National Geographic reports that personality is tied to a cat’s coat color. Depending on the orange tabby’s parental décor choices, this may or may not be the case for the modern tabby. This is seen in all types of tabbies, so it’s not just the orange kitties that boast these cool peeper accouterments! Tabby stripes are probably predominant because of their camouflage properties, so it’s most likely that the markings helped them hide in the wild. One of the most distinctive markings on the orange tabby cat is the “M” above his eyes. What does that orange tabby cat “M” stand for? But males only need the orange gene from their mothers. Hence, a female orange tabby cat requires the sire and the dam to pass on the orange genes. Females possess two Xs and males possess XY. The X chromosome is responsible for the orange coloring. And it’s not some sort of magic - it’s genetics. While it’s true that a higher percentage of orange tabbies are male, the ratio is actually about 80 percent male to 20 percent female. So, while all orange cats are tabbies, not every tabby is orange. Even if their stripes are faint, they’re there. Go ahead, Google “orange cats” – they’re all tabbies. Photography ©elenaleonova | iStock / Getty Images. An orange tabby cat with an “M” marking on his forehead. And there are five different tabby configurations: classic tabby, mackerel tabby, spotted tabby, ticked tabby and patched tabby. It’s not specifically an orange cat breed, but the color and pattern of their coat. Specifically, the presence of stripes denotes a “tabby” cat. Tabby is actually a coat pattern, not a breed.

They’re infinitely fascinating felines, so here are eight fun facts about the awesome orange tabby cat! 1. But, as anyone who’s lived with an orange tabby cat can attest, it’s really their personalities that make them stars. Their big, bold and brightly colored coats is one reason. Notice the 'M' marking on this orange kitty's forehead.Morris and Garfield are just a few of the iconic orange tabby cats that are part of our culture’s collective cat consciousness. Tabbies are also often referred to as “tigers” for obvious reasons. One characteristic to look for in tabby cats is an “M” marking on their forehead. Example of a ticked pattern orange Tabby cat They are all considered Tabby cats:Īll ginger cats are tabbies as they all have the “agouti” gene, but all tabbies are not orange. Learn more about the specifics of each pattern here. The ginger coat comes in 5 types, classic (swirled), mackerel (striped), spotted, ticked and patched. Female Ginger cats are known to be calmer and quieter. Male Ginger cats have a reputation of being assertive, vocal and active. Their personalities: Photo by Tony Wang on UnsplashĪlthough early socialization plays the biggest role in an adult cat’s personality, there is some anecdotal evidence that says cats’ personalities vary between different colors. If both parents are ginger, then they will have all ginger kittens as well.

Ginger tom cats father tortoiseshell or ginger females. This means there are roughly three males to one female ginger cat. Females have two X chromosomes and so need two copies of this gene to become ginger, whereas males need only one. *This is because the “ginger gene” which produces the orange color is on the X chromosome. Ginger cats are more likely to be male than female. The amount of this pigment reflects how intense the ginger color of the cat is. Pheomelamine is the pigment responsible for the ginger color in cats. They can have an orange, red, or yellow-colored fur.

Just like humans, there are different shades of ginger between cats. Ginger cat fans may know some of these already, but let’s take a look at these 5 Reasons Why Ginger Cats (also known as Orange Tabby Cats) are So Special: Their coloring: Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Most Americans remember such iconic ginger cat characters like Garfield with his funny, quirky, fun-loving attitude, and Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes, who embodies playfulness and feline instincts. Ginger Cat Appreciation Day takes place in September, but any day to recognize these cute, adorable, yet often overlooked fur babies is a reason to celebrate!

Male orange tabby cat personality