All You Need to Know About Calico Cats

Welcome to the world of a legendary calico cat!

The calico cat is a domestic cat famous to have three colors on its fur. If you are looking for information and facts about this tri-colored cat, look no further, read the article to get all the useful information about this beautiful creature.

Reference: @KittyCounty

There is a variety in the calico breed, which means that many different cats can be calico. The calico breed is a rare breed and is considered a sign of luck in many different areas of the world. Calico cats are mostly female but a male calico cat is rare. In this article, you will get to know why male cats are rare and why these cats are considered lucky in many regions of the world. You will also discover why Japanese Maneki Neko money cats are calico cats. Moreover, you will find out the health facts and how to keep their calico coat multicolor and shiny.

We have all the calico cat information including health, genetics, breed, personality, and fun facts.

Calico Cat Health Facts

Let’s have a look at some important health facts about this breed. You will get to know how to take care of a calico coat and keep this amazing creature healthy and fit.

1. 12 to 15 years is the average lifespan of this breed.
2. It is also observed that indoor cats live longer while outdoor cats have a shorter lifespan of about 8 years.
3. There is an increased chance of Klinefelter’s syndrome in male calico cats as compared to females and that is why male calicoes have a shorter lifespan than female ones. Klinefelter’s syndrome is a genetic condition in which a cat is born with 2 X chromosomes and 1 Y chromosome that can cause serious health problems including diabetes.
4. Male calico cats can not breed because they are sterile.
5. You can take care of this breed as same as non-calico cats until you have a male calico with Klinefelter’s Syndrome. They need extra care for survival.

Calico Cat Genetic Facts

Now discover some genetic facts about this legendary breed. You might be wondering are calico cats always female? and what is the genetic makeup of this breed? Here are some cool genetic facts about them.

1. There is just one male in 3000 calico cats.
2. About 99.8% of calico cats are female.
3. Cats get their color from the X chromosomes. Calico cat male has one X chromosome and one Y chromosome which makes them XY while female cats have two X chromosomes which they receive from each of the parents. There is a need for two X chromosomes in male cats to be a calico cat and that is why male calicoes are rare.
4. However, sometimes a cat may have an extra X chromosome which makes them an XXY cat, resulting in a male calico cat. This is the reason that most male cats are XY and are sterile and also suffer from a variety of health problems. The coloring of the cats is the result of genetic mutation. This way a male calico and a female calico can not mate and are unable to produce a calico kitten together.
5. Moreover, this breed has one X (brown and black) and another X (orange/yellow) chromosome. One of the cells is active and the other is inactive sometimes at the time of embryo development. This random process is called Ionization and that makes this breed look so unique.

Calico Cat Fun Facts

Here we are sharing some fascinating and fun facts about this amazing breed you must know. Do you know this multi-colored breed is famous to bring a stroke of good luck into your life? Read on to know some interesting facts about this beautiful creature.

1. They got their name calico because of the white, orange, and black fur which resembles a printed fabric known as “calico”.
2. This breed is the official cat breed of Maryland. On October 1, 2001, Maryland made them their official state cat.
3. Calico refers to the orange, black and white pattern on their fur which resembles a type of printed fabric called ‘calico’.
4. The Maryland state bird is known as Baltimore and the Maryland state insect both have the same color combinations of white, orange, and black as same as the official state cat, the calico cat.
5. This breed is so popular as a sign of good luck around the world. They are famous as the “Money Cats” in the US because they are thought to bring good fortune in financial matters in one’s life. Also, Japan made the calico cat breed the official sign of good luck in 1870.

Calico Cat Breed Facts

Let’s get to know some of the coolest calico breed facts. This breed exists in many different cat breeds, meaning that you may have a calico cat in British Blue or you can get an American Shorthair cat. They exist in many other types of calicoes. Discover all the interesting things about them.

1. The lovely American Shorthair cat may be a calico and these cats are very playful and are perfect as a pet. It is believed that they came from America on the Mayflower with some Pioneers and now they are established in the USA as the Native North American Cats.
2. Moreover, the famous semi-long-haired Maine Coon cat from the North-Eastern American Cat may belong to a calico cat. It is believed that Maine Coons are the ancient breed of cat that came over on the 1st ship to America. After mating Maine Coons with the American Shorthaired cats, the resulting offspring appeared as semi-long hair fur with raccoon-like bushy tails.
3. Maine Coons have evolved and survived in the cold weather of Maine and their semi-long fur helped them in this. Originally, they were farm cats but nowadays they are treated as domestic cats.
4. The British Blue or the British Shorthair is a pedigree British cat breed. They usually have orange eyes and a thick blue-grey coat. British Blue or the British Shorthaired breed was an inspirational breed for John Tenniel. John Tenniel was the illustrator for the original print of Alice In Wonderland and also based his Cheshire cat’s drawings on British Blue.
5. The Norwegian Forest Northern European cat has a waterproof and long outer coat and an insulating woolly outer coat. They are adapted to the very cold climates of North Europe. The Norwegian Forest Northern Europe cats are good at climbing and are believed that they were brought to Norway by the Vikings around in 1000Ad.

Calico Cat Personality Facts

Now is the time to see some important personality facts about Calico Cats. You must know the amazing personality facts of a calico breed before bringing one to your home. Same as many other cat breeds, this breed has some unique characteristics that calico owners must know to handle easily. Let’s know more about this character breed.

1. Most people say that there are no specific calico personality traits because they are not a specific cat breed. Calico may exist in many different cat breeds.
2. Furthermore, just like the tortoiseshells, this breed is often known as having a personality trait called “tortie”. This way they became very sassy and independent. They are proven to be great pets and affectionate and loyal partners. If you get one of the amazing calicoes either orange, white or black, you will get a great companion for yourself.
3. Additionally, it is also known that this breed has quirky personalities.
4. Cats from the calico breed may be more vocal and feisty than any other type of cat.
5. It is also reported that the female cats with orange, white, and black genetic color patterns survive with higher levels of aggression as compared to those cats whose genetic color pattern is not determined in this way.

Conclusion

Calico is such a cute and beautiful multi-colored cat breed. They make a perfect pet and never let you bored. Also, you must know about their personality and traits, it will help in taking care of them. If you know something special about this breed or have any questions about calico cats, let us know in the comment section.

If you enjoy reading all about the fascinating world of calico cats, why not check out our cool Top 10 mesmerizing cats for more?

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