Expert: Jessica - 11/6/2010

Question
I have just moved and one morning about 4am walks this cat out of the woods talking up a storm and headed straight for me. I feed and water the sinker and then do a double take, he is a solid lilac. How rare is this in the wild. In all my years, this is the first time to ever see a wild lilac.

Answer
Hi Dee,

By lilac, I am taking this to be the same as a solid blue (I have only heard the term "lilac" used when applied to pointed cats)?  If so, they are relatively uncommon, although I wouldn't say rare.  The gene that causes the blue coloration is actually a dilute black, and it's a recessive gene.  So neither parent could have passed on a dominant gene to the kitty in order for him to display this color.  This happens somewhat infrequently in the gene pool as a whole.  

It's also felt that cats with lighter colorations such as this, as opposed to solid blacks and brown tigers, might be at a disadvantage when trying to survive in the wild, so it's believed they tend to perish at a younger age.  Dark cats are most easily concealed and receive natural protection.  This means that many of the feral cats who survive to the age of reproduction tend to be black, black & white, or brown tigers, and they produce similar offspring.  You will usually find these in the most abundance, but other colors are still found sprinkled throughout litters.

I suspect this little guy may not be truly feral, since he approached you and you were able to give him some food.  Most ferals don't interact with humans vocally (this is a learned behavior) and will run in the opposite direction.  I would tend to think this one is a recent stray.  That might also explain why a cat of such a different color is roaming outdoors.

Good luck with your new friend!

Jessica