Calico Cats

Find information about the origin and qualities of the Calico Cat.  You will see the beautiful coloring of this kind and lovely animal.

A calico cat is not a breed of cat, it is a color pattern.  To be called "calico", three colors must be present:  black, white and orange. Variations of these colors include gray, cream and ginger.  A "true" calico cat has large blocks of these three colors, a "tortoise shell" or "tortie" cat has a mix of these three colors (blended/swirled together more than distinct blocks of color).

Many people are surprised to hear that the vast majority of calico cats are female.  Coat color in cats is a sex-linked trait, a physical characteristic (coat color) related to gender. Female animals have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). The genetic coding for displaying black or orange color is found on the X chromosome.  The coding for white is a completely separate gene.   Since females have two X chromosomes, they are able to "display" two colors (orange and black, or variations thereof) and white; creating the 3-color calico mix.  Since males have only one X chromosome, they can only be orange OR black.  It is more complicated than simply having the color genes -- it is a complex process of dominant and non-dominate genes interacting on the X chromosomes, but that is the basis for coat color in calico cats. 

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Throughout history, many cultures have considered the calico cat to be lucky.  At one point in Japan, a calico cat was thought to bring good luck in the house and to protect sailors on their ships.  The calico cat was adopted as the Maryland state cat on October 1^st, 2001 because its colors of black, white, and orange are the same as the Baltimore Oriole and the Baltimore Checker spot butterfly; the state bird and insect respectively.

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Calico cats or Tortie and white bi-color are a cat with a mixture of white and any of the accepted tortoiseshell colors.  Originally named the Chintz in Britain, this variety of Persian is known as Calico in the USA.  Calico cats are essentially a tortoiseshell cat color with white patches.  The white part of the coat is usually most prominent on the underside of the body, and red/orange and black patches are larger and more distinct than in the tortoiseshell pattern.  Calico cats with blue and cream patches instead of orange and black are called dilute calicos.

Calico cats are stocky and have a broad chest.  They are a medium size cat with a rounded head, short nose and small wide set ears.  Calico cats legs are short and sturdy.  They have large round eyes that are copper or deep orange in color.  Calico cats coat is long, fine and thick.  The standard for the breed allows for all degrees of white, from white feet, chest and belly to a nearly all white coat with colored patches on the head and a colored tail. All three colors should show clearly.

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Calico cats are popular as both show cats and as pets.  Calico cats are a charming and an attractive breed.  They are friendly, sweet-natured, generally undemanding, and good with children.