CALICO CAT SKIN

They’re one of the few felines to earn unique names around the globe, too: You’ll find calicos popping up in every culture – and, surprisingly, the legends all have a positive slant! People knew they were looking at felines with something more (possibly due to no two calicos looking alike). With such a special hair coat, calico cats have carved out their place in our mythology. Tortoiseshell: If you don’t see patches of white, your cat is considered a tortoiseshell.Dilute: When the black and orange soften to grey and peach, you have a dilute on your hands.Calico: These kitties have white in their mixture.The combination of the colors, and how dark they appear, determines what kind of calico you have: However, there are different types of calicos. Most people think “calico” when they see three coat colors combined. However, because they have that extra chromosome, these males usually end up sterile. The male cats end up with two X chromosomes, allowing for the B and b gene combination. This is due to a condition known as Klinefelter (and it happens in humans, too). In fact, only one out of THREE THOUSAND males will develop the calico pattern. Now, you CAN find male calicos, but it’s RARE. When the three get together? You have the distinct tri-colored coat of the calico.

CALICO CAT SKIN

And that’s ANOTHER gene affecting skin color. Voila! A calico cat’s born! Of course, you still need to account for the white you see. And as the cells divide and grow, you get patches of orange or black. Some of the cat’s cells decide to express a B gene, while others express the b gene. One of the chromosomes in a cell curls up and forms a Barr body.

Instead, they lead to a cat with patches of BOTH. The two colors DON’T cancel each other out. And now and then, they end up with a B and b together. But females? They have two X chromosomes, so they have a chance at some gene scrambling. And why? Because males only have one X chromosome (more on that in a second). Male cats? They’re usually solid in color. The genes for cat fur color are carried on the X chromosome (B=orange, b=black). And it starts with parents carrying genes for a black coat and an orange coat. You need the proper genetic conditions for calico fur to show up. Your lovely calico will hold their tail up with pride with any of these name options! Calico CatsĬalicos aren’t common coat colors – and for a good reason. Why settle for “Patches” or “Callie” when you can choose something special? Luckily for you, we have 108 calico cat names that break the mold.

And they deserve a name that captures that amazement. These beautiful cats take your breath away. It’s one of the best parts of sharing your life with a calico. And you never know what pattern you’ll get! Every calico looks unique. The blend of black, orange, and white always looks stunning. When you stumble across a calico cat, you know you have something special.

Calico cat