Research overview: genetics of coat length and hair type in cats

Beyond color, cats vary in coat length and texture, from longhaired Persians to the curly Rex breeds and the nearly hairless Sphynx, each with an identified genetic basis. This overview surveys the variants responsible, including changes in a fibroblast growth factor gene underlying long hair and distinct keratin and related gene mutations causing the Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, and Sphynx phenotypes. It discusses how these traits arose as spontaneous mutations propagated by breeders, the developmental biology of hair follicles they illuminate, and how feline coat-type genetics adds to the cat's value as a model for understanding mammalian skin and hair development.