Calico Long Haired Cat: Lifespan, Rarest type, Health & Personality

A calico cat is a domestic cat of any breed with a tri-color coat. Calico long haired cat is looking so adorable among calicos.

The calico cat is most commonly thought of as being 25% to 75% white with large orange and black patches. Mostly, they may have other colors in their patterns.

Calico cat are almost exclusively female except under rare genetic conditions. They are domestic cats that have three colors, namely white, orange, and black.

Calico Cat Breeds and Characteristics

A calico cat refers not to be confused with a tortoiseshell, who has a black undercoat and a mostly mottled coat of black/red or blue/cream with relatively few to no white markings.

However, outside North America, the calico pattern is more commonly called tortoiseshell and white. Calicoes with diluted coloration (blue tortoiseshell and white) have been called calimanco or clouded tiger.

Occasionally, the tri-color calico or 3 color Cat coloration is combined with a tabby patterning, called tortoiseshell tabby with white. A calico-patched tabby cat may be referred to as caliby or torbico.

Derived from a colorful printed Calico fabric, when the term “calico” is applied to cats, it refers only to a color pattern of the fur, not to a cat breed or any reference to any other traits, such as their eyes.

This is a cat with a coat color commonly referred to as calico. (A colored overhead, slide, or best of all, a living, purring cat in the classroom, is shown at this point.)

Those of you who have had such a cat know one crucial fact about them. They must be spayed, or you will have many pretty calico kittens.

In other words, all calico cats are female. The coat color is a result of the sex of the cat and not the other way around.

Recall that there are two X-chromosomes in each cell in this cat, one maternal and one paternal, except for the germ cells, the eggs, which are haploid.

On each X-chromosome, there is a gene that can code for either yellow or black coat color.

During the development of the cat embryo, at the stage of 64 cells. One of the two X-chromosomes in each cell is inactivated, leaving only one X in working order.

This Xsilencing is random within the embryo, with the choice of which X is inactivated in a particular cell unaffected by the choice of that cell’s neighbors.

From that point on in the development of the cat embryo, all the daughter cells of each of the original 64 will continue to have that same X-chromosome inactivated.  

So the same active gene for coat color, either black or yellow, depends on that initial inactivation.

In general, these “sister” cells tend to remain close to each other during the later stages of embryonic development.

The graphic result of such a patchwork of clones of cells, expressing either black or yellow coat color, is this strikingly marked animal.

Gene and RNA – Calico Long Haired Cat Genetics History

The key player in the story is a gene on the X chromosome designated the “X-inactive-specific-transcript” gene, or Xist, as it is called in the mouse genome (pronounced “exist”.)

In humans, this gene is located on the inside third of the longer arm of the X-chromosome and is designated XIST, with the same pronunciation.

As its name indicates, Xist/XIST is present on both X chromosomes, but this gene is specifically expressed only on the inactive X chromosome. As it is not expressed on the active X, A situation that certainly seems backward.

How rare is a calico kitten?

The calico cat is not included in the rare cats category, but the male calico cats are very rare. The scarcity of male calico cats is a trigger for many myths to emerge.

For example, the cat is believed to bring luck. The predation of the parent that causes this cat is rare is also a myth that cannot be verified. The scarcity of male calico cats is a natural phenomenon that can attract the attention of scientists to conduct further research.

For example, genetic testing in domestic cats has been carried out to identify species and maintain cat health and breeding management. Research on the mechanism of the formation of Klinefelter syndrome in mammals. 

However,  Mammals that have Klinefelter syndrome have different characteristics in their physical such as increased body fat mass and reduced bone mineral.

This causes the need for special treatment in maintaining the health of domestic cats that suffer from Klinefelter syndrome. Klinefelter syndrome did not only occur in cats but also in humans and other mammals such as mice or pigs.

Research on the existence and identification of cats with Klinefelter syndrome has been carried out mostly on various types of cats and from various regions.

For example, the identification of Klinefelter syndrome has been carried out in Himalayan cats. Currently, in the efforts of domestic cat breeding, breed management, and species identification, a variety of genetic testing is available.

This test can help clinicians and breeders of cats know and determine the presence of traits that are passed on to the next generation.

It has been seen that genes on the X sex chromosome both in XX female and XY male cats are regulators of coat color.

Normal domestic cats both male and female have 38 chromosomes or 19 chromosome pairs. Sex chromosomes for normal male and female cats are XX and XY respectively.

Calico cat Health Problem

We came to know from the above that Calico is just a coat color, not a breed. So there is no way to claim that calico cats are more at risk for health problems.

However, there are calico Oriental shorthairs that are at risk for gingivitis which, if regular dental checkups are lacking could result in serious dental disease.

Being proactive in dental care for this breed is essential. Learning how to brush their teeth daily certainly helps to keep gingivitis at bay.

Other feline breeds wear calico coats that may have serious health risks, so knowing in advance what those risks may be is essential.

Being proactive in these cats’ care can reduce risk and getting early treatment if required can extend the lifespan of these beloved cats.

What makes Calico cats so special?

Their coloring is unique. It is a combination of three coats together. White, black, and brown (or red if you prefer). Speaking from personal experience, they have an attitude that does not end!

The first calico we had my husband stated she controlled the house with the iron paw and he was not very far off.

She is house-trained our new puppy in three days (caught him doing his business on the kitchen floor and she beat him up.

However, he was scared of her but so was the neighbor German Shepherd).

Moreover, they ended up in a love/hate relationship, and nobody dared hurt her dog. We had company that she felt overstayed their welcome and she dropped a lump from her cat box by their feet to tell them to go home.

But, she was a very loving cat too, despite her obvious ‘large and in-charge’ attitude. When we began being a foster home she would always make sure the kittens (or puppies) were cared for.

If they made a sound she would find either me or my husband and cry until we went to check on the little ones. Male calico cats are rare due to genetics as most calico cats are female.