![]() ![]() This is why a female cat can have three colors and therefore a tricolor or calico coat: they have an X chromosome for black, an X chromosome for orange, and white is expressed independently. The white color, however, is not linked to sex chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes, so they can have genes for both black and orange and thus create tortoiseshell patterns. Males only have one X, so a male cat will only be either black or orange. In other words, for these colors to show, the cat must have the X chromosome. The information for black and orange colors are in the X chromosome. Depending on the combination, the cat can be male or female. The mother always gives an X chromosome, and the father can give X or Y. To understand why calicos are so rare in male cats, we need a basic understanding of genetics. Only 1/3,000 calico or tortoiseshell cats are male. Cats, like all mammals, have two sex chromosomes: X and Y. Learn more in our article: Calico cat colors Male calico cats. Traditional tortoiseshell cats primary have black, red, and orange fur with brown mixed in. Sex chromosomes are the ones that determine the sex of the cat. Tortoiseshell Cats (torties), also called mosaic marvels, feature a stunning patchwork of colors, including black, orange, and sometimes white. Tortoiseshell cats are not a specific breed, and are actually named after their distinct multicolor fur. Cats have 38 chromosomes: 19 are provided by the mother and 19 from the father. Therefor, the color and pattern of the cat's coat is a feature that is linked to its sex.Ĭhromosomes are structures found in the nucleus of cells that contain all of a living organism's genetic information, that is, its DNA. ![]() The color and pattern of a cat's coat depends on the animal's genes more specifically, the information for hair color is coded into the two chromosomes that determine the animal's sex. ![]()
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