── ⋆⋅☀︎⋅⋆ ── forum: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/884291/?page=1#post-9181044 jrp project: tba progress: finished Charmingkit • AMAB • 10' inches • Middle, 2 moons • Designed by @angelofstxrs standing at a majestic 10 inches when fully grown, charming arrives with striking azure blue eyes, a distinctive feature against his pelt's light arrangement of whites and greys. soft silvery colored tufts of fur lay along his cheeks, framing the two dove-grey patterns resting beneath his eyes, almost resembling a bird's wings. a bright red cape falling across his grey pelt adds for a princely appearance, paired with two golden leaf circlets, one hung around his tail, and the other sitting gallantly upon his head. his forepaws are dipped in a pure white, matching the bottom end of his chest fur. lastly, charming's billowing tail is stripped with swirls of lighter grey, a couple of white patches visible amongst the patterns. (written by @univ3rse_) • research - albinism
research tbh: what is albinism + how is it caused? - albinism is a congenital that is often recognized by lack of pigment in the eyes, skin, and hair/fur. it is caused by a genetic mutation that inteferes with the creation of melanin, which is the pigment that gives color to the fur, skin, and eyes. to be specific, albinism is caused when a cat has mutations in the TYR or OCAD2 genes in their body. these are responsible for producing the enzymes that create melanin. for a cat to have albinism, they must be passed a copy of the mutant gene from each parent. symptoms of albinism: - there are no signs of albinism in cats other than physical symptoms. cats with albinism lack pigment in their eyes, ears, and fur, having pure white fur, light blue eyes, and pale pink skin. potential risks of albinism: - cats with albinism can suffer to a multitude of complications due to the lack of melanin in their body. the most common ones are sun sensitivity and eye problems. let me go into detail with each of these. skin sensitivity - cats with albinism have an increased chance of developing skin cancers and other forms of various skin diseases/damages due to their lack of protective melanin. eye problems - along with increased skin sensitivity, albino cats are much more likely to experience eyes issues. the most common that develop with albinism are nystagmus and photophobia. how does having albinism affect charmingkit? - well, for the first part of charmingkit's life, his albinism won't affect him that much. on occasion, his eyes might become blurry or begin to hurt if he's under the sun too long or is suddenly in a bright light. he will also get sunburned more often than other cats, causing him to have to spend some time in the medic's den. over time, he may begin to have some hearing loss, especially as a senior warrior or elder. this will lead to more frequent stops at the medic's den and may potentially restrict him from completing his duties. all in all, charmingkit being an albino won't define him in the long run, but may cause some problems along the way. sources: - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1464423/ - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/albinism/symptoms-causes/syc-20369184 - https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21747-albinism - https://www.petcarerx.com/article/albinism-in-cats-how-it-can-affect-your-feline-friend/6472?srsltid=AfmBOorkUcJzqzsKrcNUDQiOYNiftT9kOGdJbx5_ywC2p0-gRMwvCgf
