2006-07-27 11:44:36 · 21 answers · asked by oldgit 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
It is an extreme genetic rarety for a calico or tortoiseshell to be male, but it is possible. Any that have turned out to be male were usually sterile, so the gene for a male calico/tortoiseshell can't really be passed on very well. So no, not all tortoiseshell cats are female, but 99.99% or more are females, there have been documented males, but most will not see one in thier lifetime. And as for the "There has to be males otherwise there would be none" is obviously not true because all animals and people carry genes, so just because a cat is one color, it does not mean its offspring will be.
2006-07-27 12:08:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i would say 95% or 98% of torteshell cats are female..its very rare to find a male torteshell or calico but its not uncommon. I have heard you can get a lot of money for a male tort or calico though. also to clear something up calico and torteshells are different calico cats have spots of solid colors torteshells are combined colors or mixed colors like bredell dogs
2006-07-28 03:50:25 · answer #2 · answered by tess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes most of the time. That particular color combination requires information to be carried on two X chromosomes (one for each color-- orange and black) so if you've a "male" calico it is an XXY male and sterile. Since the XXY combination is very rare most calico and torteshell cats are female.
2006-07-27 13:34:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All calico (or multicoloured) cats are female. This is because the genes for colour are on the X crhomosome, and only females get more than one copy. In most female organisms, one copy of the X is condensed into what is called a "barr body", because it is extra and not needed. Which one condenses affects the colouration in the area around it. This is only true of multicoloured cats, but not the points on specific breeds (like siamese cats that have different ears and tail tips). That is from a different set of genes.
2006-07-27 11:51:28 · answer #4 · answered by Loulabelle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope i have 4 cats 2 girls n 2 boys n both boys r torteshell they r father n son
2006-07-30 03:21:40 · answer #5 · answered by charlotte b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most tortie cats are female but our vet has only ever saw one male in over 30 years of practice.
2006-07-28 04:16:23 · answer #6 · answered by mary k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes Tortie is a sex-linked trait, and on a male he will be just red of some sort(unless he gets an extra X chromosome). Calico are the same thing. You'll find males but he'll be sterile.
2006-07-27 11:51:09 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to say this but I was a cat breeder at one time and no not all of them are female. I have had a few that were male.
2006-07-27 12:04:51 · answer #8 · answered by goldenrose3497 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you're vet isn't pulling your leg, the gene for this colour is sex-linked and only females can be tortie.
2006-07-27 11:48:21 · answer #9 · answered by sarah c 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strange that isnt it! I think that most ginger cats are toms too, dont think ive ever seen a ginger female cat!!
2006-07-27 11:49:26 · answer #10 · answered by Lorraine A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋