calico coloring

[teagranny]

I thought this thread should go in genetics but it seems that option is closed.  If there is a better place for this question pls go ahead and move it.

I have a question about calicos and tortoiseshell colours.

Simply: when does a tortoiseshell stop  being tortie and start being calico? 

I have one of each, the one I call calico is all white underneath, from her paws to her belly to her neck and nose, she is lovely white. The white extends about half way around her neck and over her mouth and nose to just a bit above her eyes.

The rest of her is a mottled mix of orange and black and some mixed black and lighter hairs, wouldn't exactly call it gray.

The other cat is mostly black with light orange almost tan bits and swirls, the only white she has is on her front toes and a little more on her back feet.

Imho two classic examples, but some cats are not so clear cut so are there actual rules, this much white or if it extends past the hocks and knees of belly patches it is calico?

Thanks for the help.

 

[GemsGem]

The difference between a calico and a tortoiseshell and white is this:

With a calico, there is a significant amount of white, and the two colors (red and black) are broken up into distinct patches. This has to do with the interaction of white spotting.

With a tortoiseshell and white, the three colors are blended and the red and black colors don't form distinct patches. A tortoiseshell may have significant portions of white as well, but the remaining two colors are blended together.

 

[alyssam]

GemsGem has already put it into words, but I can post a photo of two of my kitties as an example. One is a Tortie the other is a Calico, in my case there is a distinct difference. Post some photos of your cats for us to see?


This is Nel, she is my Tortie. She is primarily black and red with some diluted reds(creams and oranges) and as you can see she has very little white. 

20130215_132148.jpg

• alyssam
• Jul 12, 2014

This is Cici. She is a basic example of a Calico. A large amount of white with distinct black & red patches.

cicikitty.jpg

• alyssam
• Jul 12, 2014

 

[GemsGem]

GemsGem has already put it into words, but I can post a photo of two of my kitties as an example. One is a Tortie the other is a Calico, in my case there is a distinct difference. Post some photos of your cats for us to see?



This is Nel, she is my Tortie. She is primarily black and red with some diluted reds(creams and oranges) and as you can see she has very little white. 

20130215_132148.jpg

• alyssam
• Jul 12, 2014

This is Cici. She is a basic example of a Calico. A large amount of white with distinct black & red patches.

cicikitty.jpg

• alyssam
• Jul 12, 2014

Fantastic examples and beautiful girls :heart3: Thank you for sharing

Nel the tortie in the first picture - you can see how her red and black colors are blended and mixed together

Cici the calico in the second picture - her red and black patches are very distinct and separate to each other

 

[lyrajean]

Great examples of tortie vs. Calico.

Just to add other examples:

Here are Aya and our recent rainbow bridge kitty Midori

IMG_5353.JPG

• lyrajean
• Jul 15, 2014

 

[teagranny]

I hope no one minds if  I renew this thread.  Is Midori considered to be a combination of calico an tabby because of the orange mixed in? 

Is a tabby stripes only?

 

[teagranny]

I have always called this girl a Calico but after reading this thread,( and others) I no longer think that is right. Previously I thought the large white patches made her calico but now since her colors are swirled together I wonder if she is Tortiseshell and white with tabby?   

Macy 2014 just chillin.JPG

• teagranny
• Jan 30, 2016

Macy Jan 2011.jpg

• teagranny
• Jan 30, 2016

 

[pupaaapu]

I have always called this girl a Calico but after reading this thread,( and others) I no longer think that is right. Previously I thought the large white patches made her calico but now since her colors are swirled together I wonder if she is Tortiseshell and white with tabby?

Macy 2014 just chillin.JPG

• teagranny
• Jan 30, 2016

Macy Jan 2011.jpg

• teagranny
• Jan 30, 2016

i do think you have a beautiful torby and white there. (Which is tortoise tabby cat with white). You could see distinctive tabby patterns, and when you google this term you could see more cats like this.
Hope it helps tho!

 

[salbers2]

I always thought my baby was a tortie but do these orange stripes make her a torbie?

 

[pipperoo]

I've also heard the term "Torti-cal" which is what I sometimes refer to Pip as. She's got lots of white, distinct black and orange patches and has a tortoiseshell "saddle" from her shoulders to the very tip of her tail.

 

[StefanZ]

No its not only striped tabby which counts. Its the most common and often the easiest to see. But I did had seen for example clearly spotted tabby torties...

Yes, I would count Midori as a classic tabby and tortie. As she is so visibly both. Thus bulls eye torbie, or such...

Although observe the purists say torbie is only when the tabby pattern on the black/ blue parts. Why? because ALL reds are tabbies, so it wouldnt be no sport. Still your beautiful girl is so apparently a tabby. So we take the consequences.

Is Midori considered to be a combination of calico an tabby because of the orange mixed in?

Is a tabby stripes only?

 

[StefanZ]

Yours is a tortie, as you though. ALL reds are tabbies, so we usually dont count them as tabbies. It wouldnt be no sport. Unless the tabby pattern is very prominent, and perhaps also the less usual classic or spotted. In such cases we may make violence on the theory, and name the red cat a tabby - or the tortie a torbie... As with Teagranny´s Midori here in this tread.

I always thought my baby was a tortie but do these orange stripes make her a torbie?

 

[Elfilou]

I call Elf a Calico but she does very clearly have spots on both her body and face where her fur is blended together. Especially her tail almost looks "shaded" (mostly red with black/grey mixed in). Other places on her body the patches are distinct, and the white goes from her muzzle to her hind legs.

Now she is long-haired so that does cause for even marbled patterns to show up mixed so IDK. I've never shaved her down to the skin but I think that if I would I'd see both solid patches and mixed patches of colour.

 

[donnae]

I call Elf a Calico but she does very clearly have spots on both her body and face where her fur is blended together. Especially her tail almost looks "shaded" (mostly red with black/grey mixed in). Other places on her body the patches are distinct, and the white goes from her muzzle to her hind legs.

Now she is long-haired so that does cause for even marbled patterns to show up mixed so IDK. I've never shaved her down to the skin but I think that if I would I'd see both solid patches and mixed patches of colour.

View attachment 198373
View attachment 198377

Interesting info, all beautiful cats. I love Elf's "Hershey Kiss" emoji tag

 

[golondrina]

I understand Sombra, my cat, to be a dilute tortie, is that right? Herewith her photo;

 

[lutece]

Dilute torbie (tortoiseshell tabby). She is very beautiful.