
The same chromosomal concept plays a part in the coloring of these cats, which are often found in a very specific list of breeds. The same goes for the calico they’re mostly female with the very rare male throw into the mix. He has an extra X chromosome at birth that causes both the color and pattern of his fur and his inability to reproduce. When a male cat is born with this color pattern, it means he’s sterile. There are certain chromosomes that cats are born with that work together to create this pattern, and it’s strictly for the female cats. However, only 1 in 3,000 males are born with these markings. In fact, it’s so common to find this color pattern on a female that most people don’t think twice about it. It’s very, very rare to find a male tortoiseshell cat. Something else to consider is the fact that many people mistake the tortoiseshell cat and the calico cat largely because of their similarities in not being actual breeds but many breeds with distinct coloring. Either way, cats with this color pattern are believed to have some distinct personality traits and there are some pretty fun facts about these felines. To be honest, you may have owned one or currently own one and have no idea that your cat’s particular color pattern has a specific name. Perhaps you know very little about the Tortoiseshell cat, and that’s not uncommon. They’ve lovely cats with beautiful markings, and beautiful coloring. To break it down simply, cats with brindled, asymmetrical coats that have very little white, but can have a myriad of other colors. In fact, many different breed cats can be considered Tortoiseshell cats based on their markings and their look, and it’s not uncommon to see them just about everywhere. A tortoiseshell cat is not a breed, but it is a color pattern. For example, you might assume it’s a style of glasses or something that an actual tortoise has. Tortoiseshells are very familiar items to most people, but not when you start mentioning to those unfamiliar with them that they are actually cats.
