Calico Cats – Tricolor Beauties
Calico cats are very easy to spot. Their colorful coat of three colors is hard to miss. Some people believe that calico is a cat breed. Others think it is a color. However, calico refers to a unique tricolor pattern. A nondiluted calico has mostly white, which is the predominant color, with distinct patches of orange (or red) and black. Some cats will have chocolate instead of black, but this is quite rare.
By contrast, a diluted calico will have a coat of white, cream, blue (sort of like a bluish gray) or cinnamon. The washed out colors are caused by the dilution gene.
But what causes this unique pattern? It’s all about genetics. More specifically, the answer lies in the chromosome X, which contains the code responsible for fur coloring in cats. The Y chromosome, by contrast, contains no information associated with color. Now, a set of two X chromosomes are required to produce a calico. Male cats have a set of XY while female cats have a set of XX, so most calicos happen to be female. Though rare, you will find male calicos, which for the most part happen to be sterile.
Interestingly, many people confuse calicos with tortoiseshell cats. At first glance, they may look similar, but upon closer examination they’re quite different. The main difference being that tortoiseshell cats have very little or no white fur. Some people confuse the two because some tortoiseshells display more white hair than usual, but this hair is mostly mixed in with the other colors. By the way, the two other colors are also blended. Calicos, on the other hand, have three distinct patches of color, white being the most prominent.
Another interesting fact is that not all tricolor cats are calico cats, some cat breeds like the Himalayan and Javanase have coats with tricolor points but these are not considered to be true calicos.
About the Author
Claudia Escobar is the proud owner of two tabbies. For more information on calico catss and gift ideas for cat lovers visit her site at http://www.cat-lovers-gifts-guide.com. If you want to publish this article feel free to do so, provided that you publish it in its entirety and include this resource box.
Adopt a Cat – Patch
|
|
Patch Magic 8-Inch by 8-Inch Cat Tales Pot Holder Cat’s Miaow… |
|
|
Patch Magic 72-Inch by 16-Inch Kitty Cats Table Runner $30.42 16 in. W x 72 in. L Handmade, Hand quilted Table Runner made from 100% Cotton. Machine washable, but for best care hand wash in cold water. Do not machine dry. Do not dry clean…. |
|
|
Patch Magic 27-Inch by 29-Inch Cats Tale Apron $22.99 Cat’s Miaow… |
|
|
Grey Cat on the Tennessee Farm $10.96 … |
|
|
[CD] Pumpkin Patch SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTO TO SEE THE LIST OF ALL THE SOUNDS LIKE: EVIL LAUGH, SCREECHING CAT, RAVEN CAWING, BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM, THUNDER CRASHING AND BOOMING, WITCH CACKLING, HEART BEATING …. 49 DIFFERENT SOUNDS… |
|
|
Grey Cat On the Tennessee Farm $8.99 … |
|
|
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Two-Disc Widescreen Theatrical Edition) $2.79 With The Return of the King, the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. Director Peter Jackson’s awe-inspiring adaptation of the Tolkien classic The Lord of the Rings could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien’s expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and a… |
|
|
Patches The Cat Reading Fun $12.94 Reading Fun is an entertaining and educational collection of Patches The Cat And Friends (32 pp, narrated by Chipper Chipmunk, with large print and sound effects); Book of Butterflies (Texas)-(24 pp, narration), and an interesting Photo Gallery (72 pp, some interesting info also from NASA and NOAA websites, with background music).Join Patches the cat and her animal friends at her home in Texas and… |
|
|
DuoDerm CGF Hydroactive Dressings (4 x 4 sterile – 5/box) $18.08 Highly-flexible, polyurethane outer layer with an adhesive skin contact layer that contains a unique hydrocolloid composition. Cleans by aiding autolytic debridement. Flexibility, conformability, and the moist wound environment combine to enhance patient comfort. For lightly to moderately exuding wounds. Use Extra Thin dressing on minimally exuding wounds and as a protective dressing. Latex free…. |
|
|
Moist Heat Therapy Warming Neck Wrap – 174-101-10 $29.99 Spa Necessities Moist Heat Neck Wrap is a self Hydrating Moist heat wrap. Moist heat adds moisture to the skin and muscle tissue and will be much more penetrating and comfortable than dry heat, especially in dry winter months. Dry heat draw out moisture from the body and may leave the skin dehydrated. This is a personal preference. Moist Heat Therapy therapy can provide both pain relief and healin… |
