‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ welcome! ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ SOURCES :: - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32452546/ - https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/12/01/chimeras-genetics-behind-amazing-looking-two-faced-cat/ - https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/articles/cat-types/breed-guides/chimera-cats#:~:text=However%2C%20in%20people%2C%20chimerism%20has,which%20can%20shorten%20their%20lifespan. ‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CHIMERAS !! they are wonderful yet dangerous animals to mess with, beautiful, unfathomable creatures. ‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ DESIGN NOTES :: - Chimeras are two-patterned ! The designs / coats of chimeras are two completely opposite colors - typically a creme / brown and a dark color like black, or deep "blue"! Their eyes are also typically two different colors. In some cases the chimera notes don't reach the face, so the eyes are the same color. - Chimeras also typically have patterns on their brown / creme area, like tabby marks or spots. ‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ WHY ARE CHIMERAS THIS WAY? Glad you asked !! Well, chimeras are actually EXTREMELY rare. like,, crazy rare !! if you own one , your cat is probably worth a lot more money than the normal cat. but, this is for research for roleplay! so. chimeras exist when two embryos of two living creatures merge into one. This is early on in the pregnancy of the female feline. Often the DNA of the two cats (their color, disabilities, etc.) are combined, causing the multi-colored pelt. A quote from Genetic Literacy Project is, " As Columbia University Professor of Genetics and Development Virginia Papaioannou told the The New Republic: “A chimera … is a composite individual that was made up of cells from at least two different original embryos. If they fuse together early enough, they will become a single organism whose genetic input is from two completely different individuals. … A chimera would be a much more unusual and unlikely event.” " (This quote was a quote from them? Yk what I mean haha) This research is from 2017, however it would still be accurate, as chimeras have not changed in the past decade, to our knowledge. ‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ POSSIBLE DISABILITIES :: - Shorten of Lifespan This one is pretty self-explanatory. It is caused by the rare gene in chimeras and tortoiseshell cats. - Immune System Disorders Chimeras typically can get sick very easily, and get worse sick than other cats. There are no specifics on what can go wrong. - Infertility Chimera cats cannot produce offspring. This is also due to the mapping of the genetics. - Klinefelter syndrome Although I am not 100% sure what this is, this is the XXY problem that causes infertility, bone marrow issues, etc. it's the main cause of the issues listed above. Though there may be more disabilities and health issues these are the most commonly spoken about ones that I could find. ‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙ ˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙‧̍̊ HOW WILL LEAP BE AFFECTED ? Wonderful question! Leap will have the multi-colored pelt, be infertile, and get sick quite a bit. They won't have the worst of chimera issues, however !! :3
Credit to all sources as needed , credit to me for research and writing . Feel free to use this for your own research ! :3c
