Page 20 | Thread 1 - Lifeboat Muster Point for TalkExiles

Kucinghitam · 2022-11-28T09:42:55+00:00

Gather here all ye refugees from the foundering ship of JTT, if ye be in need of "How the heck do I format my post?" "Why can't I edit my typos?" "What do those acronyms mean?" and most importantly, "Where is everybody that I used to know?" Or just to chat randomly.

Kucingsparkles · 01/12/2022 14:29

@BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn Cat coat-colour genetics are so fascinating! I also love the temperature-sensitive mutation that causes Siamese cat markings.

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 14:34

I've mentioned before admiring the way my aunt's ginger cat, Paisley (big, orange, made a lot of noise) fed and groomed his kittens, while my cousin with the biology degree sputtered indignantly about IMPOSSIBLE! GENETICS!!!.

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 14:39

before in the old homestead, obv, I haven't quite got round to boring everyone on MN by repeating myself. Give me time.

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:14

Beautiful cats and fascinating to read those post on cat genetics and fur colour.

I'm not big on human biology but do like explaining some parts of plant biology to clients who want me to do the impossible, or, if not impossible, something that will be very bad for the plant. I enjoy telling them that, no, I cannot keep that shrub at 1.5m tall when its DNA is instructing it to grow to 3.5m and then go onto talk about the role of lignin in branch strength.

Knowledge of biology makes a lot of difference in forming opinions these days.

TassLeHoff · 01/12/2022 15:19

BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn · 01/12/2022 13:56

Female mammals have 2 X chromosomes per cell. But cells are set up to work with 1 X chromosome (otherwise males would be in trouble).

So to avoid having an overload of all the things the genes on the X produce, 1 X chromosome in each cell is switched off.

The choice of which one is switched off is random. And it happens quite early in embryo development - when the embryo is small bundle of cells (from memory it may be around the 16 or 32 cell stage). Every cell that depends from those initial 32 (or however many it is) will have the same X switched of as its parent cell. But that may not be the same as the cell next to it, which could have decended from a different cell in the original bundle.

Where cats come in, is that some of the genes for fur colour (specifically the black and ginger ones) are on the X chromosome. So if a female cat has 1 'black' X and 1 'ginger' X all the parts of her body with black fur developed from a cell that had the 'ginger' X switched off, and all the ginger parts came from a cell that had the 'black' X switched off.

That's really interesting, thanks!

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:20

How's this?

Very festive!

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:21

deeangelico · 01/12/2022 14:05

Some remarkable shitehoggery apparent when I looked into JtT today. I don't know why this should upset me, but it does. Old names, and even faces from meets, just being pillocks.

Are they still being angry, then? Goodness, it's almost a week!

TassLeHoff · 01/12/2022 15:22

And thanks Kuc, too!

TassLeHoff · 01/12/2022 15:24

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:14

Beautiful cats and fascinating to read those post on cat genetics and fur colour.

I'm not big on human biology but do like explaining some parts of plant biology to clients who want me to do the impossible, or, if not impossible, something that will be very bad for the plant. I enjoy telling them that, no, I cannot keep that shrub at 1.5m tall when its DNA is instructing it to grow to 3.5m and then go onto talk about the role of lignin in branch strength.

Knowledge of biology makes a lot of difference in forming opinions these days.

That's some smart shrub!

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:30

It would be if such a thing were possible, Tass!

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 15:30

Ah, I see what I did! 😅

MavisMcMinty · 01/12/2022 16:12

My cats often come for walks through the woods with me and the dogs, and (as long as the white-bibbed one isn’t looking straight at me) they’re so perfectly camouflaged against the leaf-covered woodland floor and ancient tree stumps/fallen trees, they could be in one of those “how many cats in this picture” puzzles on t’internet.

Kucingsparkles · 01/12/2022 16:42

Aw, Phoebe used to come for walks with us, but she's slowed down considerably with old age and never ventures outside our (small) garden these days.

In the seasonal spirit, did I mention that I put up our traditional advent mini-socks? (I daren't yet venture into any of the Christmas decoration threads, not until we have our tree up and mantlepiece dressed).

Thread 1 - Lifeboat Muster Point for TalkExiles

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 17:02

Sweet. Does the cat get her paw into them, Kuc?

CyanCyan · 01/12/2022 17:05

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 14:34

I've mentioned before admiring the way my aunt's ginger cat, Paisley (big, orange, made a lot of noise) fed and groomed his kittens, while my cousin with the biology degree sputtered indignantly about IMPOSSIBLE! GENETICS!!!.

That’s interesting, my friend’s male ginger cat was like this with a litter of kittens delivered by a stray cat he’d rescued.

CyanCyan · 01/12/2022 17:05

Kucingsparkles · 01/12/2022 16:42

Aw, Phoebe used to come for walks with us, but she's slowed down considerably with old age and never ventures outside our (small) garden these days.

In the seasonal spirit, did I mention that I put up our traditional advent mini-socks? (I daren't yet venture into any of the Christmas decoration threads, not until we have our tree up and mantlepiece dressed).

That looks fab Kuc!

Kucingsparkles · 01/12/2022 17:25

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 17:02

Sweet. Does the cat get her paw into them, Kuc?

She's never shown the slightest interest in them. Same with Christmas trees - never tried climbing them or attacking baubles, her only interest is that she loves to drink the tree water. Which I always try to discourage because I've heard it is bad for cats.

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 17:28

Paisley had gestated and given birth to his kittens. He retained his original pronouns throughout.

CyanCyan · 01/12/2022 17:32

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 17:28

Paisley had gestated and given birth to his kittens. He retained his original pronouns throughout.

Oh I see. Hahaha

Kucingsparkles · 01/12/2022 17:33

DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry · 01/12/2022 17:28

Paisley had gestated and given birth to his kittens. He retained his original pronouns throughout.

CyanCyan · 01/12/2022 17:34

K tucked up for the evening. He’s exhausted himself after an extended kneading session.

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 17:39

Pretty cat, Cyan!

I knew a cat who did a lot of kneading, but for some reason he only did it to me and he wasn't even part of my family. He'd snuggle in right close and knead and drool on me.

CyanCyan · 01/12/2022 17:52

That must’ve been devastating for his owner. I would be most affronted if K ever kneaded anyone else, which he hasn’t, and never will.

Tricyrtis2022 · 01/12/2022 18:09

The reaction was mainly one of shock as he was quite unfriendly to everyone except his human, the youngest son, and was prone to scratch most people.

They all had to have their own cat in that family so there were four cats in the house. It didn't work out too well as they didn't really like each other and they started scent marking all over the house. The parents split up and the cats were separated, two for each parent. It was funny the first time I visited the dad, who'd ended up with the kneading/drooling cat, because the cat ran up to me wailing. It was quite sweet.

Winterborne74 · 01/12/2022 19:34

Can’t add much to the pet chat (we have two goldfish) but I’ve just seen these baby stingray on Twitter which reminded me of Mach’s octopus. Love the description of “aliens stuck in ravioli”

twitter.com/jimrosecircus1/status/1598329879577206789?s=61&t=wg4yi7Apm2WRQ68ZPNHU4g