It’s Fall and at this time of year, orange is all the rage! Pumpkins are ripening, leaves
are turning color, and we can enjoy vivid orange sunrises and sunsets while indulging in
all things pumpkin spice!
So, given that orange is all around us, I thought it would be a good idea to devote
October’s blog to orange cats.
Orange Cat Facts
Orange is a coat color, not a breed and orange kitties, also known as ginger cats, are
never solid. Their coats have a pattern known as tabby which has several variations
including classic, striped, spotted and ticked. Tabbies have an M-shaped pattern on
their forehead known as the tabby “M”.
Tabby “M”
Orange males are much more common than orange females, in fact, it is estimated
that that 80% of orange cats are male. The gene that controls coat color is linked to sex,
with the code for the orange color found on the X chromosome. This means that a
female cat needs to inherit two orange genes in order to be orange in color (one from
each parent) whereas a male cat only needs to inherit one. The chance of receiving two
orange genes is less likely, given that other colors are more often more prevalent in the
cat population.
A variety of breeds such as Persians and the Devon Rex can have orange tabby
colorations. Outside of pedigree breeds, the orange tabby color can exist in both
domestic short-hair, medium-hair and long-hair cats.
Orange cats are known for being active, friendly, and curious. While there isn’t any
scientific data to support it, there seems to a consensus among many cat owners that
orange tabbies are the friendliest cats out there with males being slightly friendlier than
females.
Black freckles are common in orange cats. These tend to be most obvious around the
lips and nose, and areas where the fur is thin. These marks usually develop when the
cat is a year or two of age and are like freckles found in red-headed humans.
Famous Orange Cats
Morris
You might recognize Morris as the spokescat for 9Lives cat food. The first Morris starred
in his first commercial in 1968 and won a Patsy Award (the animal equivalent of an
Oscar). There have been four Morris the Cats, and all of them were rescues.
Morris
Morris has written books, run for president, and starred in the film Shamus with Burt
Reynolds. However, his most important role is being an advocate for cat adoption. He’s
visited countless schools and led huge campaigns for the cause. When it comes to
orange tabbies, Morris is Top Cat!
Garfield
Garfield is the infamous orange tabby who stars in the comic strip bearing his name.
The strip revolves around the chubby orange cat, his human owner Jon, and his dog
Odie. Garfield is known for being lazy, loving food (especially lasagna and coffee), and
hating Mondays – things he has in common with many humans!
Jonesy
Jonesy is from the thriller movie Alien (1979). In the movie, a crew aboard a spaceship is
being attacked by an alien creature. Jonesy’s official purpose as the ship’s cat is to
control rodents, however, he also provides a source of comfort for the crew.
Crookshanks
Crookshanks is Hermione Granger’s pet cat in the infamous Harry Potter series.
Crookshanks is half Kneazle which is a magical beast that looks similar to a cat.
Kneazles are known for being very intelligent and having an amazing ability to detect
suspicious and untrustworthy people. Sounds just like a cat to me!
I hope you have enjoyed reading about orange cats. On a purrsonal note, I have the
pleasure of living with an orange kitty and I can tell you, he is a prince of a cat!
Wembley (Webby for short) is my best buddy. We snuggle and groom each other and
like any brothers, we have some great wrestling matches. Webby lets me play with his
tail and when he starts getting frisky it motivates me to get active. Webby always has
my back and I’ve got his – what more can a kitty ask for?
Here’s looking at you, Kits!
Ivan