However, there is an exception. In rare cases, cats can have an extra X chromosome making them XXY. These cats present as male, but can be Calico because they have two X chromosomes. On a side note, please keep in mind that even sterile male cats should be neutered. From there, they may have been brought down along the Mediterranean to port cities in Italy, Spain, and France.
Today, you can find Calico cats all around the world—including the one typically napping in a sunny windowsill at my house. Remember that Calico refers to coloration, not a breed. That said there are plenty of anecdotal stories claiming that Calicos are a sweet, warm-hearted, and loyal lot. As an example of quirky, I can tell you that my Calico cat is crazy for water.
She also drinks right from the bathroom sink with her head under the faucet. Many healthy cats can live to be around 15 years old or more. This condition can negatively impact their health and result in shorter lifespans.
For instance, brush her regularly to keep her colorful coat in great shape and take her to the veterinarian for yearly check-ups and routine preventive care, like vaccinations. You might also want to consider a cat insurance plan for your Calico friend. Our new tool will narrow down more than breeds for you. If the video doesn't start playing momentarily, please install the latest version of Flash. Can Calico Cats Be Male? By Dr. Join the Conversation Like this article?
Have a point of view to share? Let us know! Select Dog or Cat. Subscriber Account active since. As you may or may not be aware, females have two X-chromosomes, meaning that they can only pass down an X-chromosome to their offspring.
Males, on the other hand, have an X-chromosome and a Y-chromosome. This allows them to pass down either an X-chromosome or a Y-chromosome to their offspring, determining the genetic gender. Thus, a female receives an X-chromosome from both of her parents while a male receives an X-chromosome from his mother and a Y-chromosome from his father. This is true for both humans and cats, along with many other animals. Why is this so important to the topic at hand? Because in cats the X-chromosome determines most of the fur color with the potential exception of white.
A male offspring only receives an X-chromosome from his mother, so that alone determines his fur color. But females receive an X-chromosome from both the mother and father. The important thing here is that the same X-chromosome does not inactivate for each cell. Thus, no color is associated with a particular sex, except in cats and hamsters. A small percentage of orange cats are female, and even a more miniscule portion of calico cats are male. These colors can mutate into different shades—black can become chocolate, cinnamon, lilac, blue and fawn.
And red, which is determined by the orange gene, can become cream. The color genes for black and red in cats are contained within the X chromosome. So an X chromosome can contain either a black hair gene or an orange hair gene, but not both. This allele will cover up all other colors, except pure white.
The other allele will create a non-orange coloration. Males normally carry only one X chromosome. Therefore, males can be black or orange or other color variations based on other gene locations but cannot have both black and orange hair colors on their body. About 81 percent of orange cats are male, says Bell.
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