Calico Cats
Calico cats are not a breed but a pattern of coloring found almost exclusively in female cats. Calicos have patches of fur in three colors – white, orange, and a third color, usually black. It is a special gene known as the white spotting gene that gives calico cats their unique color pattern. The gene is found on an X chromosome, and it causes one X chromosome in every cell to shut off. In calicos, one X chromosome carries the gene for the orange patches and the other X chromosome carries the gene for the non-white patches. The reason calicos are almost always female is that two X chromosomes are needed for a cat to have calico markings. In rare cases, a male cat with an extra X chromosome can be a calico. Male calicos are almost always sterile. Aside from their unique coloring, calicos tend to have specific behavioral characteristics that may be genetic as well. Calicos are usually stubborn and can be aloof and very independent (even for cats). They also have an endearing kind of eccentricity that makes them quite lovable to the humans they live with.
Back to All About Cats Home Page
|
Many people think of calicos as temperamental and even ornery, but calicos are also associated with good luck. In fact, in Japan, one of the most
