Of course, most longhaired breeds can be calico. Most people love Persians because of the long hair. If you are thinking of buying a calico Persian cat, then check out this article to find out more. We recommend some research before adopting any Persian cat so that you are fully prepared. You can have a calico tabby, an American shorthair calico, a muted calico, a calico Persian cat, or even a longhaired calico cat! One of the most popular is the American Shorthair Calico.Ĭalico Persian cats have the distinctive Persian look, complete with the fabulous calico color scheme! Although they are lovely cats in terms of appearance and temperament, the Persian breed does have some health problems potential owners need to consider. Furthermore, a number of different breeds can have the calico’s signature orange, black, and white hues, and all of these are still called calico!Ī calico pattern is mainly white with spots of orange and black, meaning that you can have all types of calico cats. The term calico refers to the tri-color coat on the cat. There is no such thing as a calico catĭid you know there’s no such thing as calico cat breeds? Really! Well, then, what is a calico cat?

Not only are Calico cats gorgeous, they have some unique characteristics. You’ve likely seen the distinctive tri-colored pattern of the fluffy calico cat, but you might not know all the unique traits of these fabulous felines.

Interstingly, a rare condition means that a few boy cats can be calico. Males can have color and white on their X chromosome, of course. The Y chromosome doesn’t have any color genes, so males are rarely tortoiseshell or calico. If we go back to our genetics lesson, instead of XX, male cats have XY chromosomes. The white gene is usually dominant over the color genes, so the amount of white on a calico cat can vary. If a cat has all three genes, it will be calico. Tricolor cats are more complex, because they have another gene on the X chromosome for white patches. Because female cats have two X chromosomes, if they have a black gene on one and orange on the other, you will get a mixed color tortoiseshell. Females have two of these, which we call XX.įor cats, the colors black and orange are found on the X chromosome. The color genes are on something called the X chromosome. The color these melanocytes give is all down to a cat’s genes, which contain a blueprint for coat color. They make your skin go darker when you develop a suntan. The reason that cats have colored coats is because they have melanocytes in their skin, and these contain color pigments.

Tortoiseshell calico cats