What is required genetically for a cub to inherit the rare recessive trait for the white coat coloration?

Both the mother and father must carry the specific gene for reduced pigmentation

The inheritance of the white coat characteristic is governed by a single, rare recessive gene. For any offspring to express this trait, a crucial condition must be met: both parental tigers must possess and carry this specific recessive gene for reduced pigmentation, even if the parents themselves exhibit the standard orange coloring. If only one parent carries the gene, the cub will not display the white coat, as the gene is recessive and requires duplication (one copy from each parent) to be phenotypically expressed. This strict requirement in the wild meant that encounters between two carriers were infrequent, keeping the trait uncommon in natural populations.