If deactivation occurs early on each pigment cell has room to multiply into, a "red" cell will multiply into more red cells while a "black" cell will give rise to patches of black. Skin cells multiply during growth and spread out across the skin as the embryo grows the skin cells multiply. One (the "early/late deactivation theory") suggests that the time at which X chromosome deactivation occurs during foetal growth determines whether the cat has well defined patches or is brindled with intermixed black and orange hairs. There are two main theories regarding brindled torties and patched torties. Male cats only inherit one X chromosome so this is active in all skin cells as there is nothing equivalent on the Y chromosome which could "switch off" the O gene. This can only happen in cats with two X chromosomes. The skin is a mosaic of cells where some have the O gene active (making ginger pigment) and some do not (making black pigment). This occurs early on in the embryo and as skin cells multiply, they form patches. This only shows up visibly in skin cells as these produce pigment. Some cells randomly activate the O gene while others activate the gene in the equivalent place on the other X chromosome. The formation of red and black patches in a female with only one O gene is through a process known as X-chromosome inactivation. Tortoiseshell cats are therefore heterozygous (not true-breeding) for red colour. The O gene is called a sex-linked gene because it is carried on a sex chromosome. If she inherits only one O gene, she will be tortoiseshell. She must inherit two O genes to be a ginger cat. A normal male cat has XY genetic makeup he only needs to inherit one O gene for him to be a ginger cat. The O gene is carried on the X chromosome. The O gene changes black pigment into a reddish pigment. The ginger colour of cats (known as "yellow", "orange" or "red" to cat breeders) is caused by the "O" gene. Jean Bungartz referred to tortoiseshell-and-white cats as "Spanish cats" in his 1896 book "Die Hauskatze, ihre Rassen und Varietäten" (Housecats, Their Races and Varieties) in " Illustriertes Katzenbuch" (An Illustrated Book of Cats) though he said it was hard to explain why they got the name as they were not restricted to the Pyrenean peninsula. This article only considers normal tortoiseshell cats. These are discussed in detail in " Mosaicism, Tortie Tomcats, Genetically Impossible Kittens and Gender Anomalies". The very few male tortoiseshell cats are caused by genetic aberration or development abnormalities in the foetus. Just be prepared to give them their space.Because of the way tortoiseshell is inherited, almost all tortoiseshell and calico cats are female. But most who have experience with tortitude are quick to remind others that they’re mostly lovable companions. Cats of all stripes also need plenty of human socializing as kittens. It’s also worth noting that survey respondents may have been aware of the reputation of cats with these coat colors and might have been predisposed to regard them as a little more troublesome. Such cats may also have more frequent mood swings and enjoy more independence than other cats. Tortitude is more a condition of having little patience for human or other pet foolishness. To be clear, neither torties nor calicoes are intolerably violent. But why would coat color be linked to behaviors? There’s not yet a conclusive answer, but one possibility is that the same genes that code those colors might also be responsible for aggression levels. In pets, it’s typically breeds that develop reputations-or stereotypes-for certain traits. (Calicoes, which have a similar reputation, are white with orange and black patches) The findings, which were published in Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, were the result of surveying roughly 1200 cat owners on cat personalities The torties and calicoes had higher incidences of biting, hissing, scratching, and other confrontational behaviors. In 2015, the University of California, Davis published research that identified a link between a cat’s ornery disposition and ‘torties,’ or cats with an eclectic black, brown, and red coat. But does this phenomenon actually exist?Īccording to science, it does. Some have even given it a name: tortitude. But some pet owners may have noticed that tortoiseshell-patterned or calico-patterned felines might demonstrate a more brusque temperament than cats of other stripes. Cats exhibit a wide range of behavior, from entitled to slightly less entitled.
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