‘Salty licorice’ cat pattern is the result of a genetic mutation, study reveals The village of Petäjävesi in central Finland is home to farmland, lakes, an 18th century wood-log church and a group of unusually striking cats. With their white chests, these creatures look similar to other tuxedo cats, kraken tor but they possess a distinctive bit of flair: ombré strands of fur that start dark at the root and fade to white. Geneticist Hannes Lohi and his collaborators at the University of Helsinki wanted to know how these cats got their look, so they studied the animals’ DNA. The team’s report, published May 9 in the journal Animal Genetics, found that a novel gene mutation gives rise to the exceptional fur pattern, which they dubbed salmiak, or "salty licorice," after a popular Finnish treat.