Myth or Truth? Calico Cats?

blue_monday_88 · Sep 5, 2005

Is it a truth or a myth that ALL calicos are female?

I've seen some calico males, but I don't think they are "calico" in the biblical sense...meaning, I think they are more torti and that is different from calico, right?

Any cat experts shed some light on this???

lionessrampant · Sep 5, 2005

MOST calicos are female. There is a very small number of male calicos out there, but they tend to be sterile. I'm not sure EXACTLY how it works, but the calico/tortie coloring has something to do with the final XX chromasome, meaning most boy calicos are XXY males, and as in humans, XXY males are generally unable to reproduce.

wellingtoncats · Sep 5, 2005

The term "Calico" is used for a cat who is Tortoishell and White. Which means a cat with black, white and red patches.

We have a Tortoishell & White male, his name is Sapan. He isn't sterile

We also bred a Tortoishell male, who is NOT sterile too.

So yes male calicos are rare but they aren't all sterile.

lionessrampant · Sep 5, 2005

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

The term "Calico" is used for a cat who is Tortoishell and White. Which means a cat with black, white and red patches.

We have a Tortoishell & White male, his name is Sapan. He isn't sterile

We also bred a Tortoishell male, who is NOT sterile too.

So yes male calicos are rare but they aren't all sterile.

Wow...I assumed male torties who could breed existed, but I've never heard of one! You much have a pretty good breeding program or have gotten your fertile tortie male from a really good one if you've been able to breed him! Wow!

wellingtoncats · Sep 5, 2005

We feel pretty lucky to have him [Sapan] the other kitty [Jeans] we sold and he lives in Australia but yup Sapan is a special boy. Bit of a fluke really!

jcat · Sep 5, 2005

I'll have to download my vacation photos. My sister now has a castrated male dilute calico, who just turned 6 months old. Judging by the small shots on my camera, he has a tiger pattern that isn't visible to the naked eye. His body has the gray and beige blotches of a dilute tortie, but his paws, belly and chin are white. This has got me curious - do other calicoes have disguised tiger stripes? Nobody noticed them till I took the photos.

rosiemac · Sep 5, 2005

Ok, so whats Rosie?. The vet has her down on the computer as a "Tortie", and i've looked on websites with cats very similar to Rosies colour, and their described as being "Tortie and white (calico)"

And the Calico pictures i've seen on the site have more white than Rosie does with lighter colours.

xocats · Sep 5, 2005

Susan...my expert opinion is that Rosie is a "Beauty."

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Ok, so whats Rosie?. The vet has her down on the computer as a "Tortie", and i've looked on websites with cats very similar to Rosies colour, and their describes as being "Tortie and white (calico)"

And the Calico pictures i've seen on the site have more white than Rosie does with lighter colours.

rosiemac · Sep 5, 2005

Thank you Lei

arlyn · Sep 5, 2005

Here is the best definition/description of the Calico and Torties colors and their differences.

Tortoiseshell is a coloring found in cats caused by a combination of specific genetic traits. It is a mix of phaeomelinin based colors (red) and euemelinin based color (black, chocolate and cinnamon). The pattern results in a cat with patches of red and patches of black, chocolate or cinnamon. The size of the patches can vary from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of colour. Dilution genes may modify the coloring, lightening the fur to a mix of cream and blue, lilac or fawn. Occasionally silver or ginger tabby patterns are also seen (sometimes called "torbies"). Tortoiseshell also can be expressed in the points pattern. The description "tortoiseshell" (also called 'calimanco' or 'clouded tiger' in North America) is correctly reserved for cats with coats that have no white markings, while those that are largely white with orange and black patches are described as calico (in the US) or tortoiseshell-and-white (in the UK).

mybabies · Sep 5, 2005

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Ok, so whats Rosie?. The vet has her down on the computer as a "Tortie", and i've looked on websites with cats very similar to Rosies colour, and their described as being "Tortie and white (calico)"

And the Calico pictures i've seen on the site have more white than Rosie does with lighter colours.

Rosie is almost identical to my late Minnie. SOME Vets called Minnie a Calico, others called her a Tortishell but she also had tiger stripes of grey on her legs. We finally compramised and called her a Calico-Tortie w/ white! She didn't care as she was too sweet and kind!

I ALWAYS said Minnie had a COAT OF MANY COLORS!

rosiemac · Sep 5, 2005

Oh i remember you e-mailing me a picture of Minnie, because she is VERY like my Rosie

blue_monday_88 · Sep 5, 2005

Susan, I think Rosie might be a calico as well...she has torti features on her face, but she does have white on her...

Cassie has got a perfect mask...black one side, reddish-brown on the other, white underneath...unique coloring and soooo pretty!!

menagerie mama · Sep 5, 2005

I would definitley call Rosie a calico. Torties usually don't have white on them. I have 2 calicos and a tortie, and calicos are defintiely my favorite. I will never be without one.

Myth or Truth? Calico Cats?

blue_monday_88

TCS Member

Thread starter

lionessrampant

TCS Member

wellingtoncats

TCS Member

lionessrampant

TCS Member

wellingtoncats

TCS Member

jcat

Mo(w)gli's can opener

rosiemac

TCS Member

xocats

TCS Member

rosiemac

TCS Member

arlyn

TCS Member

mybabies

TCS Member

rosiemac

TCS Member

blue_monday_88

TCS Member

Thread starter

menagerie mama

TCS Member

Latest Posts

Connect with us