Tortoiseshell Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Tortoiseshell catTortoiseshell is a coloring found in cats. It is a mix of phaeomelinin based colors (red) and euemelinin based color (black, chocolate and cinnamon). The pattern results in a cat with patches of red and patchs of black, chocolate or cinnamon. Dilution also affects this, causing a cat to be a mix of cream and blue, lilac or fawn. Tortioseshells are almost always female. This is because the dominant red gene is carried on a X chromosme. This means that if you have a male witha a red gene, he is red. If he doesn't have a red gene, he is not red. To get a red female, you need a red gene on each chromsome. Females with no red genes do not show red. But if a female has a red on only one of her X chromsomes, then you get a tortioseshell. This is because about half of the cells in a female cats body are controlled by one X and the rest by the other. This means that roughly half of the cat will be red, the other half black, chocolate or cinamon. The way that their fur pattern falls is dependant on conditions on the womb. Males can only be tortioseshell is they carry XXY chromsomes.
Toroisehsells are also commonly called torties. If they have a tabby pattern overlaid on them, they are [torbies]. Tortioseshell pattern can have bicolor patterning, called a calico. Torties also can be expressed in the points (fur color) pattern.