She’s basically a contradictory ball of fluff. Lou is the most aloof, brave and temperamental cat I’ve ever encountered.ĭespite these qualities, Lou also exhibits neediness, a tendency to be startled by the crunch of a chip and a sweetness. As someone who spends a majority of her day with a calico cat, I can vouch for this. Though it could be argued a calico cat’s attitude is determined by their breed, the general consensus is there’s a certain attitude calicos are known to exhibit: one of extreme sass, pig-headedness and independence. However, variations including cream, blue-black, brown, and reddish-orange can also be found in calico cat coats. A calico cat isn’t a specific type of breed in fact, they can be any domestic cat breed with a tri-color coat typically black, orange, and white. Calico Cats Have a Big PersonalityĪs it turns out, calicos are well-known for their personalities and, more specifically, their sassy attitudes. Calico cats have a distinctive coat pattern. Male calico cats are often born with health issues as well.
This is similar to the human condition Klinefelter’s syndrome. In the rare instance of a male calico kitten being born, there is a 1 in 3,000 chance of it being sterile due to an abnormality in a male calico’s genes, which causes him to have an extra X chromosome. With just 1 X chromosome, a male cat only has the chance of displaying the black or orange gene, not both.
CALICO CAT CODE
What most people don’t know is that the genetic code for having either orange or black fur is only found in the X chromosome. Females have 2 X chromosomes, whereas males have 1 X chromosome and 1 Y chromosome. In fact, the calico coloring happens only by accident due to genetics.Ĭoat color is a sex-linked trait and occurs because of dominant and recessive genes that interact with X chromosomes. While calico coloring seems to be more common these days, it’s impossible to purposely breed a calico-colored cat. The calibby has the same color variations as calicos, with the addition of the signature tabby stripes. Lastly, a calibby is a mix of a calico and tabby cat.A dilute calico has the same white base, but their patches are softened to charcoal gray, cream and light orange.The rarer the coloration is, the higher the cost is.
At the same time, a beautiful calico cat with blue eyes can be purchased from breeders at 600-2,000. For example, shelters and rescue centers can offer costs from 60 up to 200. A standard calico has a primarily white coat with patches of orange and black. Find Calico cat stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. The dilute calico cat price depends on the breed of the feline you would like to adopt.There are 3 variations of calico coloring: To be considered a calico, the colors black, orange and white (or variations of these colors) must be present. You might have heard people refer to calicos like they’re a breed, but calico is a color or pattern of fur rather than a breed.