![]() Remember that Calico refers to coloration, not a breed. Today, you can find Calico cats all around the world-including the one typically napping in a sunny windowsill at my house. ![]() ![]() From there, they may have been brought down along the Mediterranean to port cities in Italy, Spain, and France. While nobody knows for sure where Calico cats originated, it’s thought that they were initially found in Egypt. Although they can’t produce unwanted litters, this procedure provides them with important behavioral and health benefits, such as preventing testicular cancer and unwanted territorial spraying. On a side note, please keep in mind that even sterile male cats should be neutered. These cats are also sterile and can’t be used to breed other Calico cats. This XXY configuration can cause Klinefelter’s Syndrome, which is a health issue we’ll get into later. These cats present as male, but can be Calico because they have two X chromosomes. In rare cases, cats can have an extra X chromosome making them XXY. Male cats have an XY chromosome pair, so they can’t be Calicos.If a cat has an XX pair, she will be female.Two X chromosomes are needed for a cat to have that distinctive tri-color coat.I’ll try not to put you to sleep with a complicated genetics lesson, so here’s a quick overview: However, Calicos are usually mostly white with patches of color, while Torties typically have a mainly brownish coat with streaks of colors and almost no white.Ĭalico cats are predominantly female because their coloring is related to the X chromosome. Torties are similar to Calicos in that they have black and orange coloring. However, variations on these colors, such as cream, blue-black, reddish, brown might also be noted in the coat of a Calico cat.Ĭalico cats are sometimes mistaken for Tortoiseshell cats or Torties and vice versa. Calico cats have at least three colors in their fur, which at their most basic are white, orange, and black. What sets Calico cats apart is their tri-color coat. * A number of breeds, including American Shorthair, Japanese Bobtail, and Persian to name a few can have a calico coat color. You can check the Cat Fancier’s Association list of breeds, but you won’t find it listed there. The first thing you should know is that “Calico” is not a breed of cat. Let’s start with the basics, including a little bit of background on why Calico cats are the way they are and why they’re almost always female. I hope you enjoy them too! The Basics on Calico Cats I had fun compiling these Calico cat facts and even learned a thing or two myself. ![]() Full disclosure first: I am a Calico cat parent, and I love my sweet whiskered girl, Callie! What’s not to love? That unique, eye-catching fur coloring and quirky nature (OK, that part may not be determined by my cat’s Calico-ness, but we’ll get to that later)-these are just a couple of reasons my heart goes pitter-patter for my Calico cat. ![]()
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