The allele that determines tortoiseshell expression is carried on the X chromosome, of which females have two (XX), one expressing orange and one expressing black, simultaneously. Torbie is short for “tortoiseshell tabby”, and is a patched tabby, or one with brown tabby patterns instead of black fur.ĭid you know that almost ALL calico and tortie cats are born female? Male tortoiseshell or calico cats are possible, but extremely rare. You may have heard the term “torbie” being tossed around, too. A dilute calico with cute pink toe beans. Like torties, calico cats can also come in dilutes. These patches of white may be rather small and interwoven, or relatively large and cover almost the entire body.Įven a cat with mottled tortoiseshell patches will be considered a calico if she has significant amounts of white in her coloring thanks to her genetics! Calico cats have an additional genetic condition at work called 'piebalding' in which white (i.e. This is the main difference between a calico cat and a tortoiseshell cat. However, tortoiseshell cats have no white at all.Ĭalico cats are also referred to as “tricolor” or “tortie-and-white” - and sometimes even 'piebald' cats! Why? Because calico cats have the same black and orange color as a tortoiseshell cat - but with white, too! A dilute tortie may have blue and cream fur instead of black and orange.

These colors can come in various shades of dilution, from soft grey to brown, ginger, cream, amber, red, and cinnamon - called dilute torties. Their mottled coats are as a result of what genetics call Lyonization. Tortoiseshell Cats, often called “torties” for short, have a combination of two colors, normally black and orange displaying in a patchwork or mosaic. So, how can you spot the difference between a calico cat and a tortoiseshell cat? Read on! Tortoiseshell Cats To the untrained eye, these gorgeous mosaic-furred felines can be easily confused for one another. So a domestic shorthair cat can be a tortoiseshell just as much as a Japanese Bobtail can be a calico cat! Calico and tortoiseshell cats are best known for their beautiful multicolored coats of black, orange and white - and their “ tortitude ”.īoth “calico” and “tortoiseshell” are terms that refer to the color and pattern of a cat’s coat and do not actually refer to the cat’s breed.

Light tortoiseshell calico cat