Orange Cats

[This has been reposted here:  Orange Cats | Popular Cats | Facebook Cats with a winnowing of dead links, and a few additions -- including a talking orange cat. See also: Orange Cat Inca[n]tation.]

 

Everyone knows that orange cats rule. Just ask an orange cat. Or a ginger cat, a marmalade cat, a tangerine cat, a red cat.

But there may be some things you don't know about these kingly cats. For example, did you know that most orange cats are male?

Like humans, cats have one pair of sex chromosomes. These are the ones that make them male or female and they play an essential role in determining a cat’s colour. In females, both sex chromosomes are X making girl kitties XX. Males are XY, the Y making them male. A kitten gets one chromosome from Mom and one from Dad. Moms only have X’s so the variable is given by the Dad, if he gives his X, the kitten is a girl, if he gives his Y, it is a boy.

The gene which makes a cat ginger (orange) is located on the X chromosome. The gene for ginger will override all other colours. Since males have only one X, they either are or aren’t ginger - no halfway about it. Girl cats have two X’s in each cell. As far as the cells are concerned two X’s is one too many, so each cell deactivates one of the X chromosomes in a fairly random fashion . . .

Since males only need to have the orange gene on one chromosome to become ginger, and females have to have it on two, ginger males outnumber females 3 to 1.

And, from the same source, the explanation for why we have so many orange and white cats:

. . . Because white isn’t a colour but the absence of colour. The genes that cause the suppression of colour are stronger than the genes for any colour including the mighty orange. Since white isn’t a colour and is merely hiding the genes for colour, white cats often produce coloured kittens.

Friends of Fat Orange Felines believes that orange cats have more than their share of cattitude:

cat ti tude (cat' i-tood')  n. 1. a state of mind or a feeling of superiority, which is highly annoying and endearing, simultaneously.

I've lived with Spike for twelve years now, and I have to agree. Humans owned by ginger cats tend to form support groups, like the Flickr Orange Cats Group, the Catster Orange Cats Club, or the previously mentioned Friends of Fat Orange Felines.

We also seek out badges of our servitude, which several businesses are happy to provide. We can decorate our walls with orange cat artworks from Best-Cat-Art.com; we can purchase orange cat mugs and t-shirts from cafepress (there is even an orange-cat t-shirt for dogs); and we can ornament ourselves with orange cat pins and earrings.

Orange cats are oddly inspirational. In addition to more than enough orange cat photographs (Webshots; Acclaim Images; Flickr) we have a handknitted orange cat coin purse (it's really quite charming); an Exceptionally Cute & Soft, Absolutely Adorable, Unbelievably Cuddly Plush orange cat stuffed toy; and a hybridized Angel's Trumpet cultivar named after: Orange Cat.

If you are owned by an orange cat, or any other cat or critter, you might enjoy:

Friday Ark
I and the Bird
Carnival of the Dogs
Carnival of the Cats - Halloween Edition

Today's kitty animations are all from Lucy Rand. Winter is coming; curl up with your cat for the weekend and stay warm!

Comments

[me]

your web page is really cool

[SB]

I'm glad you like it!

This is one of my own favorite posts, for the comments.

A 7 week old orange tabbie has adoped us..I had been praying for a
kitten and so when he arrived in our garage one night I assumed
that he was the answer to my prayer. So his name is Spirit, and he is here lying on my arm as I type this...a gift from the Holy
Spirit!

[Rene]

I have an dark orange tabby named O.J. who we got from a shelter as a baby. He is the absolute best! He has so much character, is very smart, and so personable. All my neighbors love him - one lady even took a photo of him sunbathing in her birdbath and framed it for us. He sleeps with us almost every night and tries to sleep on my head when he can get away with it. He begs for attention in the morning, acting like a dog following me around the bedroom and bathroom as I'm getting ready. But as soon as we're gone, he loves to go visit the neighbors and get his attention elsewhere. He follows me across the street to the mailbox and follows me back home. He scratches on the door when he wants out and scratches when wants back in - he doesn't meow at all. He fetches things and loves Catsitting videos! I'm sure he could be trained to be in a circus act! We also have his brother who is a black and white tuxedo cat....a big lump of love who does nothing but lay around the house and follow me around when I'm home. They both love Iams and cheese and that's about it. We are so lucky to have cats who do nothing bad except bring us live presents once in a while!
Rene

[Tracy]

I justngot my first orange cats. They are identical brothers, Mangonand Latte. Mango is slightly littler, more demanding, and kmore vocal. atte is more laid back and larger, and has a protective attitude towrds his little brother. They are the nicest cats I have ever had. May vet's office tells me that orange males have the best personalities, and now I believe it. They love to be picked up and held, they are always happy to see me. They have never scrathed or even play-bitten me. And they are very gentle when they sretsle with each other. Hoooray for orange boys!!!

[Wendy]

I have 2 SISTERS that are ginger. Carmen is all orange and her sister Hannah is orange and white. They are the sweetest cats I know! I wasnt aware orange females were rare either. I wish i could have seen the other 2 kittens in that litter. =^..^=

[Redhawk]

I had my beautiful SHASTA for 16 years. He was one of the sweetest cats I've ever had. It was so hard to say good-by to him. But, in true Shasta fashion...before the Vet had to give him the final shot, he looked at me and started purring his loud, brassy purr in farewell, for now. Shasta, the big old OrangePud....RIP, my dear friend. I'll catch up to you later!

[Casey]

I have three cats: Barbie-our grey long haired she-devil, the most inconsiderate cat you'll ever meet; Snickers-Short hair LARGE male (I can only describe him as a barn cat beast-he has that SAME color as every other brownish/blackish/stripped cat) with a mean attitude; lastly we have Fred AKA Freddy, Mr. Todd, Mr. Toddy, Toddy, Hot Toddy, Bready, or Toe Sucker. He comes to all of those names. He is our orange haired beauty. He is by far our favorite cat! He is a snuggle bug who will wake you up the middle of the night because you aren't close enough to him. He constantly meows for your attention and enjoys bringing crinkly things to us (while meowing)-candy wrappers, balls of paper, condom wrappers (his favorite! Not sure how he gets them though as they are safely tucked away in our mini garbage) and more recently tampons (not sure how he gets these either!) He carries these things down the stairs to us when we have company over and drops them right in front of everyone (has lead to many embarrassing moments), I think he is jealous and wants to make everyone proud. He is our oldest cat but is hands down our most playful. He chases his tail on a regular basis in the bathtub and on our king size bed. Lastly and most notably, he sucks his toe. Yup, he is a toe sucker, always has been, always will be. It's always his back right food, second or third digit in. I can only figure he was weened too early as a kitten. He has the typical orange cat feature, typical to me anyway, black "freckles" around his lips and gums. Strangely, he has no white on him at all. Freddy was my first friend after I graduated high school and moved to a big city. He is 9 now and is still the best friend a girl could have (my fiance comes next but he knows, appreciates, and is also taken in by the power of Fred.) I'll always be a cat lover and when the time comes to get a new cat, he'll be orange too! They are the most beautiful and most entertaining.

[cindy timmins]

I lost my orange tabby. Other postings write about catitude. My Bonnie-Blue was the most gentle and sweet cat I ever had. I've had four other cats and none of them were like Bonnie.

[Sarah]

I've had cats all my life, but never an orange ... until now -- we adopted one with a heart problem from a local foster group last March. We learned quickly that oranges are simply magical. So much personality, and so much love. I have always wanted an orange and have always heard so many good things about them. All true. We've always been white-n-black kitty types -- and we still do have that -- but now I'm a convert to oranges. Ours is called Quigley (his foster name was Flame). I believe we'll stick with orange and w-n-bs from now on.