![]() ![]() Lentigo is also common in tortoiseshell and calico cats and is generally nothing to worry about, although if you notice any changes, it’s always wise to have your kitty checked out by your veterinarian. The most common reason for these black freckles is a genetic condition called lentigo which causes an increase in the number of pigment-producing cells. If you have an orange tabby, you may have noticed dark freckles around its gums or nose. While every cat is different, orange tabbies are well known for being serial snugglers. While there’s no hard and fast research, it’s long been believed that male cats tend to be friendlier than female cats, and with 80% of orange tabbies being male, that could be why they have a reputation for being super affectionate. Orange tabbies are known for being Velcro cats The M marking is embedded in the same gene that gives them their tabby pattern. However, science has a slightly less magical answer to why orange tabby cats are rocking that M: it’s in their DNA. There are plenty of myths and legends floating around as to how that M came to be there, with claims that it represents everyone from the Virgin Mary to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. Look closely at an orange tabby cat’s forehead and you’ll notice that they sport a very distinctive looking ‘M’. Weitzman says there’s zero competition when it comes to which kind of cat is the most gregarious, with orange tabbies a clear winner. If you’ve ever owned an orange tabby cat, you probably know that these guys are definitely the Chatty Cathy’s of the cat world! According to Gary Weitzman, head veterinarian at the San Diego Humane Society, cat personalities are tied to coat color. The pigment pheomelanin is what gives an orange tabby cat their coloring and it’s the same pigment that’s responsible for causing red hair in humans. It turns out that Annie and Garfield have a lot more in common than we first thought. A specific pigment is responsible for their color Within the agouti gene, there are four different types of tabby patterns that can occur: mackerel (tiger-like stripes), ticked (hair that alternates with light and dark bands), spotted, and classic (which gives a swirled look). There's more than one type of stripeĭid you know that orange cats with solid-colored coats don’t exist? It’s true! That’s because all tabby cats regardless of their color carry the agouti gene which is responsible for creating a patterned effect on their coats. They always have white, orange, and black across their body, however. These cats come in only two main types: standard and diluted. These male cats are often very female and are often sterile. Willia is the publisher of which helps fund animal rescue.(Image credit: Getty Images) 3. However, it can occur in male cats on an infrequent genetic occasion. Making infrared detectors for the Hubble, missiles and surveillanceĮquipment. Materials science and engineering from UCLA. ![]() Received a BS in physics from University of Colorado and a MS in Willa Larsen writes on a wide array of topics for ScienceIQ. The next time you see a calico or an orange tabby, you probably can judge whether it's a boy or a girl, and it isn't sexism or racism, it's genetics! Make a bet with someone! The result is a calico male cat that is usually sterile. ![]() In cats, one X chromosome can have the black fur gene, and the other the orange fur gene. The cat will end up with the combination XXY, an extra chromosome! This also happens in humans and is called 'Klinefelter's Syndrome'. Sometimes, an egg cell will have two X chromosomes instead of one, or a sperm cell will have one X and one Y chromosome when it should only have one or the other. Since male cats have only one X chromosome, it is not possible for them to be orange and black, at least not usually. For a female cat to have calico markings, one of the X chromosomes needs to have the black fur gene, and the other needs to have the orange fur gene. The X chromosome carries the black fur gene or the orange fur gene, not both. The color of a cat's coat is determined by genes in the X chromosome. Like humans, female cats have two X chromosomes and male cats have one X and one Y chromosome. Can you judge a cat by the color of its coat? Well, you can judge the gender by the color of its coat! Only 1 in 27 orange cats are girls, and more surprisingly, only 1 in 3000 calico cats are males! ![]()
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