But then I thought the girl would be mixed colour, for example tortie???

I have just read and am still learning myself that is far more common to have a short haired male tortie and a long haired is extreemly rare although it seems mostly long haired on that site.
It is probably like anything with the growth of knowledge of how to produce them, they are and will become more common - I guess.

Emily

The mother would have to carry the gene but it may not show - as it could be recessive I think.
Same in humans I think - actually makes me laugh this whole subject as both my kids have red hair my husband does and I don't so this is very rare and from what I've learnt I must have the gene for red hair but it's recessive - I do have other red heads in my family.

Emily

Just to add I am sure that this is why for a full genetic make up you need to know the grandparents as this would give clue to what recessive genes may be carried.

Emily

__________________
SELKCAH NORWEGIAN FOREST CATS
www.selkcahcats.co.uk

I wouldn't hide it if I was - yep you can join my red hair appreciation society and all those lovely kittens of yours get free membership too - LOL

__________________
SELKCAH NORWEGIAN FOREST CATS
www.selkcahcats.co.uk

Ah yes, sorry when I said both parents needed to be red (sorry I keep calling it ginger) I was really thinking, both parents needed to carry the red gene.
And I thought for this to be the case, mum would need to be tortie or red, and dad would have to be red.

I was under the impression you can see what colours they are carrying from the colour they are. For example a male (generally) can only carry one colour (not including white) and a mum will carry two colours, however these could be the same colour carried twice, for example, if she was all black, she would be carrying black/black, if she was tortie, she would be carrying black/red.

Woops i call them ginger too, i have a total red girl , but my vet thought she was a boy till he looked lol.

Ah its not as simple as I have been thinking then...

check out this website... Cat Colour Chart

It is also possible they carry colours they are not showing, but only certain types. However, it seems, that even so, sexing my recently born kittens on colour should still work as they are not showing any of the 'carried' colours.