* Genes and Traits: Every kitten inherits half of its genes from its mother and half from its father. These genes determine traits like fur color.
* Dominant and Recessive Genes: Some genes are dominant, meaning they'll always be expressed if present. Others are recessive, meaning they only show up if two copies of the recessive gene are inherited (one from each parent).
* Hidden Traits: The kittens' parents might carry the recessive gene for a different fur color, but they don't express it themselves because they have at least one dominant gene for the color they show.
* The Surprise: When two parents both carry the recessive gene, there's a chance some of their offspring will inherit two copies of that recessive gene. This leads to the kittens expressing the hidden trait, resulting in a fur color different from their parents.
An Example:
Let's say black fur (B) is dominant over white fur (b).
* Parents: Both parents have the genes Bb (black fur, but carrying the recessive white gene).
* Offspring: There's a chance that some kittens will inherit the bb combination, resulting in white fur, even though their parents are both black.
In a nutshell: While the parents might appear to have only one fur color, they carry the genetic information for a different color that can be passed down to their offspring.