In most other mammals, like dogs, sheep, rabbits, and horses, mutations in a protein called Mc1r lead to red hair color, but ...

The work also explains why tortoiseshell and calico cats tend to be females Gayoung Lee The genetic basis for orange cats' coloration has long been unknown to scientists. oxygen via Getty Images ...

For more than a century, the genetic secrets behind the vibrant orange coats of ginger cats and the intricate patterns of tortoiseshells have puzzled scientists and cat enthusiasts alike.

Two new studies have revealed why some cats are orange — an enduring enigma of genetics, until now. Garfield, star of the eponymous comic strip created by Jim Davis in 1978, is, like many of the ...