“Calico cats are sometimes mistaken for Tortoiseshell cats or Torties and vice versa. So, There You Have It…Īs is stated in the ASPCA’s article on Calico Cat Facts : Basically, all of these patterns come from genetics.Ĭalico cats are different from tortoiseshell cats mainly because of the white patches, and they get them due to an additional genetic condition called ‘piebaldism’. They’re also referred to as ‘tortie-and-white’ cats because they usually have the same colors as a tortoiseshell cat, plus the white.Ĭalico cats can also have a wide range of shades and dilution of their coat colors, which is why there are different types of calico cats. These cats are often referred to as ‘piebald’ or ‘tricolor’ cats. A cat with a calico coat pattern will have a multicolor coat, but there’ll be some white in it. Now you understand how to distinguish between torties and calicos. They can have small bits of white mixed with other colors, but very rarely. They don’t have white colored patches in their fur. What’s most important is that tortoiseshell cats almost never have white patches. The colors may differ in shade and dilution they can be softer or darker. Furthermore, both of these patterns are multicolored, so how can we discern between them? Tortoiseshell Coat PatternĬats with tortoiseshell coats are often referred to as ‘torties’, and their coats are usually a mixture of orange and black colors. Which Cat Is Tortoiseshell And Which One Is Calico?įirst of all, it’s important to clarify that both tortoiseshell and calico refer to a cat’s coat pattern and are not the names of cat breeds. Tortoiseshell and calico are popular coat patterns, let’s see how they differ. Or maybe I just spoiled my cats too much…Īnyway, people often say that tortoiseshell cats are wise and independent, but we can’t conclude how a cat will be based solely on its fur color and pattern. That was a long time ago, and today, when I see my furry babies, it seems like cats’ nature has changed completely, haha. She’d come up to us for an occasional cuddle, but she was never demanding. She always seemed so “grown-up” and independent. She was beyond curious, and no mouse could ever cross our front lawn. Let me tell you, this cat was extraordinary.

In any case, it is important to distinguish between a tortoiseshell - which is NOT a tabby and therefore has solid black patches - versus a torbie / patched tabby, which has brown tabby patches.My grandma used to have a tortoiseshell cat, long before I even learned anything about the pattern. In registries / countries that use EMS codes for colors, I have seen this color most commonly described as 'tortie tabby.' TICA uses the term 'torbie' for the same color. I'm personally accustomed to the term 'patched tabby,' which is used in most CFA breeds that allow this color (CFA allows each breed to use its own color names). Torbie is a complex color and it can be described in many ways. Torbie and white = Tortie tabby and white = Patched tabby and white = Patterned calico = Patterned Mi-ke (Japanese bobtail) = Caliby.Torbie = Tortoiseshell tabby = Tortie tabby = Patched tabby.In the Japanese Bobtail breed there is a special name, 'mi-ke,' to refer to calicos that are mostly white with discrete patches of red and black. A cat described as 'tortoiseshell and white' usually has less white and/or smaller patches of red and black with a more brindled appearance. You can use the word 'calico' for any tortoiseshell and white cat, but people are more likely to describe a cat as a 'calico' when the cat has more white and/or larger individual patches of red and black. Tortoiseshell and white = Calico = Mi-ke (in Japanese bobtail breed).Dilute tortoiseshell = Dilute tortie = Blue-cream.There are indeed a lot of ways to describe the same colors.

Calico tortoiseshell cats