There is a difference between the Calico cat and the Tortoiseshell cat.  Can anyone guess what this might be?  It’s the coloring of the fur, which I actually did not know when I first adopted my sweet Tortoiseshell kitty Sasha back in 2007 from the Human Society in Hawaii.  I made the same mistake a lot of people seem to make when they look at these two cats and instantly assume that the tortoiseshell cat is in fact a calico.

Calico cats fur have the different colors of tan, light brown, black, dark brown, and WHITE while the Tortoiseshell can sport all of these colors except for one color; WHITE.  Thankfully the vet had set me straight on the breed of my cat or I probably would still to this day be calling her a calico.  Of course, I am not that knowledgeable on the breeds of cats, just being able to have cats for the first time in my life.

You see my father is sadly allergic to cat dandruff and fur, so we could only have other pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs, fish, and dogs.  Of course my mom is the one who had put her foot down when it came to my wanting to have a baby albino corn snake as a pet.  None of them likes snakes; I’m the only weird one in the family.  But that can be for another Hub.

So while growing up I could only see cats from a far, and play with them only a bit if a friend had them, not really letting myself get close.  And then  I moved to Hawaii to be with my husband, then fiancé, and he surprised me for my birthday, a few days after since he had to work, taking me to the Humane Society and telling me it’s time to pick out a kitten.  There were so many playful fun kitties, but our hearts instantly grew attached to Sasha, the tortoiseshell not a calico cat at all.  So began my desire to learn more about the cat breed world of the domestic cats, since I am already knowledgeable in the wild Cat Kingdom, cats always fascinating me and being my favorite animals of all time.

I also noticed that on tortoiseshell cats, their backs have blotches of either dark brown and light brown mixing and almost looking like that of a shell of a tortoise, hence I believe where the breed received their name. It is fascinating of the difference between the two cats, and how even the placement of the colors on their fur makes them each unique and beautiful. I have enjoyed learning something new about cats and can’t wait to crack open my books that describe more about cat breeds. I am far behind in the cat world and must catch up I order to be able to confidently talk about cats with other cat lovers or those interested in getting to know more about cats. And if you couldn’t tell already; yes I am 100% book worm.

Another interesting fact is that most Calico cats are indeed female. I have read this as well as seen it for myself at where I volunteer. All of the pretty calicos are in deed female. I would love to meet one male Calico cat. Be interesting!