When discussing why cats look the way they do, it helps to have a basic understanding of feline genetics.

If you see black, red-orange, and white…it’s a calico! What Causes Calico and Tortie Color Patterns

So, how to know for sure whether it’s a tortie or a calico?Ĭheck for three colors. Black, orange, and white will all be present in spots and patches from head to tail. On the other hand, calicos do have white. Their coloring will be a mixture of shades, including black and orange (most prominent) resulting in a brindle effect. Tortoiseshell cats will have no white in their coats. Secondly, check to see how many colors there are: two vs. How do you differentiate one from the other? There are two ways.įirst, look for white. However, to the untrained eye, it can be difficult to tell the difference between calico and tortie cats. The Main Difference Between Calico and Tortie Catsīoth cats are equally beautiful – that goes without saying. The calico and tortie coat colour/pattern occurs in both random-bred as well as purebred cats with both long and short coats. Both patterns refer to a multi-coloured cat which may consist of black and orange, brown and orange, grey and cream with or without white. The terms calico and tortoiseshell are often used interchangeably, and it is easy to see why. Calico and tortoiseshell (tortie) are both common coat colours/patterns which appear almost exclusively in female cats.