5 Things To Know About Long-Haired Calico Cat
Do you have a Calico cat with long fur? Whether you love your long-haired calico, are considering adopting one, or just happen to love learning interesting information about cats, you’ve come to the right place! These beautifully colored kitties possess certain characteristics that make them unique from all the rest.
Special Traits of Long-Haired Calico Cats
Below are five incredible ways that long-haired calico critters are different from other types of cats. You might be surprised at the information you discover below!
1. They are Tricolored.
The word calico refers to tricolored nature of the fur found on these cats. To be a true long-haired calico cat, the fur must contain all three colors of white, black, and orange. One color must be white or cream while variations on the orange and black colors can range from red-auburn to dark brown.
Calicos are considered to be mostly white with patches of the other colors. The amount of white on each cat can vary from 25-75%.
2. Many breeds can be calico.
Calico refers to the tricolor nature of the fur, not the breed. Quite a few breeds can produce calico cats with long hair, such as Maine Coon, Persian, Siberian, and Turkish Angora.
Are you wondering about what kind of personality to expect in your calico? Because a long-haired calico can be found in a variety of breeds, their personalities cannot be clearly defined and vary according to their breed.
3. Nearly all of them are female.
Yes, nearly 95%! Genetically, color is transmitted through the X chromosome. Females receive an X from both parents, so calicos can contain both black and orange fur colors alongside white. Males, however, receive an X from the mother and a Y from the father, meaning they can only display orange or black, but not both.
Encountering a male calico cat is rare. Male calicos are the result of a genetic mutation and are most likely sterile. Due to this genetic variation, however, calico cats have truly unique fur colors from one another.
4. Some say, Calicos bring good luck!
Some say, anyways. Because they are so rare, different cultures around the world consider long-haired calico cats lucky. In the U.S., they are frequently called money cats and in Japan, calicos are called maneki neko, Japanese lucky cat or Beckoning Cat.
5. Calicos cannot be bred.
Because of their special genetic make-up, long-haired calico cats happen by chance. This means that they cannot be bred for their color. The fact that calicos cannot be bred makes them even more unique than you might have imagined and explains why they are considered to be so lucky. In a world where it’s so easy to get what we want, especially when it comes to breeding animals, calicos are clearly in charge of their own destiny!
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Whether you come across a long-haired calico cat or have your own as a pet, this information can be important to know. Perhaps you will appreciate them in a totally new light!