Torbie vs. Tortie?

fluffy nebelung

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Yup, all those pictures show she is indeed a caliby. :)

Here's a tortie + white. Note the sort of blending/brindled pattern of red and black on her side, shoulder, and leg. Also, there is very little white on her, especially when compared to a calico.


Here's a calico. Note the blotchy patterns on her back, and how they don't really blend together, and sort of just look like a quilt. And note the amount of white she has.


Neither of these tricolors in these pictures are considered torbies/calibies, because only the red has tabby pattern in it. If the black (or the dilutes of black - brown/blue/etc.) has tabby markings in it, like your Tippi, then are they considered to be torbies/calibies.

Tippi is a caliby. :)
 

merlin2000

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Here's a calico. Note the blotchy patterns on her back, and how they don't really blend together, and sort of just look like a quilt. And note the amount of white she has.


Neither of these tricolors in these pictures are considered torbies/calibies, because only the red has tabby pattern in it. If the black (or the dilutes of black - brown/blue/etc.) has tabby markings in it, like your Tippi, then are they considered to be torbies/calibies.

Tippi is a caliby. :)
So what is the difference between a Caliby and a Torbie  ?

Are both these pattern types Tabby Tortoiseshells then ?

Is it the amount of white Tippi as that makes her a Caliby?

I think I am still a bit confused about this 
 

GemsGem

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So what is the difference between a Caliby and a Torbie  ?
Are both these pattern types Tabby Tortoiseshells then ?
Is it the amount of white Tippi as that makes her a Caliby?
I think I am still a bit confused about this :lol3:

To understand you need to look at the difference between a calico and a tortie and white first. :D

If you look at the pics fluffy Nebelung posted above.

In the first pic of the tortie and white - you see how the red and black is mottled/blended together.

In second pic of the calico - you see how the red and black is separated into distinct separate patches

So tortie = blended red and black.
Calico = separate distinct patches of red and black.


Now with Torbie and Caliby you are just adding tabby pattern into the mix.

Torbie = blended red and black with tabby pattern
Caliby = separate distinct patches of red and black with tabby pattern
 

Norachan

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All these descriptions leave me more and more confused. 
 


I like the sound of Caliby. What ever the final verdict on Tippi's colouring is I'm using in for Susy and The Mu because they look very similar to Tippi; Patches of ginger tabby and silver tabby on white.

@Merlin2000  did you know that in Japanese all kinds of tortie, torbie, calico and caliby are known as mikeneko? It means three coloured cat. Cuts down on a lot of confusion.

 

merlin2000

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All these descriptions leave me more and more confused. 
 


I like the sound of Caliby. What ever the final verdict on Tippi's colouring is I'm using in for Susy and The Mu because they look very similar to Tippi; Patches of ginger tabby and silver tabby on white.

@Merlin2000  did you know that in Japanese all kinds of tortie, torbie, calico and caliby are known as mikeneko? It means three coloured cat. Cuts down on a lot of confusion.

I think I understand now Norachan it's taken awhile for the old grey cells to work but I've got it.

It's the separate distinct patches of red and black with tabby pattern that make Tippi a caliby , there is know blending as there would be with a torbie


Susy and Mu certainly are like Tippi so that makes them caliby too


So after 18 month I finally have a correct description for Tippi she is a Black Silver Mackerel Caliby and White


Yes I did know that about mikeneko and it does cut down on the confusion.

Thank you Fluffy Nebelung and GemsGem for helping me understand the complexities of Tortoiseshell coat patterns
 

StefanZ

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Can anyone identify my newly adopted cat? Her paperwork says torbie,torte which is confusing. Can she be both?

 
Yes.  A torbie is always a tortie, but not always the vice-versa.

Torbie is a tortie AND a tabby.  The tabby shall preferably be on the dark parts, as all red cats are tabbies, so its no sport.

She here has also white parts.

So, if you do see the tabby markings on her dark parts, she is tabby too, thus a torbie.

I myself dont see it clearly, not even the renown M on the forehead.   I myself would call her for a tuxedo tortie, which is perhaps not scientific, but everybody cat person understands it, telleing also exactly the proportion between colored and white.
 

heidi sue

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I don't understand her black markings as much and her white they appear to be large in places where the red is just intermingled in the black
 

heidi sue

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She doesn't seem to have any stripes more like blocks of random colors with some Van Gogh
 
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heidi sue

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A torbie has stripes on her dark patches. All torties/calicos will have stripes on their red patches because red only comes in tabby. But a regular tortie will have solid black patches (or gray if she's a dilute). Generally speaking, a calico has large distinct patches of color and a lot of white. Torties have their patches much smaller and less distinct.
This website is difficult to use but I will try. I hope to keep her but am not sure yet.
 

heidi sue

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Wow this site is incredibly difficult to use. Are these cats aggressive normally? She is very tall and thin and is that normal or will she be obese at some point because she has large paws. She scares me a little bit what's her face and those eyes is Sam to say I will kill you in your sleep. I'm keeping her in a crate while my husband is trying to reassure me and I do not need to be afraid of this cat.
 

StefanZ

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Torties are often said to have a "tortitude"  most like it, some not so much.  That is not the same as being aggressive or dangerous.  I know there is a myth a cat may attack her humans during the night, but I havent never seen it confirmed.   And defintiely never if the owner is friendly to them.  So, unless yu are a mouse, there is no such danger on you.

What they can do, is to play with tyour toes in the night. That happens, but the bites are always playful, so these aren never real attacks either.  In the same way they may "attack" tails of their  cat friends.

Your fear reminds me of what my sister told me.  Once she was visiting our home, and went tood a rest on the sofa.  And our younger cat went up on the back-stead of the sofa, howered over her and looked at her.  and she got afraid and scared: he was slooking as mean and so threating!  I didnt dared to close my eyes, even!

Now, our boys are Russian blue, and good males ARE supposed to look mean.  I believe its a fold over their eyes which makes them look mean.  but they are very friendly. Especielly our yournger ex stud is.   I dont even see this frown, because what I see is a friendly interested, loving glance.  That mean fold I do see only on pics...

Im sure he looked friendly on the sis too, but she being no cat person, didnt recognized his  approach  as friendly, him just wanting invitation to lay on her hip and rest there, helping her sleep soundly....

Re the pattern:  Ok, no tabby pattern, thus no torbie.  She is a tortie with white - could be called for a tortie tuxedo.

You can probabably call her also for a calico, her  color spots are enough well definied for it.

Her being thinl and having big paws is prob because she is still pretty young, I think.  She will get more meat later on.

If she will get obese?  This depends on what food you are giving her, and how much exercise....  Cheap dry food containign lotsa of  cereals makes them fat.

But healthy cats do have some meat, they shall have. Unless they belong to some breed where they SHALL be elegant and thinly build.
 

heidi sue

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Thanks for the good information regarding her personality. Husband and I have noticed that the more she is relaxed and getting used to our home more confident she is when playing. She does have these random cat attack moments that are funny. I,am much more comfortable around her now. Regarding her pattern thank you for explaining that too. Most of her white color is on her stomach neck and paws.

When I was posting pictures however I accidentally seem to embed a picture that was from another member and this form I cannot figure out how to delete that picture because it's not mine but I would like to apologize for my error.
 

biancavd

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She doesn't seem to have any stripes more like blocks of random colors with some Van Gogh

Hello Heidi, what a beauty you have there!!

Like Stefan said, I also don't see the tabby markings. I would classify her as 'Black Tortie with White'. Give her a hug from me =^^=

Edit: I just saw the behavior question, my phone didnt load everything at first.. make sure to not be afraid of her. Like dogs she will know that you are and will eventually even take over the household. Never be afraid of your own cat and show who is boss. You will earn her respect.

At the behavior forum you could always ask more regarding this issue. Its okay to have some attitude, but real aggression with no obvious reason is not good. Aggression can have several reasons and should be looked at. Hopefully this was just because she needed to adjust and she'll be a great friend now :)
 
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peagreenboat82

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Wow. This is a very educational and fascinating thread.

All this time I thought my cat Hazel was a tortie, but from this I'm guessing she was a torbie? Do I have that right?

She was gray, white, and orange. She mostly had patches but had dark gray stripes on her back legs and her tail.

You can see the stripes on her back legs here (excuse her naked belly. She was an over groomer):

You can see her back here:

And here is her face:
 

stillandrea11

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Wow, thank you all for the information. Here is our newest family member Princess Leia. She is a 6 month old little lover. We adopted her from the Seattle Humane Society 2 days ago. Her name was Banana... I now know why they call her that. She is definitely bananas and a silly little girl. The first night home she was so happy she made sure I knew it, by doing cartwheels on me at 3am. Whatever she needs to do to feel comfortable in her forever home is okay with me, even if she makes me loose sleep! Her records say she is a brown torbie with white. Is that the case? I hope the pictures show up when I post this. I'm new to this site... [emoji]128540[/emoji]
 

rayasunshine

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Congratulations on your new addition! I finnaly found someone with a cat very similar to my new addition. After reading all the posts in this forum, I'm going to say we both have ourselves a Torbie [emoji]128571[/emoji]
 

rayasunshine

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Not sure why all 3 pictures weren't embedded in my reply. Maybe I'll be able to upload the other two here.

I was so excited when I first your picture that I just now noticed the rear photo of your new addition. So our kitties are different in that area but their faces are so similar.


 
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