Tortitude: understanding your tortoiseshell cat

Updated 30 May 2024

The naughty tortie cat. Myth or misunderstanding? Today, we’re going to examine the tortoiseshell cat personality, where the word tortitude comes from, and why future cat owners shouldn’t be put off from becoming the parents to tortoiseshell cats.

Whether you’re an existing tortie cat owner, or someone who is simply cat curious, let’s dive into these facts about tortoiseshell cats and clean our whiskers of this conundrum…

What is a tortie cat?

Tortie, torti, or torty. However you spell it, this is an abbreviated name for cats with a mottled brown and honey colored coat, just like (you guessed it) the shell of a tortoise. As well as usually being petite in stature, they are often mistaken for the similar sized calico cats. We’ll take a look at the difference between torties and calico cats in a little bit, but for now, let’s focus on the stars of today’s article; tortie cats. 

Torties are often admired for their beautifully unique fur patterns. Found with either long haired or short haired coats, all tortoiseshell cats have their own distinctive markings. Often described as being a mix of black and red in color, the black can range from pitch black, to chocolate brown, to biscuit colored. The red part of their coats can be anywhere from dark orange, yellow, all the way to a creamy white.

Despite their small size, these cats pack a punchy personality-wise. But do they deserve the reputation of having tortitude? Let’s delve into this a bit deeper…

Tortoiseshell cat personality and tortitude

In short, the personality of tortie cats is head-strong, bold, and downright fiery, which is often linked to the warm colors of the tortie cat’s fur. It’s not all bad press, though - in many cultures, tortoiseshell cats are considered to be good luck. 

In both Irish and Japanese folk law, having a tortie cat around can bring good fortune to cat owners, and in the United States, tortoiseshells are often referred to as ‘money cats’ to represent their good luck. So, where has this new found negative reputation of the tortoiseshell cat personality come from?

Firstly, let’s define tortitude for you. Tortitude meaning: The associated bad attitude and sassy nature of tortoiseshell cats or those believed to have a tortie cat coat coloring. What do we mean by bad attitude and sassy nature? What’s just so sassy about the personality of tortie cats? This stereotype refers to the preconception that torty cats are the divas of the cat world, which is really saying something.

Sources claim tortie cats are aloof with their affections, have a short fuse, are bad tempered, and have a nonexistent tolerance for any change in how their household is run. Yes, their household. But where did this so-called tortitude idea come from?

In truth, we don’t know exactly where this stereotype originates from. For some reason, very little research has been conducted in this area of feline genetics.

However! Back in 2015, a study was conducted by the University of California’s (UC) Davis Veterinary Medical School to begin untangling the yarn of truth about the tortoiseshell cat personality. Over 1,200 tortie cat caretakers were interviewed to find out if there was a link between the tortoiseshell coat pattern and aggressive behaviors such as hissing, scratching, biting, or over vocalization. As it turns out, a connection was discovered! According to UC, they found a clear link between cattitude tortitude and coat color.

The only other scientific experiment conducted in this cat conscious case was by the Journal of Veterinary Behavior in 2016. Although this didn’t look for the classic tortitude characteristics, it did find tortie cats to have a higher prey drive and aggressive disposition compared to domesticated kitties with different coat patterns.

Since 2016, no other studies have yet taken place to build up more concrete evidence for tortitude. Therefore, from a scientific point of view, we cannot prove the existence of the crazy cattitude of tortoiseshell cat personalities.

How naughty is your tortie?

Despite the lack of medical studies to back-up tortitude opinions, there are plenty of anecdotal stories of the tortie cat having a prominent purr-sonality. 

Every furry friend has their own quirks and characteristics, so not every tortie will be naughty. But, according to celebrity cat expert Jackson Galaxy, tortitude is more subtle than simply having a spicy kitty. If you’re a cat owner, or know a tortie cat, you may recognise one or several of these behaviors associated with tortitude:

• Bossy or assertive mannerism, including excessive vocalization when asking for food or attention
• Independent and aloof to human affections
• Unpredictable and unforgiving - as their cat carers, you must expect to be challenged on your routine / their own routine
• Sulky and sassy if things don’t go their way
• Mean hunters - torties are far more likely to commit mitten murder

These are rather broad cattitude characteristics and many pet parents will have very tolerant torities. Perhaps taking tortitude with a pinch of catnip is the best way forward!

Calico cats vs the tortie cat

Calico cats are often mistaken for the tortitude cat, however many hardcore cat lovers may recognize the subtle differences.

Whilst both cats can share similar colored coat patterns, calico cats are found with splodges and patches of white amongst the red and black. Because some torties have areas of very light brown or dark cream on their fashionable fur, it’s easy enough to mistake one for the other.

But, when it comes to purr-sonalities, calico cats are not associated with the same cattitude as tortoiseshell cats. Although thought to be as assertive as our naughty tortie, they are often regarded as being more affectionate and laid back. 

Similarities between the two formidable feline furballs can be found on a genetic level. Both tortoiseshell cats and calico cats are almost always female, with male cats being incredibly rare. In fact, we have a few more fun feline facts like this below...

A few fun and furry facts about the tortie cat

1. 99.6% of tortoiseshell cats and calico cats are female

As mentioned above, it’s very rare to find a male tortie or calico. The reason is due to a genetic mutation that links the female chromosome to fur patterning. Female cats have two X chromosomes, which carry the genetic code for black or orange fur colors. 

Whereas, the male Y chromosome doesn’t carry any genetic information on those coat colors. This means that female torties can have both orange and black fur, whereas as male tortoiseshells have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, they don’t have a chance of being orange and black, just one color or the other. 

This is a very general definition of the occurrence, but for those who love a bit of cat science, we  recommend looking into it further as it’s a fascinating read.

If you do come across the rare case of a male tortie or calico, they will almost always be sterile. However, the tortoiseshell pattern is not a rarity itself in the cat world, so there is no shortage of tortitude around the world.

2. The tortie is not a breed of cat

Yep, that’s right! Tortie refers to the coloring of the cat’s coat, not its breed. In fact, tortoiseshell cats can be found in a variety of breeds including Maine Coon and Persian cats. More often than not, the tortie is depicted as the small domesticated American shorthair.

But if tortoiseshells are your thing and you're thinking about getting a real life tortoise for a pet, check out our ultimate guide on all things tortoise care, so that you can decide whether welcoming a reptile (not a tortie cat) into your life is right for you.

3. The personality of tortie cats has been documented throughout history

The tortoiseshell cat has long since been a muse for many. The American poet Edgar Allen Poe is said to have drawn inspiration from his own tortie cat. In Japan, Tama the white tortoiseshell cat was appointed station master at Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture for over 10 years! Back in the United States, the official state symbol of Maryland is the talked about tortie.

4. Tortoiseshell cats may outlive us all…

As a side note, this will completely depend on the breed of cat. But, many tortoiseshell cats have an average life expectancy of 15 years. In fact, another famous tortitude cat called Marzipan lived to be 21 years old! That’s a lot of years of cattitude.

5. You won’t find a more loyal cat than a tortitude kitty

Despite their reputation, tortie cats are known for one positive personality trait, they are very loyal to their humans. Although it may take time to earn their trust, once you’re in their cat colony, they will only use their tortitude powers for good towards you.

We hope this has helped any curious cat owners or future tortie parents understand the world of tortoiseshell cat personalities. If you’re keen to learn more about your cat, check out our latest blog about how to tell if your cat loves you. Otherwise, if you’re more concerned about cattitude, our article about recognizing overstimulated cats may be useful.

Check out the latest cat sitting opportunities near you and find a purr-fectly paired sitter for your feline friend. If you or your sitter are ever worried about your cat’s behavior, we have a 24/7 vet advice phone service available to all of our members.

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