I always assumed a “calico cat” was a breed or type of cat… only to find out it’s actually just the name for the COLOR of the cat. In order to be a calico, the following coat colors must be present on the cat:
- White
- Black
- Orange
Once again, this more of a genetic post on calico colored cats as most tend to be female. Why? Pure genetics, again.
To go into detail on this topic, I am going to quote a great article by Janet Crosby. She wrote,
“Coat color in cats is a sex-linked trait, a physical characteristic (coat color) related to gender. Female animals have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). The genetic coding for displaying black or orange color is found on the X chromosome. The coding for white is a completely separate gene.
Since females have two X chromosomes, they are able to “display” two colors (orange and black, or variations thereof) and white; creating the 3-color calico mix. Since males have only one X chromosome, they can only be orange OR black. It is more complicated than simply having the color genes — it is a complex process of dominant and non-dominate genes interacting on the X chromosomes, but that is the basis for coat color in calico cats. For those of you interested in the detailed coat color genetics, please see the “Related Reading” articles at the bottom of this FAQ.
Can a calico cat ever be male? Yes, in rare instances. In this situation, the cat has two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome (XXY). Cats with this chromosomal configuration are usually sterile (not able to breed).”
For more on calico cats, check out the following links: