Final answer:
Offspring can have different fur colors from their parents due to genetic variations and inheritance patterns such as Punnett squares, incomplete dominance, and epistasis. In examples like Labrador retrievers and cats, offspring fur color depends on the combinations of alleles inherited from each parent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, it is possible for offspring to be born with different fur colors even if two parents have the same fur color. This variation can occur because of genetic mechanisms such as Punnett squares, incomplete dominance, and epistasis. For instance, in Labrador retrievers, the fur color is controlled by two alleles (E and B). If both parents carry the recessive allele 'e' (ee_), then the offspring will be yellow labs. However, with B_E_ genotype, the offspring will be black labs and with bbE_ genotype, they will be chocolate labs. Similarly, in a monohybrid cross, where the characteristic being studied only involves one gene, the F2 generation will exhibit a 3:1 phenotypic ratio if one parent is dominant over the other. Therefore, breeding two individuals with the same phenotype can still produce offspring with a different phenotype if both parents carry recessive alleles.
For example, in cats where coat color is carried on the X chromosome, a cross between a yellow and a black cat would not necessarily result in offspring with the same fur color. The phenotypes of these offspring could vary depending on the genetic combinations inherited from each parent. The type of inheritance of cat coat colors is an example of sex-linked, and depending on whether a male or female offspring inherits the X chromosome with the black or yellow allele, the offspring's color can be different from the parents.