Inbreeding in Thunderclan: How bad it really is by Flamecloud

Flamecloud takes a look at the cats of ThunderClan and how they’re related.

Some of you (most of you), probably know that the clans have some inbreeding problems. Cousins marrying each other, nieces and uncles, and even a couple of siblings (although Patchpelt and Willowpelt is no longer cannon and Graystripe’s dad now seems to be unknown). This is bound to happen when there are sooooooo many characters, so it’s a wonder that the Erins have done this well so far. However, you may not have realized quite how bad it is.

For this article, I studied family trees on the Warriors Wiki, to observe the families of Thunderclan cats. I traced each family tree as far back as it would go, then worked from there.

Here are some fun tidbits of information I discovered that you might not have known:

Ashfoot and Onestar were siblings, making Onestar Crowfeather’s uncle. This also means that Heathertail and Darktail, who were both Onestar’s children, were Crowfeather’s cousins. Also, it should be noted that this makes Heathertail and Breezepelt first cousins once removed.This can similarly be applied with Crowfeather’s other children. So, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf are all Darktail’s first cousin once removed. Crowfeather was also Gorsepaw’s cousin.

Brightheart, Cinderpelt, Brackenfur, and Thornclaw were all the children of Frostfur and Lionheart. This makes Bramblestar and Tawnypelt, the children of Lionheart’s sister, Goldenflower, their cousins.

This is fairly commonly known, but Dustpelt and Ferncloud are uncle and niece. They share This makes their entire (very long) line a bit inbred.

Brightheart and all of her siblings are all the children of Frostfur, who is Dustpelt’s sister. This makes Birchfall, Dustpelt’s son, related to Brightheart’s daughter, Whitewing, and further messes up the whole clan.

In Skyclan, Sparrowpelt and Tinycloud become mates, and one of their kits is Pebbleshine. Cherrytail, Sparrowpelt’s sister, is mates with Sharpclaw, and they have Hawkwing. This makes Hawkwing and Pebbleshine cousins.

Other than these few things I have mentioned above, most of the cats in Thunderclan are somehow loosely related. We can thank Graystripe’s interest in non-Thunderclan she cats for many of the not-inbred cats.

Below, I have traced the cat’s family trees as far back as they would go. The fractions show how closely related they are to said cat. You may notice that some cats have many descendants. (Note, not all of these cats are alive in Thunderclan). I apologize for the fact that the cats aren’t really listed in any sort of order what so ever.

Bramblestar and Tawnypelt: ¼ Smallear, ⅛ Oakstar, ⅛ Sweetbriar, ⅛ Adderfang, ⅛ Harepounce, ⅛ Stagleap, 1/16 Flashnose, 1/16 ? – Clean

Leafpool and Squirrelflight: ½ Sandstorm, ¼ Nutmeg, ⅛ Crystal, ⅛ ?- Clean

Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather: ¼ Sandstorm, ⅛ Nutmeg, ⅛ Hickorynose, ⅛ Meadowslip, 1/16 Crystal, 1/16 ?, 1/8 Stagleap, 1/16 Woollytail, 1/16 Palebird-Clean

Alderheart and Sparkpelt: ⅛ Smallear, 1/16 Oakstar, 1/16 Sweetbriar, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ?, ¼ Sandstorm, ⅛ Nutmeg, 1/16 Crystal, 1/16 ?- Clean

Brightheart, Cinderpelt, Brackenfur, Thornclaw: ¼ Smallear, ⅛ Harepounce, ⅛ Stagleap, ¼ Fuzzypelt, ¼ Robinwing- Clean

Whitewing, Ambermoon, Dewnose, Snowbush: ⅛ Smallear, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, ⅛ Fuzzypelt, ⅛ Robinwing, ¼ Oliver, ⅛ Nutmeg, 1/16 Crystal, 1/16 ?-Clean

Spiderleg, Shrewpaw, Larchkit, Birchfall, Hollykit, Foxleap, Icecloud: 3/8 Fuzzypelt, ⅜ Robinwing, 1/32 Squirrelwhisker, 1/32 Eaglestorm, 1/32 Fallowsong, 1/32 ?, ⅛ Stormtail, 1/16 Rooktail, 1/16 Daisytoe – Very much not clean (Dustpelt and Ferncloud are niece and uncle)

Berrynose, Hazeltail, Mousewhisker: ½ Daisy, ½ Smokey- Clean

Poppyfrost, Cinderheart, Honeyfern, Lilyheart, Seedpaw, Molepaw: 1/8 Smallear, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/8 Fuzzypelt, 1/8 Robinwing, 1/16 Stormtail, 1/32 Rooktail, 1/32 Daisytoe, 1/8 Adderfang, 1/16 Flashnose, 1/16 ? – Not clean

Rosepetal, Toadstep: ½ Daisy, 3/16 Fuzzypelt, 3/16 Robinwing, 1/64 Squirrelwhisker, 1/64 Eaglestorm, 1/64 Fallowsong, 1/64, 1/16 Stormtail, 1/32 Rooktail, 1/32 Daisytoe- Not clean

Hollytuft, Flywhisker, Sorrelstripe, Snaptooth, Spotfur, Fernsong: 1/16 Smallear, 1/32 Harepounce, 1/32 Stagleap, 1/16 Fuzzypelt, 1/16 Robinwing, 1/32 Stormtail, 1/64 Rooktail, 1/64 Daisytoe, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ?, 1/8 Sandstorm, 1/16 Nutmeg, 1/16 Hickorynose, 1/16 Meadowslip, 1/32 Crystal, 1/32 ?, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/32 Woollytail, 1/32 Palebird- Not clean

Ivypool, Dovewing: 1/16 Smallear, 1/32 Harepounce, 1/32 Stagleap, 1/4 Fuzzypelt, 1/4 Robinwing, ⅛ Oliver, 1/16 Nutmeg, 1/32 Crystal, 1/32 ?, 1/64 Squirrelwhisker, 1/64 Eaglestorm, 1/64 Fallowsong, 1/64 ?, 1/16 Stormtail, 1/32 Rooktail, 1/32 Daisytoe – Not clean

Thriftear, Flipclaw, Bristlefrost: 1/16 Smallear, 1/32 Harepounce, 1/32 Stagleap, 5/32 Fuzzypelt, 5/32 Robinwing, 1/16 Oliver, 1/16 Nutmeg, 1/32 Crystal, 1/32 ?, 1/128 Squirrelwhisker, 1/128 Eaglestorm, 1/128 Fallowsong, 1/128 ?, 3/64 Stormtail , 3/128 Rooktail, 3/128 Daisytoe, 1/32 Adderfang, 1/64 Flashnose, 1/64 ?, 1/16 Sandstorm, 1/32 Hickory nose, 1/32 Meadowslip, 1/32 Stagleap, 1/64 Woolytail, 1/64 Palebird- Not clean

Stemleaf, Plumstone, Eaglewing, Shellfur: 1/8 Smallear, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/8 Fuzzypelt, 1/8 Robinwing, 1/4 Millie, 1/8 ?, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ?-Clean

Bumblestripe, Briarlight, Blossomfall: ½ Millie, ¼ ?, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ? -Clean

Cherryfall and Molewhisker: 1/4 Daisy, 1/4 Smokey, 1/16 Smallear, 1/32 Harepounce, 1/32 Stagleap, 1/16 Fuzzypelt, 1/16 Robinwing, 1/32 Stormtail, 1/64 Rooktail, 1/64 Daisytoe, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ? – Not clean

Stormcloud: 1/1 ? -Clean

Honeyfur, Leafshade, and Larksong: 1/8 Smallear, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/8 Fuzzypelt, 1/8 Robinwing, 1/32 Stormtail, 1/64 Rooktail, 1/64 Daisytoe, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ?, 1/8 Oliver, 1/16 Nutmeg, 1/32 Crystal, 1/32 ?- Not clean

Twigbranch and Violetshine: ¼ Sparrowpelt, ¼ Cherrytail, ⅛ Clovertail, ⅛ ?, ⅛ Jessamy, ⅛ ?- Not clean

Finleap, Reedclaw, and Dewspring: ¼ Fallowfern, ¼ Waspwhisker, ¼ Patchfoot, ¼ Clovertail -Clean

Daisy: 1/1 ? -Clean

Graystripe: ½ ? ¼ Adderfang, ⅛ Flashnose, ⅛ ? -Clean

Cloudtail: 1/2 Oliver, 1/4 Nutmeg, 1/8 Crystal, 1/8 ?-Clean

Flamepaw, Flickerkit, Finchpaw: ⅛ Smallear, 1/16 Oakstar, 1/16 Sweetbriar, 1/16 Adderfang, 1/16 Harepounce, 1/16 Stagleap, 1/32 Flashnose, 1/32 ?, ¼ Sandstorm, 3/32 Nutmeg, 3/64 Crystal, 3/64 ? 1/16 Fuzzypelt, 1/16 Robinwing, 1/64 Stormtail, 1/128 Rooktail, 1/128 Daisytoe, 1/16 Oliver- Not clean

Myrtalpaw and Baypaw: ½ ?, 1/32 Smallear, 1/64 Harepounce, 1/64 Stagleap, 1/32 Fuzzypelt, 1/32 Robinwing, 1/64 Stormtail, 1/128 Rooktail, 1/128 Daisytoe, 1/32 Adderfang, 1/64 Flashnose, 1/64 ?, 1/16 Sandstorm, 1/32 Nutmeg, 1/32 Hickorynose, 1/32 Meadowslip, 1/64 Crystal, 1/64 ?, 1/32 Stagleap, 1/64 Woollytail, 1/64 Palebird- Not clean

Of the living cats in Thunder clan, 24 are free of inbreeding and 24 are inbred to some degree. Of the clean cats, many are either too old to have more kits or have married someone who has an inbred line.

Of the cats who are clean, not too old, and not married to an inbred cat, there are no couples. The remaining single cats are:

-Dewnose
-Mousewhisker
-Plumstone
-Eaglewing
-Shellfur
-Bumblestripe
-Stormcloud
-Finleap

And of those cats, there are only two females, Eaglewing and Plumstone. Dewnose, Shellfur, and Bumblestripe are all related to them, so they would not fix the problem.

So, for there to be more clean cats born, Eaglewing and Plumstone must marry two of the three following cats: Mousewhisker, Stormcloud, and/or Finleap, or any other cat that joins from outside of the clan. Unfortunately, these two litters will be related two each other, since Eaglewing and Plumstone are sisters, making this only a temporary fix. For Thunderclan to avoid further inbreeding, there will need to be an influx of new cats, and a culling of the old ones.

I hope that you enjoyed this article, or at least found it interesting if I pointed out some stuff that maybe you didn’t really want to know. Please ask Starclan to send Thunderclan some fresh cats.