A calico kitten is about as adorable as a baby animal can get. A calico cat, on the other hand, is not a breed but rather a highly unique color feature. A “genuine” calico is a tri-color cat with distinct patches of color rather than blended colors like a tortoiseshell cat. A calico cat, however, is more than just a color combination.
The term “calico” refers to the color pattern of a white cat’s coat with orange (or red or reddish-brown) and black (or grey or blue) patches. Because “calico” is a color rather than a breed, these cats can be large, tiny, long-haired, short-haired, or even hairless if the cat belongs to one of the breeds that exhibits any of these traits.
For a cat to be classified as a calico, three different colors must be present. Because color is connected to the x chromosome, the majority of cats with this color pattern are female. Females have two x chromosomes, therefore one will have the orange gene and the other will have the black gene. The white regions are then created by a separate gene for piebald patches that is unrelated to the cat’s sex.
Male calico cats have an uncommon disease called Klinefelter’s syndrome, which causes chromosomal abnormalities, and regrettably, men with this coat pattern may have additional genetic mutations than color that might damage their health. The hue “tortoiseshell,” which is a combination of red, orange, or brownish color and black, without or with only a trace of white, is also commonly found on female cats.
Surprisingly, it turns out that most calico cats, regardless of breed, have similar characteristics. These unique cats have been around for generations, and the color of their coats is considered lucky in many nations, notably Japan. The hue is known as “Mi-ke,” and it is frequently seen on Japan’s national cat, the Japanese bobtail. The renowned “Beckoning Cat” is nearly typically shown in calico color. Calico cats are always portrayed as calm, optimistic, and lucky kittens in many cultures’ old mythology and history.
Personality and characteristics
Owners of both calico and tortoiseshell cats think that their cat is unique for reasons other than its color.
Tortoiseshell owners explain the “tortitude” that they believe is unique to their hue. Tortitude is a mix of commitment, enthusiasm, and a dash of fiery temper. Calico owners frequently comment that the multicolored coat is only the frosting on the cake of a very sweet and lovable disposition. They are sometimes referred to as “ancient spirits.” Calico cats are well-known for being kind, loving, and smart. By scratching on each bedroom door, one renowned calico saved her entire person and animal family from a blazing house. Scarlett, another remarkable mother cat featured in Scarlett hero catnews in 1996, returned to a blazing shed five times to save each of her kittens.
The babies were unhurt, but the mother cat suffered severe burns that resulted in the loss of her eyes and whiskers! Despite this, she cheerfully cleaned and looked over her babies as hundreds of people flocked to see her recuperate in the animal hospital. – Amazing!
Are Calico Cats Always Female?
Have you ever seen a male calico cat? Few have, and it is often assumed that all calico cats are female. To further grasp this enigma, let’s go through genetics in a nutshell. Each mother cat’s progeny will have a pair of sex chromosomes, XX or XY, which will determine whether the kitten is a girl or a boy. The mother distributes an X chromosome to her offspring, whereas the father passes either an X or a Y. If the baby inherits the Y, its genetic makeup will be XY, and he will be a boy.
However, depending on the circumstances, color and other physical calico cat traits are linked particularly to the X or Y gene. Calico kittens are born with two X genes, one with an orange characteristic and one with a non-orange feature (usually black). And, if a cat has the XX mix of genes required to be calico, it will be a female, which is why it is widely assumed that a calico cat must be a female.
However, as fate would have it, you will come across a male calico cat on extremely rare occasions. “How can this be?” you wonder. Actually, it is conceivable, if uncommon, for a genetic abnormality to develop in which a kid inherits an additional sex chromosome, resulting in the XXY combination. The XX of the XXY fulfills the need of the two X chromosomes required to generate the calico cat’s color, while the Y of the XXY provides the male sex. Male calico cats, on the other hand, are typically infertile and do not procreate.
So, the next time you see a lovely little calico cat, remember that she’s more than “meets the eye.”