Question

A yellow cat has a litter of 4 kittens: 1 yellow and 3 calico. Assuming there is a single father for the litter, what is the probable sex of the yellow kitten? I know its a male but Im not sure how to draw it out on my punnet square

Answer 1

if calico is tricolor - than it is located on the x chromosome.therefore the yellow may have inherited a y

Answer 2

Calico cats occur as a result of X inactivation. Each cell in each female has two X chromosomes in it but only one is used. The other shrivels up into an inactive "Barr Body." Which of the two chromosomes does this is completely random.

Yellow or black coat color in cats is X linked - the alleles are carried on the X chromosome. Each individual cell expresses the allele on the active X chromosome only. So as a result, female cats which are heterozygous for yellow and black alleles have a mottled (or "calico") pattern.

By contrast, the male cats only get one X chromosome with one coat color allele. They are only that one color and no other color, so the yellow kitten is probably a male.

Ttom should get credit for that answer - it's what he said but in a little more detail.

Answer 3

The yellow would probably be a male. Thats usually how it is with cats....