As a result, the “XX” of the male calico will still go through dosage compensation. But a calico male has a deviation in their chromosomes. Although 99.9% of calicos are female, one in three thousand are male.Ī non-calico male has “XY” chromosomes.

But how is color determined on the male calicos? It’s a fallacy to think all calicos are female. You may have noticed that the example was for a female. Just like a snowflake, no calico looks the same. And that’s why each calico’s fur has a unique pattern. If it closes down a white part of the body, black fur might appear. When a chromosome is shut down that controls black fur on the part of the body red fur might come out instead. But a female can’t live with all this protein. These chromosomes double the amount of protein that the female needs. All-female cats have two “X” chromosomes. How Does the Unique Calico Coloration Develop?Ĭalicos are rare. The Siamese are cream and black, and the Russian Blue is grey…no orange. This is because they are solid colors that don’t have orange in them. It would be difficult for these breeds to produce a calico anyway. These breeds that accept the calico coloring are:Įven though these breeds do accept the unique calico pattern and colors, there are some breeds that will not accept calico coloration.

There are several recognized feline purebreds that will accept the calico coloring. No, a calico is not a breed (although they may act like they are), but they can appear in different breeds. It’s not as vibrant as the standard calico, but it’s an exquisite look. It’s a smokey colored grey with an almost strawberry-blond color tone. It can be confused with a plain grey cat. They look different than a standard calico, but that’s what they are. You may have heard them called different names such as clouded tiger or calimanco. Diluteĭilute calicos have a light coloration. You can learn more about Tortoiseshell vs tabby cats here. Understanding the difference between tabby and tortoiseshell patterns is important for any cat owner. And although this can be controversial among tortie parents, they’re still tri-colored, which makes them calicos. The red and black mix with a little white thrown in. A tortoiseshell doesn’t have distinct red and white splotches. Unlike standard calicos that have a white base coat, tortoiseshells have a black base coat. The significant difference is the base coat. These beauties have the black, red and white in their coat just like the standard calico. CalibbyĪ calico, which is a calibby, as previously mentioned, has stripes and or spots. When you see a calico, this is pretty much what you’re looking at. This is your typical patchwork fur pattern that everyone knows and loves. There are four different types of calicos. But despite the addition of the stripes, the calico will retain her three colors and, therefore, still be called a calico.įor more information on different types of coat patterns, read this article! Different Types of Calicos The addition of stripes and or spots gives the calico an extra dimension. So instead of having just irregular splotches of color, the calico will have a striped or spotted coat. This is a mix between a tabby and a calico. For instance, an orange and white cat is not a calico because it only has two colors.Ī Striped calico is referred to as a calibby. The rest of their coloring is black and red. Are Striped Calicos Still Calicos?Ī true calico cat is typically twenty-five to seventy percent white. Read on to discover what happens when a tabby is thrown into the mix. But sometimes there’s a deviation to the shape of the colors. They are quite the feline and are characterized by irregularly shaped splashes of color. Although the standard pattern is splotches of color, if a calico’s mother, father, or both are tabbies, striping can occur.Ĭalico cats are usually an interesting group but not always under the umbrella of Domestic Short Hair or Long Hair. But do all calicos simply have a patchwork of color, or can something else be mixed in?Ĭan calico cats have stripes? Yes, Calico cats can have stripes. It also seems like they take a great deal of pride in this. With a coat of brilliant red, jet black and snow-white calicos are indeed striking cats.

Calico tabby temperament