10 Fun Facts About Orange Tabby (Ginger) Cats

hey Guy lovers and welcome back to another video orange tabbies also known as ginger cats are well loved in the cat Community many of them are known for being very affectionate and having sweet dispositions but did you know there are a lot of fun facts about orange cats some of these findings might even surprise you by the way if you've been following this channel for a while yes we have shared ginger cat facts in the past this is simply an updated version with more details if you enjoyed this kind of content subscribe to our channel for more cat videos now let's dive into 10 fun facts about orange tabby cats number one male gingers are more common if you see a ginger cat there's a pretty high chance that it's one of the boys up to 80 of orange tabbies are male meaning only 20 are female this is because the gene that produces orange fur is on the X chromosome as a throwback to biology 101 females have 2X chromosomes while males have an X chromosome and a y chromosome since females have two X chromosomes female orange tabbies need two copies of the gene to become ginger while males only need one similar gender-associated color patterns exist in Calico and Tortoiseshell cats but these code patterns work in the ladies favor as a bonus fun fact about 99.9 percent of Calico and Tortoiseshell cats are female the gene responsible for the orange color is again located on the X chromosome in this case one version of the gene codes for orange and another codes for non-orange usually black since females have two X chromosomes they can carry both versions of the gene so when a female cat inherits One X chromosome with the orange version and another with the non-orange version the result is a beautiful Calico or taurity coat these gender specific color variations emphasize the intricate interplay between genes chromosomes and the captivating array of coat colors in cats number two orange tabby is not a breed contrary to popular belief orange tabbies are not a breed instead the term Tabby actually refers to the coat pattern as for their specific markings all tabbies have a distinctive m-shaped marking on the forehead however their coat patterns vary depending on the Tabby type in fact there are five different Tabby coat patterns first there is the classic type the classic tabby pattern is characterized by marble to world or blotched patterns that often resemble the brush Strokes of an artist's painting often a dark line runs along the spine known as the spinal line adding to the distinctive look of the classic tabby next we have mackerel Mackerel tabby is also known as striped tabbies or Tiger Cats boast a pattern that closely resembles the Sleek striping of a fish skeleton hence the term mackerel their coats display parallel Stripes that are perpendicular to the spine often extending onto the legs and tail then we have spotted the spotted tabby pattern is a display of varying sized spots scattered around the cat's coat these spots can be round or oval in shape and are distributed randomly some spotted tabbies may have larger spots on their sides that merge into more complex patterns While others may have smaller more evenly distributed spots then there's the patched the patch Tabby pattern also known as tortoiseshell Tabby or tordi combines the classic tabby pattern with patches of solid color usually in shades of brown and orange this results in a mosaic-like appearance like the patterns on a tortoiseshell shell the patches can vary in size and shape finally we have ticked tick tabbies also known as a goody tabbies have a distinctive appearance when viewed up close while the overall appearance may seem solid from a distance a closer look reveals that each individual hair on their coat alternates between light and dark bands of color this produces a finely speckled or salt and pepper effect number three certain breeds are more likely to be Ginger although orange cats are not a specific breed certain breeds are more likely to have orange fur than others some of these breeds are the Persian exotic short hair munchkin American bobtail British short hair Bengal Maine and Egyptian mouth the presence of orange fur in specific cat breeds can be attributed to the interplay of various genetic factors the orange color is the result of the O Gene which codes for the production of orange pigments in the fur certain breeds may have a higher prevalence of this Gene due to their genetic lineage and the selective breeding practices that have been employed over time the prevalence of the orange Gene in certain breeds highlights the fascinating results of genetic diversity in the feline world just note that while these breeds are more likely to have orange fur than others there are several color variations Within These breeds number four there are no solid colored orange cats Yes you heard that right believe it or not there is no such thing as a solid colored orange cat this is because all cats with orange fur carry the Tabby Gene as mentioned earlier tabby cats have various markings none of which are solid some breeders have found ways to dilute the orange color so that it appears solid however Tabby markings will still be there even if they are very faint by strategically pairing cats with specific variations of the Tabby Gene breeders can influence the intensity of the markings making them less pronounced this process has led the development of cats that seem to have solid orange coats even though the genetic underpinnings of the Tabby patterns remain this fun fact adds another layer of Fascination to the world of cat genetics and serves as a reminder of the captivating Secrets hidden within the genes of our furry companions number five all orange cats are also tabby cats to expand on fact number two since all cats with orange fur carry the Tabby Gene this means all orange cats are also tabby cats however ever not all tabby cats are orange cats as explained earlier the orange color in cats is a result of the O Gene the Tabby pattern on the other hand is influenced by the aguti gene this Gene controls the distribution of pigments in the fur leading to patterns like Stripes swirls or spots but not all tabby cats possess the O Gene responsible for the orange color Tabby patterns can appear in a wide range of colors including brown gray silver and other shades with orange being just one of the possibilities as you now know orange cats do indeed exhibit Tabby patterns in addition to the orange color however tabby cats are not limited to the orange coloration with that said while all orange cats are indeed tabby cats because they possess the Tabby pattern alongside their orange color not all tabby cats are orange number six ginger cats tend to develop freckles many orange tabbies develop dark brown or black freckles these freckles develop on the head especially around the gums lips nose or even inside of the ears the technical term for these benign freckles is lentigo simplex and it is generally harmless oftentimes the freckles grow in size as the cat gets all folder went to go Simplex as a result of an increased concentration of pigmented cells in specific areas of the skin while Indigo Simplex is usually nothing to worry about it's important for Cat Guardians to be observant of any changes in these freckles over time in rare cases freckles or pigmented spots that grow change color or exhibit irregularities might warrant a veterinarian's attention these changes could potentially indicate a different skin condition or although uncommon even the presence of skin cancer so be sure to keep up with regular vet checkups number seven orange tabbies share a pigment with redheads as we just learned orange tabbies are genetically prone to freckles the pigment responsible for freckles and an orange cat's coat color is called Theo melanin this same pigment is responsible for red hair and freckles in humans as well pretty neat right in orange cats the ogene also affects the distribution of feel melanin in the skin this can lead to concentrations of female melanin around certain areas of the face creating freckles the freckles are essentially areas where the concentration of phyomelanin is higher leading to darker pigmentation compared to the surrounding skin it's a important to note that not all orange cats develop freckles as the extent and presence of freckles can vary from cat to cat nonetheless the presence of feel melanin in both cats and humans is a fascinating example of convergent evolution where different species independently develop similar traits due to similar environmental or genetic influences number eight ginger cats are part of a legend there are many Legends as to how orange tabbies got their distinctive M mark on their foreheads one Legend is that the M comes from their Encounter With Jesus the son of God as The Story Goes when baby Jesus was lying in the manger he began to shiver and cry from the cold after trying to keep him warm with a blanket his mother Mary didn't know what else to do so she asked the animals in the manger to move closer to the baby to keep him warm with their body heat however Jesus continued to shiver and cry then a tabby cat came into the manger and cuddled next to baby Jesus the baby stopped crying and fell asleep to thank the feline Mary marred her initial on the cat's forehead so that tabby cats would forever remind the world of how one of their kind had comforted the newborn Jesus for our Faithful Friends note that this is simply a fun Legend and is not meant to be taken literally there is no evidence of this story in scripture number nine orange tabbies have several nicknames orange tabby cats have many different monikers after orange tabbies they are most often referred to as ginger cats or marmalade cats however they have also been nicknamed orange yellow butter caramel and butterscotch cats as a personal opinion I favor ginger cats the best which of these monikers do you think is the most fitting for orange cats feel free to comment below number 10. many orange tabbies are famous many famous fictional cats are orange tabbies with Garfield spot and Puss in Boots being just a few of the many beloved characters however out of all famous gingers Morris the Cat is arguably the most iconic Morris is widely renowned as a feline advertising Superstar particularly for his role as the mascot for nine lives cat food debuting in the 1960s Morris quickly became a household name racing television screens and print advertisements with his distinctive orange fur and Charming demeanor Morris's character not only helped promote cat food but also cemented the orange Tabby's status as a cultural icon Beyond his advertising Endeavors Morris's popularity extended into various media appearances making him a truly multifaceted feline celebrity he starred in movies such as Sheamus and The Long goodbye further showcasing his stardom Morris's impact was so significant that he even won two Patsy Awards in 1972 And 1973. as an FYI a patsy is like an Oscar for Animals very impressive Morris and now it's time for cat of the week this video's cat of the week is Jakey his Guardian says Jakey is a seven-year-old Tabby I found at a shelter he was found in a box on the side of the street I adopted him and he is very happy Jakey likes neck scratches high places and watching the purring Journal congratulations Jakey keep being possum to enter your cat for a chance to be featured visit the entry link in the description box below there you have it as you now know orange cats are quite interesting if you enjoyed this video please give it a thumbs up because it helps other cat lovers find our content also which of these facts did you find the most interesting let us know in the comments below thank you guys for watching and we'll see you next Saturday for another video

Channel: The Purring Journal

Views: 159,176

Keywords: Cats, Orange Cats, Orange Tabby Cats, Tabby Cats, Ginger Cats, Marmalade Cats, Butterscotch Cats, Cat Facts, Caramel Cats, Butter Cats, Yellow Cats, Garfield, Puss in Boots, Spot from Star Trek, Morris the Cat, 9Lives cat food, male cat facts, male cats

Id: u0SDjA3gyZE

Length: 10min 14sec (614 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 19 2023