The colorpoint mutation is associated with the production of temperature sensitive pigments. Pigment production is reduced in the warmer areas of the body, resulting in darker pigmentation in the cooler extremities of the cat (paws, ears, etc.). In the Siamese phenotype, pigment expression is limited to the extremities of the cat (legs, tail, ears, face). In the Burmese phenotype, the pigment expression results in a wider distribution of pigments on the body and darker spots than the body.
