Tortoiseshell cats are known as “the divas” of the cat world. You'll hear them go by the name “Tortie” and they're quite beautiful and captivating with their colors. A long time ago, I didn't consider them much at all. I'd seen pictures and one here and there in an animal shelter I volunteered with for 11 years. However, the torties weren't ones I ever thought I'd bring home. Everything changed in 2014 when our beloved older kitty passed away. We didn't make it two weeks without deciding to adopt a pair of adult cats. And, that's how Zazzles entered our life.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Graham
We'd gone to Furkids where we volunteered to pick out our new family members. In a room full of all varieties of cats, we sat on the floor and played with them. Zazzles took it upon herself to take over playtime with my middle child. She had a brother who was a gorgeous black cat with yellow eyes named Raven. Now, there are lots of black cats at shelters and many were in this room. Our theory is that she “told” him to hang in the corner with the other black cats while she worked us over. We fell in love, and when we came to pick them up a week later, Zazzles climbed right into the cat carrier because she was ready to get her own place. She's been with us for almost 7 years. Torties are well known for their energy, affectionate natures (mostly), vocalness, and true loyalty to their humans. In fact, she's over-the-top affectionate. You may have played and snuggled ALL DAY and not want to hang out anymore, but be prepared since they will wear you down until they get to lay next to you. Touching with their paws, of course. They are going to love you no matter what! If this sounds like the cat for you, then head to your local shelter and find your new friend.
Recently, we read a fun article we saw on the Cole and Marmalade blog. Cole and Marmalade are the names of the two kitties featured in the lives of their owners. One is a black house panther and the other is an orange cat. Both have wonderful personalities and we encourage you to follow their stories. The article we read was Five Fun Facts About Tortoiseshell Cats by Melissa Lapierre who also has a wonderful blog: Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.
5 Fun Facts About Tortoiseshell Cats
…And Why You Should Adopt One!
Written by Melissa Lapierre
Over the past decade I’ve had the pleasure of sharing my home with a trio of torties, Tara, Truffles, and now Mudpie. To say my days have been brighter because they’re in it would be an understatement. Of course cats just make life better in general, but there’s something about a tortie that speaks to my soul and I know now I could never live without one. That would just be unbearable for me.
What makes a tortoiseshell cat pure purr-fection (in my eyes)?
Everything from their exquisite beauty to their fun and playful personalities. Tortitude is real…but that’s what makes them so unique and special! They are also the most loving cats I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. They’re very vocal too, and there is nothing more fun than chatting with a tortie! They just have so much to say, and they’re not afraid to say it either!
Before I adopted my first tortie I didn’t think they were different from any other cat. Boy, was I wrong! I was completely caught off guard (in a good way!) and before long I was scouring the web for anything I could find about the cat I had given my heart to.
These are some of the fun facts that I learned:
1. Due to genetics, approximately only 1 in 3,000 torties is male. When a male tortie is produced it’s the result of a genetic mutation. These males are typically sterile.
2. The distinctive colors that make up a tortie’s brindled coat include black, brown, red, chocolate, cinnamon, and amber. Dilute torties have lighter colors like lilac and cream, while one with a lot of black is referred to as a chocolate tortie. A torbie has tortie colors intertwined with a tabby pattern. A calico has tortie coat colors with added white sections. They are white, but with solid red and brown patches. In the United Kingdom, what we refer to as a calico is called a tortoiseshell and white cat.
3. A tortoiseshell is not a breed, it is a coat pattern. Persians, Cornish Rex, and the Japanese Bobtail are just a few of the many breeds that can produce a tortoiseshell coat, both long and short-haired.
4. Torties are often mentioned in folklore. In the United States they’re referred to as “money cats”. In Scotland and Ireland it’s seen as good luck when a tortie comes into your home, but that goes without saying! An old English wives tale says you can cure warts by rubbing them with a male tortie’s tail. Japanese fisherman believe bringing a tortie onto their boat protects them from storms and ghosts. The Khmers of Southeast Asia even developed an explanation as to the origins of a tortie: they came from “the menstrual blood of a young goddess born of a lotus flower during a magical ritual”.
5. One of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous works is the short story The Black Cat, but in real life he was owned by a beautiful tortoiseshell cat named Cattarina! She served as his muse, perching on his shoulder as he wrote,and so deep was their bond that she died within weeks of his mysterious passing.
On more than one occasion I’ve heard shelter workers say that torties tend to be overlooked by prospective pet parents.
They’re victims of that silly black cat stigma, and so much is said about “tortitude” that leads people to believe they’re difficult. It breaks my heart that people don’t know what they’re missing out on. I can say from personal experience that once you “go tortie” there’s no going back. Life is just plain boring without one!
You might also enjoy 10 Totally Fascinating Facts About Tortoiseshell Cats
Whenever you choose a shelter cat you really can't go wrong, however, as my family can attest to Torties will change your life. Can't imagine life without Zazzles!
