules Lilac (Lavender) Caramel = break away single + clumped oval shaped Eumelanin granules Fawn Caramel = break away single + clumped spindle shaped Eumelanin granules Apricot (Cream Caramel) = break away single + clumped Phaeomelanin granules

6. 24 Aug 2006 3 Lavender Caramel Oriental Kittens with a Lavender & Blue

7. 24 Aug 2006 Effect colour granules are clumped single grains break off muddies the light in the hair shaft causes the blue, lilac, fawn and cream to modify appears to have a browning effect Coat can have metallic sheen

8. 24 Aug 2006 Caramel is the modification of a colour. Like tabby or silver it does not and can not stand alone. It has to have a colour to exist. It is impossible for a caramel to appear in a litter of two blue, two lilac, two fawn or two cream parents. The Dm gene has no apparent effect on dense coat colours (Turner, 1992; Vella et al, 1999).

9. 24 Aug 2006 DenseDilute ModifierDilute Black Chocolate Blue Caramel Blue Lavender Caramel Lilac/Lavender Cinnamon Red Fawn Caramel Fawn Apricot Cream

10. 24 Aug 2006 There are four base colours Blue

11. 24 Aug 2006 There are four base colours Lilac or Lavender

12. 24 Aug 2006 There are four base colours Fawn

13. 24 Aug 2006 There are four base colours Cream or Apricot

14. 24 Aug 2006 Visual Chart of Dm Colours GeneDBB1O Dense BlackChocolateCinnamonRed Dilute Modifier Blue Caramel Lilac/Lavender Caramel Fawn Caramel Apricot Dilute BlueLilac/LavenderFawnCream These colours are not exact and are only to show where the Dm gene fits into the colour range.

15. 24 Aug 2006 Lilac Spotted Caramel Oriental

16. 24 Aug 2006 Lavender Caramel Solid (s) Kitten

17. 24 Aug 2006 Lavender Caramel Oriental

18. 24 Aug 2006 Fawn Caramel Lynx (s)

19. 24 Aug 2006 Fawn Caramel Solid Oriental (s)

20. 24 Aug 2006 Blue Silver Caramel Birman

21. 24 Aug 2006 Lavender Caramel Bicolour

22. 24 Aug 2006 Blue Caramel Balinese

23. 24 Aug 2006 References P Turner (1992) The Birth of Caramels. Courtesy: D Turner, NSWCFA CM Vella, LM Shelton, JJ McGonagle and TW Stranglen (1999) Colour Inheritance in Robinson’s Genetics for cat breeders and veterinarians. 4th edition, Butterworth Heinemann; Oxford, UK D Brown (1992) Feline Colour Genetics Dearinger Enterprises; Utah, USA