How does the colorpoint pattern develop in Siamese cats?

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A Maine Coon longhair cat with cream and white fur sits beside a tabby shorthair cat in a garden with green foliage in the background. — cat Two kinds of domestic cats.

The colorpoint pattern, famously seen in the Siamese breed, is a form of imperfect albinism. This genetic trait functions by restricting pigment production to the cooler regions of the cat's body, specifically the ears, face mask, feet, and tail.1