Stupid cat questions - sorry

[PJ's Mom]

I'm wondering if someone would be kind enough to teach me about some of the different cat breeds out there.

I know Calicos, and tabbys, (I own one of each) but I've seen so many beautiful cats that I don't know the names of. For example when someone mentions having an "orangie" is that a type of cat or are they only referring to the color?

Anyone?

(Can you tell I've always considered myself a dog person. )

[Uabassoon]

I'd say about 80% of the cats you see are just domestic short, medium or long hair and not a particular breed. For example tabby and calico is just a color or type. And orangie is just that, and orange cat. However certain breeds do have orange tabbies, for example a Maine coon could be an orange tabby.

[jenluckenbach]

lets start here.....

calico is a color

tabby means stripes....could be brown tabby, blue tabby, silver tabby and even orange tabby.

and "orangie" is a cute way to say an orange colored cat. Also known as red or ginger colored cat.

tuxedo is a pattern.......white bib, paws, and varying degrees of white on the face and tummy. Can be black, blue or even red or tabby.


What other terms are you curious about??

[jazzcat]

Orangie just means color. We love those orangies around here.

My Ripley is part Maine Coon, that is a very large size breed. We have several MC/ MC mixes here on PT.

That is just one of many different breed and we have several breeds represented here. Hopefully people will chime in and show you examples (good way to see pics ).

[catnapper]

Yup, what they all said

But its true that the different colors and patterns also have different temperments. It can be said that calicos and Tortis are tempermental and have a lot of "cattitude"

Orangies tend to be majorly mellow love-muffins.

Brown tabbies are just the most wonderful kitties in the world (gee which is my favorite? )

There's something about an all black cat too.

Of course there are cats that don't fit that profile, but for the most part, their coloring can be a good indicator of what they'll be like.

[RedHedd]

Yup, what everyone else said. However orange Maine Coon males are just SO SPECIAL (of course, I'm not prejudiced, nuh-uh, nope, not at all ) Just ask Mishi!

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom


(Can you tell I've always considered myself a dog person. )

HAHAHAHAHA.....

ANOTHER VICTIM!!!!!!

I was always a 'dog person'....Once they sink their claws into you .............IT"S OVER!!!!

[jackie]

i like black and white ones the best, like my first kitty, pinto.

[Vette]

I have a stupid question of my own.
my friend said that female ginger colored cats are rare.
is that true?

[catmandu]

A Calico,is a Multi colred Cat,primarily,with White,Orange,and Black,in varying shades.Tortoise shell,usually are darker,with Black,Red,maybe Brown,Orangies,are the Cute Name,for Orange DSHS

[catnapper]

Originally posted by Vette
I have a stupid question of my own.
my friend said that female ginger colored cats are rare.
is that true?

Its rare, but not too rare. We have a lot of female orangies on PT. Rare are the calico or tortie males

[rosethecopycat]

Originally posted by catnapper
Its rare, but not too rare. We have a lot of female orangies on PT. Rare are the calico or tortie males

They are rare because the males are usually sterile.

Other wierd cat facts:

Pure white cats with blue eyes (other than Siamese/Oriental) are genetically deaf.

Polydactyl (extra toed) cats stem from a primary strain owned by Ernest Hemimngway on Key West FL. (another strain claims to come from the ship Mayflower)

A Siamese cat is genetically an all black cat. They are born white, the points are heat sensitive and darken as the cat grows.

A female can have simultaneously have a litter of kittens from different father cats.

I'd love to hear any other breed or genetic facts anyone knows about out there.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Here are some of my favourite links:

Cat Fancy Magazine Breed Profiles

Cat Fanciers Color and Genetics info

[lady_zana]

Originally posted by Vette
I have a stupid question of my own.
my friend said that female ginger colored cats are rare.
is that true?

I read on www.catchow.com one time in their questions and answers that 2/3 of all orangies are male leaving 1/3 to be female. Like my Weezier Peezier!

[Jayna78]

I think most cats I see are mixed-breed domestic shorthair or longhair, but I have some guesses as to the background of my cats and others I know. Here are some pics as examples of colors or possible breeds:

Bailey is a domestic shorthair - we think his father was part Siamese, actually - he was a big guy who fathered many kitties in our old apt complex, which is where we adopted him from - they found 3 kittens in the shed, and our Bailey was the only male. He's a gorgeous brown tabby with white, but we don't know much about his background:



As for Leila, well, she is so tiny, yet limber and fast - she's also kind of long. She's very playful and acrobatic too. She's also tabby - she's what they call a calico tabby, b/c she has that calico pattern mixed with the brown tabby pattern. We think she's part oriental of some sort, b/c of her face and some of her behavior.
This picture really shows her markings well:



Leo is a good example of an "orangie" - he's an orange tabby. We're not sure of his breed background - it's mixed - the people at the shelter think he's part Persian b/c of his laid-back nice attitude, and I also think he could be part British Shorthair b/c of his larger, rounded head and his swirly tabby markings.



Claudia is a Snowshoe (mix), which is part Siamese, part domestic shorthair bi-color, I think - we don't know if she's full snowshoe or not, b/c she was from the same shelter that we adopted Leo from, but she certainly has the personality of a snowshoe, and she has the correct markings (and the blue eyes) also. Someone else told me she looked like she could be part ragdoll. Her hair is kind of long, even though she was short-haired last summer. She is also kind of short-legged, but solidly built.



Any breed guesses would be appreciated.