color affects personality?

At the animal shelter I heard a volunteer say about a cat: "luckily she has more of a white cat personality than a calico personality".
I wasn't aware that different colors and patterns had personality stereotypes. What are the accepted stereotypes for white, black, calicos, torties, tabbies etc?
And is there any truth to them?

I've heard that about breeds but not about colors

I don't know how true it is, but there is a general concensus that calicos and tortis have more attitude and spunk than most other colors. We often even call it "Torti-tude". It's used affectionately, though.

I think there's different behavior between male and female, but color doesn't seem to have much impact. Just depends on the cat I think. Aren't calicos and torties all female?

Messybeast has an article on colours and temperaments, dont have the link to hand unfortunately. Gingers are supposed to be temperamental, but my ginger and white is the most laid back cat I have ever met - and my neighbours agree. I do agree with the tortie personality, and I think there may have been others, but it is a while since I have read it.

my ailurophile friend in L.A. claims that black and white cats are smarter and gentler. I don't agree, but then again, Gizmo is smart and gentle!
I think that the color is secondary; the whole personality of the cat appears to depend (according to a feline vet, Dr. Bruce Fogle) on the temperament of its father.

I have one smart and gentle black and white cat, one as dumb as a box of rocks and a terror to all the other cats (these two are full brothers by the way).
My deceased B&W cat was smart, but aggressive.
My tortie is very dog like and easy going (that may be due to her breed though).
I think personality is for the most part a very individual thing.

There are stereotypes with cat colors. Reds/gingers/oranges are supposed to be laid back. Torties have "torti-tude". My black cats have always been very loving and playful. My grey's have always been little love-muffins.

There has to be something to it, and it probably has something to do with the owner and the size of the household. I can't get enough of reds, greys and blacks (they all get along with each other). I have never had any luck with torties and brown tabbies - too much attitude to fit into a large household. Too much white in a black & white cat also gives me problems.

Someone mentioned that they get their personality from their father. I know for a fact that genetics play a large part of their personality. I bottle raised a litter of 4, kept 2 and adopted out 2 to a very close friend. Since we live 600 miles apart, we constantly compare notes about these 4. It is amazing how much alike they are, even though we separated them at 5 weeks old. Weird things like how they jump, how they eat, when they like to snuggle, where they hang out in the house, etc. I'm not sure it all comes from dad, but it certainly is carried in their genes (and to break the color stereotype - 2 are black and 2 are red).

And for every stereotype, there are tons of exceptions.....

My Orange and White cat is very witchy.She likes to be left alone from the kits.
My Black male cat is VERY playful.
My Calico girl is the most loving,snuggling kitten here.

Yes and no - for the most part no, but I've had many color cats over the years and the calicos/torties seem to have a "little miss priss" attitude and want to be the boss no matter what.

The red tabbys have the goofiest and most loving personalitys it seems.

White/black cats are pretty neutral.

I think the calicos have that because they are a mix of colors and know they are pretty/flashy....

Originally Posted by gizmocat

my ailurophile friend in L.A. claims that black and white cats are smarter and gentler.

Click to expand...

Radar (my lovely little cow cat) is in no way smart. In fact he has to be one of the least intelligent cats I have ever come across. I don't mean this in a nasty way, cos I love him to bits, but honestly some of the things he gets up to make me wonder if he was dropped on the head as a baby.