We are Celebrating Precious with International Maltese Day on June 27th!

We were sitting around (like most cats do) and we were admiring the Tabbys on Tabby Cat Day and we sent our furrend Precious a text asking if she was admiring our tabbiness...

AND she asked us if there was a special day for Gray (or Grey) Cats. We had NOT done a badge for Gray (or Grey) cats so we did some digging...

Fun facts about grey cats

Grey cats are stunning, with their sleek and shiny coats, and their emerald, gold, or sapphire eyes. They are also known for their playful and curious nature, as well as their intelligence and sociability. But did you know that the colour grey is genetically a form of black?

The Genetics of Grey Cats

Despite the many different shades of grey, from dove to oyster, and even the deepest slate, all grey cats are genetically black. The dilution gene, which comes in two versions, full-colour and dilute, affects the density of fur pigment. The dilute version causes the pigment to be deposited unevenly, resulting in a washed-out or dusty look. When a cat with black genes gets two dilute genes, one from each parent, it becomes a solid grey.

The Many Breeds of Grey Cats

There are many breeds of cat that can be grey, including the Russian Blue, the Korat, the Chartreux, the Nebelung, the British Shorthair, the Persian, the Scottish Fold, the Sphynx, and the Domestic Shorthair.

 AND

We and found out a Maltese cat is any whose fur is completely or primarily grey and regardless of breed. Maltese is a coat-colour term, not a breed name, just like TABBIES! 

So we looked for a special day for Maltese Cats and there was NOTHING! 

Now Gray (or Grey) cats are special! So we decided to make today, June 27th, Maltese Cat Day to 

CELEBRATE Maltese Cats! 

Especially our furrend Precious, who is the Maltese Queen!

Please go and tell Precious, how precious she is! s