![]() ![]() Females have two X chromosomes, so there are two sets of information that can determine coat color. The female sex chromosome (X chromosome) also carries the code for an orange or a black coat color the male sex one (Y) does not. Tortoiseshell cats have some pretty cool genetics going on that controls that coloring and explains why they are almost always female and why the few males are so frail. The coloring often crops up in mixed breeds as a result, they don’t tend to have many health problems (except for males which can have fairly serious health issues and a much shorter life expectancy due to their genetics). However, the tortie coloring is found across multiple breeds, so the life expectancy will vary wildly. They are most commonly found among British and American shorthair cats, so figure about twelve to fourteen years, though there was a tortie who lived to be twenty-one years of age. Tortoiseshell cats have the lifespan of their breed. The personality of any cat is bound up more in their breed and how they were raised, not their coloring. (Though I can attest that my torties have been kind of crazy – then again, so was my grey cat, soooo….). Some people swear up and down that tortoiseshell cats have more attitude and are sassier than other cats, but since the tortoiseshell is coloring, it has no real bearing on their personality. Tortoiseshell cats are often represented in folklore all over the world and are often seen as a sign of good luck.Male tortoiseshell cats are incredibly rare, are sterile, and have more serious health issues than females (more on that in a moment).It is impossible to breed specifically for tortoiseshell coloring – the coloring is completely random.No one tortoiseshell cat looks the same as another! They can also either be brindled (blended color) or patched (Blocks of color). Tortoiseshell coloring can be either mosaic (colors are mixed randomly together) or Chimera (coloring where one color is on one half of the face or body and a different color on the other side).Tortoiseshell is always at least bicolor (black and red is common) and can be found on hairless, shorthair, and long hair cats.Tortoiseshell cats are found across breeds, so the only real universalities are the coloring itself and a few other aspects: What are the Characteristics of a Tortoiseshell Cat? You can even have faded versions which include combinations of lilac and cream or fawn and cream. So really, what we are looking for is two colors that contrast and are muddled together. Red can also mean orange, yellow, and cream and black can also mean chocolate, grey, tabby, and blue. Now, when we talk about a cat being black and red for their coloring, this is a generalization. Many breeds of cats can carry the tortoiseshell coloring, including Sphynx cats which will have patches on their skin. Tortoiseshell cats can be bridled (colors appear woven together) or patched (colors appear in large sections throughout the cat’s body). There is a great variation in shading and distribution of the colors. The coloring itself should be at least two colors, usually black and red, but other shades of brown, cinnamon, and chocolate are seen too. Tortoiseshell cats have a few sub-categories including ‘torbie’ (tabby striped pattern with the tortoiseshell coloring) and calico which is white fur with tortoiseshell colored patches throughout their coat. It’s named after the actual tortoiseshell coloring from, well, tortoise shells, which were used for jewelry and decorations until killing them for that purpose was banned in many parts of the world. Tortoiseshell refers to the distinct patterns of the cat’s coat. ![]() Myths and Folklore Around the Tortoiseshell Cat.Breeds of Cat that Tend to be Tortoiseshell Cats?.What are the Characteristics of a Tortoiseshell Cat?. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |