Interesting! DID YOU KNOW? While it is commonplace to refer to CALICO CATS as a breed, they are, in fact, not a breed. They are simply categorized specially due to the coloring of their fur. They are a subset of tortoiseshells, and they are distinguished by the three colors present in patches in their coat, which are white, black, and orange. Many times, the orange will look redder or more reddish-brown to people. Tortoiseshells are distinct from calicos due to the absence of many white patches in their coats. Scientists have not pinpointed the reason the coat colors are so specific, but they have studied calicos for decades and have learned some facts about them, including that they are overwhelmingly female. Because of scientific research, it is now understood that the genetic information that leads to the fur colors is carried with the X chromosome. As females have two X chromosomes and males have only one, calicos are much more likely to be female; in fact, over 90 percent of them are. Some have taken this gender predominance to mean that there are no male calicos. However, this assertion is false, and it is generally based solely on anecdotal evidence. While pretty rare, males with this coloring do exist.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 15:48:44 +0000
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