A genetic study identified the cause of Finland’s unusual “salmiak” cats: a recessive deletion downstream of the KIT gene. The cats are domestic cats, not a separate breed, and the study did not establish that the variant causes disease.
What makes a salmiak cat look different?
Salmiak cats have a distinctive coat in which individual hairs are usually darkest at the base and become progressively paler toward the tip. This creates a faded or gray effect rather than the sharply defined blocks of color seen in many conventional coat patterns.
Many cats with the pattern also have white areas running from the face down toward the chest, belly, and legs. Some retain colored patches within those white areas, and the tail may end in a white or nearly white tip. The exact appearance varies considerably from one cat to another.
The pattern can appear over several background colors and patterns, including:
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Both male and female cats have been observed with the coloration. The name “salmiak” comes from salmiakki, the Finnish word for salty liquorice. Before the genetic cause was investigated, the trait was sometimes informally called the “Finnish mutation.”
Researchers found a deletion near KIT
The study, published online in Animal Genetics on May 9, 2024, identified an approximately 95-kilobase deletion, or roughly 95,000 DNA base pairs, located about 65 kilobases downstream of the KIT gene.
This distinction matters: the researchers did not find a coding mutation inside the KIT gene itself. Instead, they proposed that the deletion may interfere with regulatory DNA that helps control when and where KIT is active.
KIT has an established role in pigment-cell development and is associated with white coats and white spotting in cats and other domestic animals. However, the presence of a nearby deletion does not automatically explain every health effect linked to other KIT-related traits. The specific biological mechanism behind the salmiak pattern still needs further study.
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Commercial genetic testing did not provide an answer. Four salmiak-colored cats were initially screened, but the available panels did not detect any of the known feline variants associated with white coloration:
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| Variant tested | Typical association | Result in the study |
|---|---|---|
| W | Full white coloration | Not detected |
| Wˢ | White spotting | Not detected |
| wᵍ | Birman gloves | Not detected |
Researchers then used whole-genome sequencing on two of the cats. This broader approach revealed the large deletion near KIT. They subsequently used PCR testing to look for the deletion in 180 domestic cats and three additional salmiak-colored cats.
The results supported a recessive inheritance pattern. Cats showing the salmiak pattern carried two copies of the deletion, while cats with only one copy did not show the visible coloration.
The researchers proposed the allele designation wˢᵃˡ, meaning “w salmiak.” In simplified terms:
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| Genotype | Expected appearance in the study |
|---|---|
| Two copies of wˢᵃˡ | Salmiak pattern may be visible |
| One copy of wˢᵃˡ | Usually no salmiak pattern; the cat may be a carrier |
| No copies | No salmiak variant inherited |
As with any genetic trait, the visible result depends on the wider genetic background. The study established a strong match between the homozygous deletion and the observed pattern in the cats tested, but it did not turn salmiak into a standardized breed characteristic.
A rare Finnish domestic-cat pattern, not a new breed
The first documented reports came from a domestic-cat population near Petäjävesi in central Finland in 2007. The University of Helsinki has described approximately a dozen documented salmiak cats known in Finland from the 2000s and 2010s, although additional cats may have gone unrecorded.
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These are Finnish domestic or non-pedigreed cats, not members of a newly recognized breed. “Salmiak” describes a coat pattern and its associated genetic variant, in much the same way that terms such as tabby or tortoiseshell describe appearance rather than breed membership.
The current evidence also does not prove that the deletion exists only in Finland. It appears concentrated in the Finnish population studied, but researchers have not surveyed every domestic-cat population worldwide.
Is salmiak coloring the same as roan?
No. The two appearances can look superficially similar, but they are produced differently.
In a roan pattern, fully white hairs are mixed among colored hairs. In salmiak cats, the color change generally occurs along individual hairs: the hair is darker near the skin and paler toward the tip. The white markings commonly seen on salmiak cats are another part of the overall phenotype.
The Finnish variant should also not be confused with the “karpati” coat variant reported in eastern Europe. Two karpati samples examined during the Finnish research did not carry the salmiak deletion.
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What does this mean for the cats’ health?
The study did not establish that salmiak cats have a disease or a particular inherited health problem. Researchers had not noticed suspected hearing impairment in the cats they knew about, but they cautioned that observation alone cannot rule out subtle hearing differences. Formal testing, such as brainstem auditory evoked-response testing, would be needed for a definitive assessment.
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Earlier speculation that salmiak cats might be infertile was also not supported. One documented salmiak cat gave birth to four kittens, demonstrating that the pattern is not automatically associated with infertility.
Owners should therefore avoid treating the coat as evidence that a cat is sick, deaf, or unable to reproduce. At the same time, the research is too limited to claim that every possible health consequence has been excluded. The population is small, and more cats will need to be studied.
What the discovery does—and does not—show
- It does show: a large deletion near KIT is strongly associated with the salmiak coat pattern in the Finnish cats tested.
- It does show: the pattern behaves as a recessive trait in the available data.
- It does not show: that salmiak cats are a separate breed.
- It does not show: that the cats are inherently deaf, infertile, or unhealthy.
- It does not show: that no matching variant exists outside Finland.
- It does not show: that the deletion is a coding mutation within the KIT gene.
The discovery gives researchers a way to identify carriers and investigate how regulatory changes around pigment genes shape coat color. It may also help explain why such a striking pattern appeared only rarely in the Finnish domestic-cat population.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
What is a salmiak cat?
A salmiak cat is a domestic cat with a rare coat pattern featuring hairs that fade from darker roots to pale tips, often combined with white markings on the face, body, legs, and tail. The name refers to Finnish salty liquorice.
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What genetic mutation causes the salmiak pattern?
The pattern is associated with an approximately 95-kilobase deletion located about 65 kilobases downstream of the KIT gene. Researchers believe the deletion may affect KIT regulation rather than changing the gene’s protein-coding sequence.
Are salmiak cats a breed?
No. Salmiak is a coat pattern and genetic variant found in Finnish domestic or non-pedigreed cats, not a formally recognized cat breed.
Do salmiak cats have health problems?
The study did not establish a health disorder caused by the variant. Hearing effects have not been definitively ruled out, but suspected deafness was not observed, and one documented salmiak cat successfully had four kittens.
The Bottom Line
Finland’s rare salmiak cats owe their distinctive liquorice-like coat to a recessive deletion of about 95,000 DNA base pairs downstream of the KIT gene. The finding explains the pattern without making it a breed or proving that it causes deafness, infertility, or other disease. More cats will need to be studied before the variant’s full distribution and health significance are known.
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