In even rarer cases, a male calico can be a “feline chimera,” where two embryos merge in utero to form one animal.

According to the ASPCA, problems associated with Klinefelter’s Syndrome include cognitive and developmental issues that can lead to behavioral problems reduced bone mineral content that increases the risk for broken bones and increased body fat, which can lead to many obesity-related medical conditions. These cats are male, but are always sterile and unfortunately tend to have a host of health problems due to their genetic abnormalities. In very rare cases-about 1 calico cat in every 3,000-cats can have an extra X chromosome, known as XXY Syndrome or Klinefelter’s Syndrome. You probably never knew your calico’s beautiful coat was also so complicated! If the cat gets one orange-coded X and one black-coded X, she will be calico-with the white patches resulting when she also inherits a gene unrelated to the X and Y chromosomes that codes for white fur. Two X chromosomes are needed to create the tri-color coat, and an XX pair also results in the cat being female. This is because their tri-coloring is related to the X chromosome. Of all the calico cat facts on our list, this one sounds the most like a myth-but it isn’t! Almost all calico cats are female. The history of calico cats themselves is less clear: According to Sue Hubbel’s Shrinking the Cat: Genetic Engineering Before We Knew About Genes, the proportion of cats having the orange mutant gene found in calicoes was traced to the port cities along the Mediterranean in Greece, France, Spain, and Italy, originating from Egypt. Both short-haired and long-haired cats can have the calico coloration pattern.Īccording to Spruce Pets, calico cats are named for their coat color that resembles calico cloth, which was once imported from England to India.

In its most basic form, this tri-colored pattern refers to patches of white, black, and orange however, variations with cream, reddish-brown, and grey-blue colors also occur. Calico actually refers to the tri-colored fur pattern that some cats exhibit. Just like tabby cats, “calico” is often mistaken for a type of cat breed. For instance, you may have wondered more than once: Are all calico cats female? Get the answer and more calico cat facts below!Ĭalico isn’t a breed – it’s a coloration pattern These felines are so well known that they even come with their own set of interesting facts. All kitties are bewitching, but no one can deny the unique beauty of calico cats.

Calico cat breeds