RE: Discovering hidden traits in kittens started using recessive traits!!
Hi:
I just want to chime in here for a second. I understand what Fabao is saying and what he is doing - besides being so gracious and generous with his time and sharing information for the benefit of new breeders. He is applying genetics from RL to pixel pets which I think are very well scripted lol. For one to think that the 80% tendency is applicable as much to the one who buys 10 cats as it does to the one who buys 50, or 100 is to not consider that statistics of All kinds require an adequate sampling. It may well be that say 50% of all kitties have a hidden new recessive...but that does not mean that if i buy 10, that percentage would apply. To maximize my efforts here or RL, I believe inbreeding or tight linebreeding will nail down the traits I want and expose the hidden ones i may or may not want. And I also know that the use of recessives to *encourage* other recessives to reveal themselves is a very important step. It may not work the first time, or even the third or ever. But that doesnt mean his points are invalid.
I met Fabao not long ago and I was as impressed with his professional approach to this as I was with the fact that he Takes The Time to share what he has learned. I do not get the impression that he is saying he is the discovered of the Mendelian Genetics. He is essentially trying to simplify and put into kitty logic what he can from his understanding of genetic principles...and as long as there is a "gene pool", there will always be a gray area where we get surprised especially in most cases the breeder has no clue of the pedigree beyond grandparents. At least in RL i could trace my peds back 8-12 generations in a minute. Here with KC we often see new breeders make choices depending on phenotype and not considering whatever genotype they can and cannot see....
Just my 2 cents...and my thanks for those who take time to sit here and post and teach and help others when I am sure they could just as easily be keeping knowledge to themselves so they can be the big fish in the small bowl. Thank you all for your contributions here!
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