50 Calico Cat Facts That Are Purrr Fect

A calico cat is a domesticated cat with tri-colored fur, meaning it has three colors on its fur. For comprehensive calico cat information and the facts you need about these beautiful animals, look no further, we can help you out with all the information you need to know.Many different breeds of cats can be calico, meaning there are many different calico cat breeds, rather than a single breed called ‘Calico’. Calico cats are very rare and are considered lucky in many cultures around the world.Here you will find out about the rarest calico cat (the male calico cat) and why the male calico cat is so few and far between. You may also discover why calicos are considered good luck and why the Japanese maneki neko money cats are in fact calico cats. Finally, find out how to take care of calico coats, and what calicos need nutrition-wise to keep their calico multicolor coat healthy and shiny.We have all the calico cat information and facts that you might need. Many types of housecats can have the calico genetic mutation, meaning calicos can pop up anywhere through random chance!Calico Cat Health FactsHere are some calico cat facts about health and wellbeing. Find out how to take care of the calico coat and keep a calico cat fit and healthy.1. The average lifespan of a calico cat is between 12 and 15 years.2. While indoor cats live quite a long life, outdoor calicos have a lower lifespan of between seven and nine years.3. Male calico cats have much shorter life expectancies than female calicos because many of them have Klinefelter’s Syndrome, a genetic condition where a cat is born with two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome, which can cause all sorts of health problems, including diabetes.4. Male calico cats are mostly sterile, so aren’t useful in breeding.5. A calico kitten can be cared for in the same way as you’d care for most non-calico cats. Unless you have one of the rare male calicos with Klinefelter’s Syndrome, your cat won’t have any more health problems than a cat without a calico pattern.6. Calico pattern cats need yearly vet check ups like any other cat.7. A cat’s white, orange, and black color calico fur can be kept in tip-top condition by giving it a high protein diet and supplementing with an essential fatty acid supplement.8. Owners have to make sure that their cat has no rashes and is taken to regular veterinarian checkups.9. It is a good idea to get a female calico cat spayed so that she doesn’t have too many kittens, which can lead to health problems and a decrease in life expectancy.10. You can’t intentionally breed calicos due to their unique genetic composition, these colorful and adorable creatures are created naturally.11. Indoor cats need a scratching post to keep their claws in good condition. Cats have a natural urge to scratch, it’s what they do outdoors in the wild, so a scratching post enables them to mark their territory without destroying all the furniture! If you have an indoor calico with no scratching post, they will probably scratch up your armchairs and sofas instead.12. You should always get your calico cat vaccinated and take out insurance so that you can pay the vet’s bills should your pet fall sick.13. If you have an outdoor cat, make sure to keep a look out for fleas. If you do find any, you can use anti-flea medication to rid your cat of the pesky pests and keep them itch-free.Calico Cat Fun FactsHere are some fun and fascinating facts you need to know about the amazing calico cat of many colors. Did you know that calico cats are thought to bring good luck? Read on for some fun interesting trivia facts about calico cats.21. Calico refers to the orange, black and white pattern on their fur which resembles a type of printed fabric called ‘calico’.22. Calico cats are the official cat of Maryland! On 1 October 2001, the US state of Maryland made the calico cat their official state cat.23. The Baltimore Oriole, (the Maryland state bird) and the state insect both have the same colors as the official state cat. They are all white, orange and black.24. Calico cats are considered lucky and are symbols of good luck around the world. In the US they are nicknamed ‘Money Cats’, as they are thought to bring good fortune in financial matters.25. In 1870, Japan made the calico cat an official symbol of good luck.26. Japanese sailors used to bring calico cats onboard as lucky ship cats to prevent misfortune at sea.27. The Maneki-neko lucky Japanese bobtail cat figurine is a calico cat often seen in Japanese restaurants, shops, and homes.28. Calico cats have many different names around the world. In Germany, they are called ‘Glückskatze’, which means “lucky cat”. The Japanese name ‘Mike Neko’ means “triple fur” and the Dutch name for calicos is ‘Lapjeskat’, or “patches cat”.29. Another reason they are considered lucky is that they can’t be intentionally bred. Calico isn’t a cat breed, so a calico cat only comes into being by chance, as a genetic anomaly. Their rarity contributes to their mystical quality.30. One of the craziest calico cat facts has to be the belief that they cure warts. Yes, one widespread belief about calico cats is that touching a wart with a calico cat’s tail will cure the wart!31. Calico cats are thought to have originated in Egypt.32. Rumpleteazer from the musical ‘Cats’ is a calico cat. In the stage musical and film adaptation, Rumpleteazer is a cat burglar! She is also fun-loving, sly, carefree, and mischievous. She is one of the Jellicle cats.33. The 19th-century poet Eugene Field’s children’s narrative poem ‘The Duel’, also known as ‘The Gingham Dog And The Calico Cat’, is a poem about a calico cat and a dog who fight each other to the death, eventually eating each other!34. Field based his calico cat on the iconic Ithaca Kitty stuffed toy, which used to be a popular cuddly toy in the US at the start of the 20th century.35. The poem even inspired Chet Atkins, the celebrated jazz musician, who recorded an album in 1993, with ‘The Gingham Dog And The Calico Cat’ as its title track.Calico Cat Breed FactsHere are some cool facts about calico cat breeds. There can be calico cats in several different breeds of cats, meaning you can get a calico Manx cat, a calico American Shorthair, and many other types of calico. Find out all about these breeds below.36. The affectionate American Shorthair cat can be calico. American Shorthair cats are very playful and make great pets. They are believed to have come to America on the Mayflower with the Pioneers and have now established themselves in the USA as the native North American shorthair cat.37. The popular semi-long-haired Maine Coon cat from North Eastern America can also be a calico cat. Maine Coons are an ancient breed of cat thought to have originally come over from America from a sailing ship. After mating with shorthaired cats in America the offspring appeared with semi-long hair fur and raccoon-like bushy tails.38. Maine Coons have evolved to survive in Maine’s cold weather so their semi-long fur serves them well. Originally farm cats, they are more often found as house cats these days.39. The British shorthair or British shorthair, is a pedigree British breed of cat. It usually has a thick grey-blue coat and orange eyes. This breed of cat was the inspiration for John Tenniel, the illustrator for the original print of ‘Alice In Wonderland’, who based his drawings of the Cheshire Cat on the British shorthair.40. The Norwegian Forest Northern European cat has adapted to very cold climates and has a long, waterproof outer coat and insulating wooly undercoat. It is very good at climbing and is thought to have been brought to Norway around 1000 AD by the Vikings.41. How clued-up are you on the subject of tortoiseshell calico cat facts? You might be more familiar with the name tortoiseshell than calico. Well, people often use the labels tortoiseshell and calico interchangeably. While tortoiseshell is also a coat color characteristic rather than a breed and is different from calico.42. Tortoiseshells are usually tri-color, and usually have a red, black, and white color pattern. Tortoiseshell cats lack white furs, whereas, tri-color cats that are mostly white with a few patches of black and orange fur are referred to as having a calico coat.43. Tabby cats have a distinctive M-shaped forehead marking, stripes near the eyes and across the cheeks, along the back, and round the legs and tail. They also have swirly, stripy, flecked, or spotted patterns on their bodies.44. Like tortoiseshell cats, tabby cats aren’t a particular breed. Tabby is simply a coat color pattern. One of the many interesting facts about tabbies is that the orange tabby is almost male, in fact, 80% of orange tabby cats are boys. Orange female cats are pretty rare.Calico Cat Personality FactsLearn all about the calico cat’s personality and what you should know about them before choosing one to come and live with you. Although very similar to other domesticated house cats, calicos do have some characteristics that are unique to them. Find out more about these characterful cats below.45. Some say there is no particular personality trait shared by calico cats, as they aren’t a specific breed. There are calico cats in many different breeds.46. However, tortoiseshells are often described as having a personality trait known as “tortitude”, which makes them very independent and sassy. They can also be very loyal and affectionate cats. Calico cats composed of white, black, and orange furs, are very likely to have similar traits.47. Calico cats are said to have quirky personalities.48. Calico cats can be more feisty and more vocal than other types of cats.49. Sometimes owners of female cats with this genetic color pattern report higher levels of aggression than cats whose colors aren’t determined in the same way.50. Having a calico, tabby, or tortoiseshell cat of many colors doesn’t, however, mean that your cat will be scratching and biting you all the time, simply that it may be a bit more of a diva than cats with non-calico colors.