Tortoiseshell vs calico cats: How to tell the difference

What’s the difference between tortoiseshell vs calico cats? Although both have a patchwork of colors running through their coats, it can be tricky to identify who’s who if you don’t know what you’re looking for. We’re here to clear up any calico vs tortie confusion, first, by taking a look at the characteristics of each cat individually, and then by comparing the similarities and differences between the two. 

Characteristics of calico cats

Calico cats are easy to spot with their tri-colored coats of orange, black, and white. The white patches, sometimes called “piebald”, come from a genetic condition that leaves 25% - 75% of their fur un-pigmented. If you see a calico with gray fur instead of black, it’s called a “dilute” calico. Sometimes these colorful cats are also known as “tortie and white”. 

The calico is not a breed in itself, which means cats with calico markings can be any one of the following breeds:

• American Shorthair
• Arabian Mau
• British Shorthair
• Cornish Rex
• Exotic Shorthair
• Japanese Bobtail
• Maine Coon
• Manx
• Norwegian Forest Cat
• Persian
• Scottish Fold
• Turkish Angora
• Turkish Van

As it’s not a breed, it can be tricky to make assumptions about a calico’s personality. Typically, however, they’re known to be gentle and affectionate, with a streak of sassy independence at times. 

Characteristics of tortoiseshell cats

Like calicos, tortie cats are often mistaken for a breed, although the word simply refers to the patterning on their coats. Known scientifically as “lyonization”, their two-colored coats are a mottled patchwork of deep orangey red and black. This brindle-like pattern resembles a tortoise’s shell, which is where they get their name. 

A “dilute” tortoiseshell will have lighter gray and orange markings rather than orange and black, and a “chimera” tortie has one color on one side of its body or face and a different color on the other side.

Although tortoiseshell cats are not a breed, there are still certain breeds where this particular coat pattern is more commonly seen: 

• American Shorthair
• British Shorthair
• Burmese
• Cornish Rex
• Maine Coon
• Persian
• Ragamuffin

Torties have a reputation for being strong-willed, independent, and feisty, which is often called “tortitude” behavior. Despite their sassy personalities, tortoiseshell cats are beloved pets and are even considered symbols of luck in Celtic folklore.

Tortoiseshell vs calico cat differences

If you’ve been paying attention, you may have already noticed the main difference between the tortoiseshell cat vs calico. In case you missed it, calicos can be up to 75% white but tortoiseshell cats don’t have any white fur at all. While tortoiseshells have a pattern of two colors on their coats (orange and black), calicos have the “piebald” gene and can end up with quite a bit of white fur on their face and body. For this reason, torties can appear to have darker coats overall. 

On top of this, tortoiseshells and calicos can be different breeds, which means they can have quite different personalities, too. While torties are known for their “tortitude”, calicos are thought to be more gentle and affectionate in their nature. 

Calico vs tortie similarities

Despite their differences, calico and tortie cats also have lots of similarities. First and foremost, neither is a specific breed, and “tortoiseshell” and “calico” both refer to the coat color and patterning, which can be present in a variety of breeds. They are also both multi-colored and made up of variations of orange, black, and white, or simply orange and black. As well as this, both can have tabby patterns and stripes in their fur. 

But perhaps the most interesting connection between the two is that tortoiseshells and calicos are almost always female. In fact, only one in every 3,000 males will have the tortoiseshell or calico markings – let’s take a look at why.

Why are tortoiseshells and calicos almost always female?

Most tortoiseshell and calico cats are female because they have two X chromosomes. One X chromosome carries the gene for orange fur (XO), and the other carries the gene for black fur (XB). Each kitten gets only one of these X chromosomes from its mother.

Male cats, on the other hand, have one X and one Y chromosome. The X can either be for orange (XO) or black (XB), but because they typically only have one X chromosome, it’s unlikely they can carry both colors. Occasionally, a male cat is born with an extra X chromosome, making him a rare male tortoiseshell or calico cat. However, these cats often face health issues like heart problems, brittle bones, and a condition called Klinefelter Syndrome, which causes them to be sterile.

So if females are typically XX and males are typically XY, for a male to be a tortoiseshell or calico cat, he must have an extra X chromosome (XXY). The gene for black and orange fur is on the X chromosome, so this extra X allows for the mixed colors.

Whether you’re a cat sitter looking to impress the pet parents or it’s a question you never knew you needed the answer to, now you know how to tell the difference between the calico and tortoiseshell cats. 

Don’t give your furry feline an excuse for extra attitude next time you’re on vacation (tortie or not!) – get an in-home cat sitter who’ll give them all the love and attention they’re used to while you’re away. Become a member of TrustedHousesitters and discover thousands of verified pet sitters who’ll take care of your precious purr pals in the comfort of your own home.