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Tortitude?

post #1 of 15
11/11/09 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
I wanted to have some fun with this and not take it too seriously, I read this on another site and I wondered how other torties match up to Kasey.

I used to think tortitude was just a myth, then I compared the quote below and compared it to Kasey.

To quote it, with my comments in brackets;

"In addition to their distinctive coloring, torties also have a reputation for unique personalities, sometimes referred to as “tortitude.” They tend to be strong-willed (Yes for Kasey), a bit hot-tempered (Yes for Kasey) , and they can be very possessive of their human (Yes for Kasey, I belong to her). Other words used to describe torties are fiercely independent, feisty (Yes, yes for Kasey) and unpredictable (No). They’re usually very talkative (Yes for Kasey) and make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr (Yes for Kasey). These traits are stronger in tortoiseshell cats than in calicos – it seems as though these traits are somewhat diluted with the addition of more white to the color scheme."

I know torties are a color, not a breed and that individuals can vary in temperment, but this is pretty close to the personality of "my old girl"
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post #2 of 15
11/11/09 at 4:03pm
Will agree with you - have owned severl torties and calicos and one dilute tortie. Even had an all white with tortie attitude because in reality she was a tortie under that white paint job (mom was white carrying seal point, dad was red tabby).

The dilute was the only one that didn't get that "tortie" attitude. I joke that its because they have all those colors mixed up in them and it scrambled their little brains

Gotta love them tho.
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post #3 of 15
11/11/09 at 4:10pm
It all fits my little tortie despot.
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post #4 of 15
11/11/09 at 4:11pm
Mine all had the attitude except Butterscotch.
My new sphynx is a Seal Tortie and White and she gets mad at Cleo when she plays to rough.
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post #5 of 15
11/11/09 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
More tortie stuff about Kasey;

Posessive;

Kasey has imprinted on me, follows me around, waits for me to come home from the office in the evening. She will become agitated if she can’t find me in the house, if she thinks I should be there. She is a serious lap cat and will sit on me for the durration of a full length movie.

Strong willed, hot tempered;

She is boss of the house, intimidating both the silky terrier, my wife’s friend’s lab mix and our 19 pound ginger tom, Taz.

She is friendly with visitors but is a “guard cat”. She has no interest in going outdoors but watches anything outside thast she thinks is out of place. One night, last spring, some unknown animal came up to a screened window and she drove it off easily, making noises “not of this world”.

Make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr;

She does not have the steriotypical meow; her language is a series of “eeps and squeeks” as well as “maaa” sounds. She hisses and growls, has a loud purr and makes an odd wheezing like sound. The latter is like an addtion to purring, she has been checked and does not have breathing issues, she can stop and start the noise at will.

Other;

This “old lady” still likes to play and will chase a string as long as you are willing to drag it around, you get tired of it before she does.
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post #6 of 15
11/11/09 at 6:15pm
I have 2 torties who are sisters...Cookie and Pinkie,a dilute calico...Girlie and a calico named Callie.I've never heard of tortitude before,but it fits my girls to a tee!
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post #7 of 15
11/11/09 at 6:35pm
Our Tortoiseshell, Teresa, has her own room. None of the other cats, except her brother, is allowed in. And he usually spends less than ten minutes in there and wants OUT!

All of that fits her exactly. Whenever she's disgusted, she makes this little "brrruppp" and we know we've been told off!
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post #8 of 15
11/11/09 at 6:38pm
All of that describes my female cats, too. One is black and the other is orange.

It shouldn't be called tortitude, it should be called female catitude. Many female cats can be much more strong willed than male cats. All one has to do is look at all of the threads on here where people have problems introducing new a new cat to a resident older female cat.
I've had torties in the past, one calm and one a more typical female cat.
It's that strong will female cat attitude that actually makes me more fond of male cats.. not that I don't adore my girls, but they're very fussy and demand attention more. Kitty divas, maybe?

I've said it before, and I'll always say it. Equating personality traits to fur (or hair) color is like the dumb blond stereotype...
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post #9 of 15
11/11/09 at 6:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Claydust View Post
More tortie stuff about Kasey;

Posessive;

Kasey has imprinted on me, follows me around, waits for me to come home from the office in the evening. She will become agitated if she can’t find me in the house, if she thinks I should be there. She is a serious lap cat and will sit on me for the durration of a full length movie.

Strong willed, hot tempered;

She is boss of the house, intimidating both the silky terrier, my wife’s friend’s lab mix and our 19 pound ginger tom, Taz.

She is friendly with visitors but is a “guard cat”. She has no interest in going outdoors but watches anything outside thast she thinks is out of place. One night, last spring, some unknown animal came up to a screened window and she drove it off easily, making noises “not of this world”.

Make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr;

She does not have the steriotypical meow; her language is a series of “eeps and squeeks” as well as “maaa” sounds. She hisses and growls, has a loud purr and makes an odd wheezing like sound. The latter is like an addtion to purring, she has been checked and does not have breathing issues, she can stop and start the noise at will.

Other;

This “old lady” still likes to play and will chase a string as long as you are willing to drag it around, you get tired of it before she does.
I am almost falling off my chair laughing. That is my cat! Eeps and squeaks LOL Add to that some strange meowes that sound like the devil produced them, you have my Miss Ginger! My cat is calico, not tortie, and she will tell you that with a swat to the face, (claws in)
She is a total B. and so am I. we fit well
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post #10 of 15
11/11/09 at 6:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
It shouldn't be called tortitude, it should be called female catitude. Many female cats can be much more strong willed than male cats. All one has to do is look at all of the threads on here where people have problems introducing new a new cat to a resident older female cat.
Female cat behaviour can be quite something.

Morgan doesn't have all of the "tortitude traits described in the quote, BUT........

Introductions can be a problem with her, when introduced to a new cat, this delicate, gentle-seeming tuxedo cat makes "The Noise"................then, there WILL be a problem.

She will also take a notion to smack Taz, the 19 pound neutered male around, even if they are buddies, most of the time. It is funny to see her back him up, he is almost twice her size

Many years ago, a buddy of mine had a 17 pound grey and white female that EVERYTHING in the neighbourhood was scared of, but she was a very nice cat with people.
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post #11 of 15
11/11/09 at 7:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Claydust View Post
Many years ago, a buddy of mine had a 17 pound grey and white female that EVERYTHING in the neighbourhood was scared of, but she was a very nice cat with people.
That's a big girl! I'm trying to imagine mine at that size... it would be a bit scary. Males can be "gentle giants", females would likely be royal terrors.
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post #12 of 15
11/11/09 at 7:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
That's a big girl! I'm trying to imagine mine at that size... it would be a bit scary. Males can be "gentle giants", females would likely be royal terrors.

She was an indoor/outdoor cat and lived to be 17 years old, she did well up to the end when age took its toll.

She was a very nice natured cat but ran dogs, of all sizes, off the property and caught and dragged home LARGE stuff. We used to joke that we could end the sasquatch debate by takng her to the Rockies and camping out. If there there really was a sasquatch, she'd have dragged one into camp by the end of the 3rd day

Before I rescued Kasey and before her injury (prior to rescue), she ranged outside one of our company facilities; she turned the area into "the killing fields". She is now an indoor cat, which she seems quite contented with.
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post #13 of 15
4/26/12 at 1:46pm

OMG this is such a good post that I joined the cat site as I have just got my first tortie called berry and she makes a funny sound and i wanted to take her to the vets but its her meow! I have owned cats all my life and never had such a unique character-Love her to bits

 

 

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post #14 of 15
4/27/12 at 6:23pm

An old thread but I just had to post because my Skinny (RB) had just 1 tortitude trait - independence. She was quiet, patient, very loving and protective but not possessive of me, and laid back. However, it took some time for her to accept Joji (calico) as the alpha. They used to have lots of  argue.gif. 

 

bunch-005.jpg

 

I miss her. sigh.gif

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post #15 of 15
4/27/12 at 6:49pm

Lucky tortitude.jpg

 This is Lucky she is full of Tortitude

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