A tortoiseshell or calico tabby is basically a tricolor cat with traditional tabby stripes and may contain red or orange spotted fur.īoth tortoiseshell and tricolor cats are known for being extremely independent and lively. Two X chromosomes are required to produce these specific coats, which is why most tortoiseshell and tricolor cats are female.Īdditionally, tabbies are often found on the fur of tortoiseshell and calico cats. The black and orange pattern in tortoiseshell cats and the tricolor pattern in tricolor cats are passed on through the X chromosome. Tortoiseshell cats and tricolors share some notable similarities, one of which is that they are almost always female.

Similarities Between Tortoiseshell and Calico Cats Calico always comes in three colours: white, black and orange (or white, gray and orange in diluted versions). This may manifest as a white cat with few colored spots, or a fully colored cat with very few white spots on his coat.

Tricolor cats have an extra gene for piebaldness, which causes white or unpigmented areas on the cat’s body. Tortoiseshell cats have only two colors, black and orange (or diluted gray and orange), and no white. The main difference between a tortoiseshell cat and a tricolor cat is the presence of white in the coat. The difference between a tortoiseshell cat and a calico cat Tortoiseshell cats are known for their bright, strong personalities and aggressive attitudes, a phenomenon often referred to as “stubbornness.” What is a calico cat? In either case, their coats may be a healthy combination of dark black or chocolate, mixed with ginger, red, or orange. This can happen on the face or all over the body. Because torties are not a specific breed of cat, their overall color is usually blotchy.Ī chimera coat describes a tortoiseshell cat that has one color on one side of its body and a different color on the other. “Diluted” tortoiseshell cats are light gray and orange instead of black and orange. The traditional tortoiseshell cat is a mix of dark orange and black. Tortoiseshell hair occurs in many different purebred domestic cats and non-purebred cats. On the rare occasion that a tortoiseshell cat is male, it is usually sterile. Tortoiseshell cats are almost always female. By definition, a tortoiseshell cat is a feline whose coat resembles the spotted or variegated shell of a turtle. Tortoiseshell is not a breed name but a description of a color pattern that can appear in short sentences of many different breeds and mixes.

Tortoiseshell and calico cat