How do you tell the difference between a calico & a tortoise shell cat?

Answer 1

I believe calico has some white while a torti does not.

Answer 2

A calico is mostly white with orange and black patches.

A torte it dark with almost a marbling colouration of orange black and brown.

Here is an interesting fact someone once pointed out to me. Calico cats are almost always female. It has something to do with the gene that causes the colouring.

Answer 3

Calico cats have white; tortoise shells don't. A tortie will be mostly black with the red and/or cream. I have a beautiful tortie who looks black from a distance, but closer you can see lots of red and cream mixed in. I also have a small dilute calico. She is mostly white with patches of cream and blue. My neighbor has a regular calico and she is mostly white with patches of red and black.

Answer 4

Well calicos are basically white with spots. Tortoise shell cats are black with spots.

Answer 5

A true calico has three colors. Black, white and orange.

Answer 6

The description "tortoiseshell" is typically reserved for cats with brindled coats that have relatively little or no white markings, while those that are largely white with orange and black patches (rather than a brindled aspect) are described as tortoiseshell-and-white (in the UK) or calico in the US.

Answer 7

A calico has white and other colors broken up into distinct patches.
A tortoiseshell has colors that are blended and don't form distinct patches. A tortoiseshell may have significant portions of white as well, but the remaining colors are blended.

Answer 8

A Calico has 3 colors - white, black & orange. A Tortie has only 2 - black and orange. And did you know that all Calico's and Torties are females!

Answer 9

Calico is more white with larger orange and black accents.
Tortie is more black with small white and orange mixed together.

Answer 10

torties male's are sterile and calico's have more orange on them than torties.