Calico cats are a rare phenomenon in nature. This is explained by the fact that the genes responsible for color are associated only with the female chromosome X. A similar feature is observed in the cat family and Syrian hamsters. Normally, three-colored or tortoiseshell cats cannot exist, but they are still born.
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What breeds can be tricolor?
Not all cat breeds can boast of tricolor coloring. For example, the Siamese cat is always two-colored, and the name of the Thai khao mani speaks for itself (translated it means “white pearl”) - such animals are only white. So what breed can a motley cat be?
Maine Coon
The largest representatives of domestic cats - Maine Coons - have a large number of colors. Tortoiseshell and white in Maine Coons is a tri-color coat, usually combining white, gray and red. There is also a variant of spotted tabby with white. In this case, the color has an interesting pattern of black and red spots with white markings.
Tricolor cat
For your information! In the USA, the tricolor of this breed is considered a monetary color, that is, bringing profit and prosperity to the house. In this regard, the price for a tricolor kitten will be higher than for a kitten with a different color. And if a tricolor cat is born, then its cost can be truly exorbitant, because for genetic reasons this color is almost always inherent in females.
Japanese Bobtail
Representatives of this breed can have any coat color. The most common is kot mi-ke, or simply tricolor. On the main white color there are large spots of red and black.
Japanese bobtail tricolor
Note! The eyes of such a multi-colored cat must be in harmony with the color. In monochromatic representatives of the breed, one can often observe heterochromia - the phenomenon of multi-colored eyes, but tricolors, as a rule, have brown eyes.
British shorthair cat
Many people are used to seeing British Shorthairs with blue or gray colors and do not even know what variety of colors this breed can boast of. Some types of colors have been bred by breeders for a long time. The British calico cat is not often seen, but it does exist.
For your information! The official tricolors of British cats are the bicolor tortoiseshell harlequin and the black and red harlequin tortoiseshell.
Turkish van
The color of the Turkish Van is a distinctive feature of the breed. The fact is that its representatives have a characteristic arrangement of colored spots: they must be on the tail and head. At the same time, from half to 5/6 of the body remains white. The character of these colored animals is flexible.
The Turkish Van's spots can be one-color or two-color. In the latter case, two colors of spots in combination with the main white form a tricolor. The tricolor fluffy Turkish Van cat will delight not only the eyes of the owners, but also the experts at the exhibition.
Kurilian Bobtail
A distinctive feature of the Kurilian Bobtail is their short tail. According to the standard, its length can range from 3 to 8 cm. As for colors, any colors and their variations are acceptable. The combination of red, gray or black with white is quite rare, but still exists.
Note! At the moment, the breed is not recognized by the CFA federation, therefore it does not have strict standards, and the tricolor Kuril Bobtail cat is not uncommon.
American shorthair cat
A very common breed, a representative of which can be seen in Whiskas advertisements. The CFA Federation, which regulates all issues, recognizes more than 60 color options for this breed. These are plain, spotted, smoky, tabby.
The most common color is silver marble. Tricolored representatives of the breed are not so common, and often their coats are not spotted, but smoky. The boundaries between colors are blurred and look more like a gradient.
Siberian cat
Among representatives of the Siberian cat breed, tricolors are very common. As a rule, this is a standard combination of black and red or brown spots on a basic white background. The breed standard allows this color option. You can often see tortoiseshell and white.
Important! The main expert requirement for tricolors is harmony and balance between colors. The spots should be proportional to each other. There should be more white.
Aegean cat
The Aegean cat standard allows for any shade of color. The limitation is that two thirds of the entire body must be white. The spots can be one color (bicolor) or two colors (tricolor). In the latter case, as a rule, the color of the spots varies from red to brown and from gray to black.
Note! The four-color color of the animal is just a variation of the tricolor.
Features of behavior
The character of a cat, like that of a person, is individual. There are black, red and white tricolor cats with a soft and kind temperament. These include:
- Fluffy, Persian tricolor cat. Affectionate, imposing creatures, looking straight into the eyes of their owner, will show love and endless devotion.
- Multi-colored, single-colored fold-eared cat. Refers to calm and balanced creatures. There are rarely problems with them when moving or at exhibitions. They go through the adaptation period quickly. They live with other pets in complete understanding. Genotypes of the purebred fold are problematic. Skeletal anomalies cannot be excluded.
- Common red cat. This is a multi-flowered plant with green eyes, which indicates the grace, exclusivity, mystery and peculiar character of the owner.
Tricolored animals are distinguished by such character traits as playfulness and hunting acumen.
The three-flowered short-haired yard or thoroughbred, the most common among the multi-flowered ones, has the following features:
- playfulness;
- mind;
- intelligence;
- endurance;
- some stubbornness;
- hostility of other people's hands;
- hunting grip;
- aggressiveness towards the offender.
Are there male calico cats?
Many people notice a strange feature: if they see a three-haired cat, then it will definitely be a female. In this regard, a logical question arises: “Are there tricolor cats or are there only cats with this color? What is the chance of having a multi-colored kitten?
Tortoiseshell cat - pet character and examples of main breeds
Are there three-haired cats?
Males are not genetically predisposed to the tricolor color. But why do they still sometimes appear? The truth is that if a three-color male cat is still born, then this occurs as a result of a malfunction in the genetic code: instead of a set of XX chromosomes, the result is a set of XXY.
Note! Genetics have proven that this happens, but kittens are born infertile.
Scientists have found that the probability of a tri-colored male cat is 1 in 400,000. Despite the fact that the breed does not affect the color, the three-haired British and Scots are the least common, this is due to the predominance of smoky shades of coat in the gene. Persian color cats are also rare.
Signs of different countries
Tricolor cats are revered by the traditions of many countries in the East and West:
- In England, they believe that tricolor pets bring peace, harmony, and protection from diseases and life’s adversities to the home.
- In the USA they are called money cats and they are believed to be able to bring wealth and material well-being to the home.
- In Muslim countries they are confident that the presence of the tricolor can protect housing from an accidental fire.
- In Japan, such cats are a talisman of happiness, so those who cannot afford to keep an animal buy special “maneki neko” figurines. They are called "greeters" and depict a cat with a raised front paw, which is placed at the entrance to the house and attracts prosperity and good luck with a greeting.
Three-colored pets are highly valued by sailors and fishermen, since it is believed that they are able to protect the ship from storms and wrecks and ensure its unhindered return home. This sign is explained by the fact that these animals sense weather changes better than others and a sharp change in behavior serves as a signal of approaching bad weather.
Despite some differences in interpretations, they have one thing in common - these unique animals bring good luck, health and fulfillment of desires, so if a tri-colored kitten comes to the house, it should not be driven away under any circumstances.
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Calico cats evoke a lot of positive emotions. In addition to their unusual appearance, charming creatures have many advantages. In the article I will describe the meaning of color. I’ll tell you about the characteristics of the owners of rare skins and what the varieties of colors are called. I will list the popular beliefs that exist about them and why these cats are so loved.
Nutrition of calico cats
Himalayan cat - the character of cats and kittens
The diet should be balanced, regardless of the color of the animal. Owners can feed their pet with special food or rabbit, lamb, or beef (lean).
We must not forget about the dangers of animals eating bird bones. Cats have a fairly strong jaw and will be able to chew through a bird bone to swallow it. However, the bone will have too sharp edges, which is dangerous for the pet’s stomach.
Nutrition is the key to your pet’s health
It is also not recommended to feed males fish. Regular consumption of fish can lead to kidney problems and urolithiasis. It is strictly forbidden to give fish to castrated cats. A proper and balanced diet will help maintain your pet’s vision, strong teeth and a good coat.
Description of color
Tri-colored or tortoiseshell cats are those whose fur is simultaneously colored in three colors, the main one being white. The other two shades are derived from red and black. For example, there are spots: cream, orange, gray, chocolate, purple, cinnamon, ginger. There are two types depending on the number of shades:
- Calico (tortoiseshell). Spots of all three basic colors appear on the cat's body. Black and red often predominate over white.
- Harlequin (tricolor). White covers the main part of the cat's body, while black and red are colored in certain areas, for example, only the paws. The uniqueness of the three-color color is that the pattern is never repeated.
Similar colors can be found in the following breeds:
Historical facts of tri-color cats
York chocolate cat: breed
Few people know the nature of the origin of the tricolor color. After all, cats were originally wild animals, and their color adapted to the environment where the animal lived, performing the function of camouflage. But where could cats camouflage themselves with three colors?
The famous English scientist and organic chemist N. Todd found out that tri-colored cats originally appeared in Egypt. From there, with the light hand of man, they gradually moved to the cities of France and Italy.
In 1948, scientists began seriously studying the tricolor colors of cats. At this time, B. Murray and Bertram concluded that only females possess a gene that links the sex of an animal with its color.
Gender and Genetics Calico
Tricolored animals are usually female. Why is that? Are there tricolor cats? The answer is genetics. The genetics of Calico cats are quite fascinating and have been the subject of considerable scientific research since the 1940s. The black and orange spots that characterize these cats are the result of a genetic phenomenon called dosage compensation. A cat's color is a physical characteristic associated with gender.
Females have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). The genetic coding to display the color black or orange is on the X chromosome. Coding white is an entirely separate gene.
In female mammals, one of the X chromosomes is randomly deactivated (called X-inactivation) in each cell. In calico cats, a random combination of color genes that are either “on” or “off” produces the mottled orange and black colors.
Interesting facts about calico cats
There are many interesting facts associated with the three-color coloration in cats.
- The probability of meeting a tricolor cat is 1 in 400 thousand. In other words, 99.9% of tricolor cats are female. Even their photos are highly valued.
- Thanks to its interesting color, the three-haired cat has become the official state cat of the state of Merlin, USA. This happened in early October 2001.
- Tricolor is the most expensive Maine Coon color.
- In 2007, the calico cat was appointed head of the railway station. The fluffy animal greeted passengers at the entrance, as a result of which the flow of visitors increased by 17%. This saved the railway station from bankruptcy.
- Intentional breeding of cats with this color is impossible, because it is formed randomly.
A little mysticism
In the culture of many countries, there are beliefs that cats with a tricolor color bring good luck, which cannot be a coincidence!
In America they are called "money cats." Muslims believe that a calico cat can protect a house from fire. In England they are considered to bring warmth and security into the home.
Due to the special rarity of calico cats, there is a belief among fishermen that a ship with a calico cat on board will never be wrecked. And today, as in the old days, it is possible to sell such a cat on a ship at a very attractive price.
In Japan, a tricolor cat is a talisman that brings good luck, and if its Maneki-neko figurine is placed at the entrance to the house, then happiness and material well-being will definitely come to it. The cat is depicted with its paw raised in greeting, because it is with greeting that prosperity comes to the house.
So you can be happy if you have a red, black and white kitten. And if the tricolor cat came to your house on its own... Hurry up, let her in, and
You will be happy!
Happy Jake
This unique calico cat lives in the UK. Richard Smith bought the kitten for 20 pounds, not even realizing how rare he was acquiring. And his little son Harvey chose an unusual pet among several kittens. Neither father nor son knew what an amazing creature they got until Richard brought the furry pet to the veterinary clinic for examination and vaccinations.
Thanks to his rare color, Jake became known throughout the country. However, this does not affect his behavior. Now Jake is 11 months old and he behaves like an ordinary young healthy cat - he eats well, sleeps, runs and plays. “You know, even though he is a walking rarity with a mystery of nature for a couple, we don’t think much about it. We just love Jake because he’s our cat,” says Richard.
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Folk signs about tricolor cats
Since the history of the existence of cats with such an interesting coat color stretches back to time immemorial, people have managed to associate many signs with them.
A tricolor pet is lucky
The point of contact is usually color. If black cats that crossed someone's path were awarded with negative qualities, then three-colored felines were a little luckier.
Tortoiseshell cat color
The combination of a large number of black and red spots on the coat with clear boundaries is called tortoiseshell (tortie) color. It has a blue-cream variation of blurred, lightened colors. There is also a tortoiseshell color with white - in fact, it is three-color, but there are few white areas, pigmented ones predominate. This is how it differs from calico.
It is very rare that a tortoiseshell cat may be born in a litter: like the three-haired one, it is the result of a chromosomal mutation.
