Differences Between Tortoiseshell and Calico Cats

Calico vs. Tortie

Tortoiseshell and calico cats come in various colors: black, red, and white. Contrary to what many people believe, they’re not different breeds. The differences between tortoiseshell and calico cats lie in their special color patterns. In this article, I’ll explain how the tortoiseshell pattern compares to the calico pattern. To begin, while a tortie coat might not have any white at all, a calico coat always includes white.

Fun fact: In my family, we had one tortoiseshell cat and two calico cats. In the Netherlands, we use only one word for these cats: lapjeskat. In English, this means “patched cat.”

In This Article

• Why Tortoiseshell and Calico Patterns Are Different
• Pigment Genes in Cats
• What Is the Key Difference Between a Calico and Tortoiseshell Cat?
• What Is a Dilute Calico?
• Personal Story: My Calico Was a Stray Cat

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.

— Arnold Edinborough

Pattern Differences Between Tortoiseshell and Calico Cats

Interestingly, most tortoiseshell and calico cats are females. They have two X chromosomes, one for orange (XO) and one for black (XB). They only pass one on to the next generation. Yet males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, which is either orange (XO) or black (XB). Below you’ll find more detail about how this works.

• Female XO + Male XO = orange
• Female XO + Male XB = mixed orange+black pattern
• Female XB + Male XO = mixed orange+black pattern
• Female XB + Male XB = black

Whenever a male tortoiseshell or calico cat is born, the father most likely had an extra X chromosome—XXO or XXB—which is a rarity.

Pigment Genes in Cats

Pigment genes express in what we call melanocytes. And when there is a mixed pattern, these genes surface to the skin. Surprisingly, the colors mingle in random order, giving the cat that special brindled look.

In tri-colored cats, there’s a second gene interacting that basically has no pigment at all. Either small or large white spots are the result. Moreover, this is why some cats look completely white but are not albino. So, they have a brindle pattern in their genes with a dominant white. This dominating white won’t let the orange and black color surface to the skin.

What Is the Key Difference Between a Calico and Tortoiseshell Cat?

The only difference between a tortie and a calico is the presence of white.

Calico coats: Firstly, the calico pattern has an extra spotting gene, which produces white, unpigmented spots. Generally, those white spots can be either small or very big—the spotting gene overrules the color gene. In essence, you can have an almost white cat with a few colored patches or a colored cat with a few white spots.

Tortoiseshell coats: In contrast, tortoiseshell cats, also called torties, very often have only two colors: red and black. They have no white at all. The color can include black, orange (red), brown, black, cream, cinnamon, and blue. These cats often have a mottled or brindled coat. Additionally, they can either be short-haired or long-haired, and the color patterns can vary from very dark to very light.

You can see that this cat has a very bright colored pattern of white, black, and red patches on her head and body.

What Is a Dilute Calico?

Dilute means less intensive. A dilute calico is a cat that has the same coloring pattern as a normal calico, but the red and black are not so bright. It looks like they’re a bit “washed out”, too. As you can see in the photo above, the black is greyish blue, and the red is rather creamy.

Personal Story: My Calico Was a Stray Cat

One evening in 2002, I went into the barn, and there she was: a cute but skinny teenage kitten with very big eyes. She was shy but also hungry, and therefore she ate until her belly was full. Perhaps she came from a farm in the neighbourhood (they often have cats to keep the mice away). Or maybe they threw her out of the car. Who knows?

In short, that’s how Red came to live with us. Of course it took a lot of begging and spoiling before she allowed me to pet her. Yet she never allowed me to pick her up and hold her in my arms.

A Difficult Previous Life for Red the Calico

We discovered soon enough that Red must have had a difficult life before she ended up in our barn. Specifically, she must have had some very bad experiences with humans.

Whenever she comes to sit next to you, she purrs a lot, and actually loves petting. Yet when you pet her too much, especially all the way down to her tail, she will grab you with her claws. Likewise, her ears go back to her neck, and she turns into a wild animal. So you’d better get her off your lap before then.

You can’t pick her up, so the best way to do it is to stand up, and she’ll jump off. Previously, she had always been like that, all nine years long, so we keep her away from visitors.

In summary, no matter the color of your cat, care for them well!

Comments

Julie on August 13, 2020:

Hi, I just got a lovely little female medium-haired cat whose main color is white with orange, grey, and black patches. Plus, her hair only sheds in little clumps, not stray hairs. What breed would she be, please? I was told she was a Tortie.

Laurie Wells on May 27, 2020:

Our tortoiseshell has a bit of white on her tummy, too.

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on March 04, 2020:

I learned some interesting differences between tortoiseshell and calico cats from your article. Of course I am a confirmed cat lover, no matter what color, but I love black cats, and my husband likes striped ones. We have one of each. You mentioned the tortie with an attitude. I’ve never met a tortie that didn’t have an attitude, but my friend had a calico that was so very sweet.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on February 06, 2020:

Yes, that’s true, and we call the calico patch cats. But alas, our tabby calico ‘Red’ died last year at the age of 19 years old.

Silv on February 04, 2020:

I love that! Years ago, I used to play The Sims Online, and I had my sim cat, a calico, out. A Dutch player came in, and I guess I commented I was trying to think of a name for the cat, and he said that in Holland, they’re called “patch cats.” I thought that was delightful, and I named her Patch Cat.

Now I have a calico. The shelter had her labeled as a torbie, but she has white paws, some white on her chest, and some white on her stomach. A tabby/calico, clearly, with large black tabby stripes in back and patches of red, orange, and cream on her sides, kind of “tabbied” together in stripes rather than in patches in some spots. She’s gorgeous and was very affectionate and sweet from the start despite being very frightened at first. Now she’s come out of her shell, she’s just a delight.

Jessica on October 08, 2019:

Calicos and torties are special in our house. We had an 18-year-old diluted tortie (she’s been gone 3 years now) and a 17-year-old diluted tortie (she’s been gone a year and a half). You would swear they were sisters. Currently, we have a 13-year-old calico, a 1-year-old calico tripod, along with our house panther and tabby!

Rita on October 07, 2019:

I have a tortoiseshell, and she has no white. She is my second tortoiseshell. My first, Patches, lived to be about 15 years old. Callie is 12 now. They are very affectionate cats and also great with children!

Fay Favored from USA on August 19, 2019:

We are blessed to have both kinds of kitties. One rescue we thought was a tortoise, but she’s looking more like a calico tabby from your description.

Jen on May 13, 2019:

I have a calico cat that I got about a year ago from a friend. At first, she didn’t like anybody unless you were sitting and didn’t like to be held, but she would come to you and lay on your lap to get pet. If you got up, she would run.

Every morning when I’d get up, she would be laying on the couch or on my bed next to me. I’d pet her and pick her up. Now, when I’m trying to do stuff and she wants attention, she walks between my feet, rubbing her head on my legs, and wants to be picked up. She is such a loving cat now, and I’m glad. My kids even love on her now. My 1-year-old and 3-year-old both carry her around, and she just lays there and lets them.

Swiftfrost on May 06, 2019:

Presently I have 3 cats. My kitten is a tortie, and my 4-year-old cat is a calico.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on May 03, 2019:

I’m sorry to hear about your cat, but 13 years is a nice age, and it gives you 13 years of memories.

Marie on May 02, 2019:

My beautiful baby girl Blossom fell asleep last Friday, 26th April 2019. However she gave me 13 years of fun-filled joy.

Cassie on April 19, 2019:

My tortie just had babies. She had 2 calicos (1 is a calico/tabby), 1 tortie, 1 orange and white, 1 black and white. They are so cute.

Angie Wornstaff on April 08, 2019:

I had a calico and a tortoiseshell. They are sisters from the same litter. How unique is this?

Tac on January 25, 2019:

This is good info. I always thought calico and tortoiseshell are the same thing. Guess I was wrong. I have one tortoiseshell cat at home named Kitkat. Picked her up from the trash pile, and she has grown clean and fat, now 4 years old.

Connie on December 13, 2018:

I love calico and black cats. I have 3 calicos. One is 18, one is 14, and one is maybe 3 months old. Then, a black cat who is around 8 now—she was found out in an ice storm with her brother (a tuxedo), and my daughter brought her to me.

Julie on August 13, 2020:

Hi, I just got a lovely little female medium-haired cat whose main color is white with orange, grey, and black patches. Her hair only sheds in little clumps, not stray hairs. What breed would she be, please? I was told she was a Tortie.

Laurie Wells on May 27, 2020:

Our tortoiseshell has a bit of white on her tummy. Given that, does that make her a calico?

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on March 04, 2020:

I learned some things from your article. Naturally I am a confirmed cat lover, no matter what color, but I love black cats, and my husband likes striped ones. Presently, we have one of each. You mentioned the tortie with an attitude. I’ve never met a tortie that didn’t have an attitude, but my friend had a calico that was so very sweet.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on February 06, 2020:

Yes, that’s true, we call the calico patch cats. Alas, our tabby calico ‘Red’ died last year at the age of 19 years old.

Silv on February 04, 2020:

I love that! Years ago, I used to play The Sims Online, and I had my sim cat, a calico, out. Subsequently a Dutch player came in, and I guess I commented I was trying to think of a name for the cat, and he said that in Holland, they’re called “patch cats.” I thought that was delightful, therefore I named her Patch Cat.

Now I have a calico. The shelter had her labeled as a torbie, but she has white paws, some white on her chest, and some white on her stomach. She’s a tabby/calico, clearly. She has large black tabby stripes in back and patches of red, orange, and cream on her sides, kind of “tabbied” together in stripes rather than in patches in some spots. Naturally, she’s gorgeous and was very affectionate and sweet from the start despite being very frightened at first. She’s come out of her shell, and she’s just a delight.

Jessica on October 08, 2019:

Calicos and torties are special in our house. Previously, we had an 18-year-old diluted tortie (she’s been gone 3 years now) and a 17-year-old diluted tortie (she’s been gone a year and a half). You would swear they were sisters.

Currently, we have a 13-year-old calico, a 1-year-old calico tripod, along with our house panther and tabby!

Rita on October 07, 2019:

I have a tortoiseshell, and she has no white. She is my second tortoiseshell. My first, Patches, lived to be about 15 years old. Callie is 12 now. They are very affectionate cats! They are also great with children!

Fay Favored from USA on August 19, 2019:

We are blessed to have both kinds of kitties. One rescue we thought was a tortoise, but she’s looking more like a calico tabby from your description.

Jen on May 13, 2019:

I have a calico cat that I got about a year ago from a friend. At first, she didn’t like anybody unless you were sitting and didn’t like to be held, but she would come to you and lay on your lap to get pet. If you got up, she would run.

Every morning when I’d get up, she would be laying on the couch or on my bed next to me. I’d pet her and pick her up. Now, when I’m trying to do stuff and she wants attention, she walks between my feet, rubbing her head on my legs, and wants to be picked up. She is such a loving cat now, and I’m glad. My kids even love on her now. My 1-year-old and 3-year-old both carry her around, and she just lays there and lets them.

Swiftfrost on May 06, 2019:

I have 3 cats. My kitten is a tortie, and my 4-year-old cat is a calico.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on May 03, 2019:

I’m sorry to hear about your cat, but 13 years is a nice age, and it gives you 13 years of memories.

Marie on May 02, 2019:

My beautiful baby girl Blossom fell asleep last Friday, 26th April 2019. But she gave me 13 years of fun-filled joy.

Cassie on April 19, 2019:

My tortie just had babies. She had 2 calicos (1 is a calico/tabby), 1 tortie, 1 orange and white, 1 black and white and they are so cute.

Angie Wornstaff on April 08, 2019:

I had a calico and a tortoiseshell. They are sisters from the same litter. How unique is this?

Tac on January 25, 2019:

This is good info—I always thought calico and tortoiseshell are the same thing—guess I was wrong! I have one tortoiseshell cat at home named Kitkat. Picked her up from the trash pile, and she has grown clean and fat, now 4 years old.

Connie on December 13, 2018:

I love calico and black cats. I also have 3 calicos. One is 18, one is 14, and one is maybe 3 months old. Then, a black cat who is around 8 now—she was found out in an ice storm with her brother (a tuxedo), and my daughter brought her to me.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on December 29, 2016:

@Hannah: Even with very little white spots, your cat is a calico. Tortoiseshell cats have no white at all.

Hannah on December 26, 2016:

My cat, Hazel, is a calico, but she has very little white. Is she a tortoiseshell cat?

Thelma on November 07, 2016:

I have a tortie who is my best buddy ever. Her name is Neko-chan. Neko is Japanese for cat, and chan is a term of endearment for a young girl. She knows my routine so well and comforts me when I’m not well.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on September 07, 2016:

Hi CrystalDragon3568, I’m glad you found my article useful. I think your cat would’ve been a calico, but that’s a guess. Without a photo, it’s not easy to say.

CrystalDragon3568 on August 06, 2016:

Thank you so much for this! I was planning on making a Warriors fanfic with a lot of tortoiseshells (they’re so fun to draw, along with calicos!), and I thought that the only difference was that tortoiseshells have one main color and two splotches of colors, whereas calicos are just tricolored.

This helped me learn a lot, so thank you! In particular, I shall use this knowledge when creating semi-realistic cats, and if anyone asks me for an article on the difference between these two amazing colors of cats, then I will link them here!

I also rated a 10/10, as this was so helpful!!! Thank you so much! Also, I have (had) two (now I have one) calico cats, and one of them (Tiger) ran away, but she was almost all black and orange with a tiny bit of white on her. Previously, we were told she was a calico. Is she a calico or a tortoiseshell? Reading this article made me think about that, so I thought I might ask. Thanks!

Debrahinkson on September 21, 2015:

Thank you for the wonderful article about calicos/torties, with beautiful personal pics and anecdotes, and simplified genetics for myself! 🙂

I live in Kansas (KS) with Joey, a black cat with only 3 white hairs on his whole body (not sure what his coloration would be labeled based on your article). My sister hand-raised him and 4 siblings when their feral mom birthed them under her deck in a thunderstorm and ran off, never to return for them. Family members each took a “little one” at 8 weeks. We had them neutered or spayed, and I chose the little black fellow (who is now 16 pounds).

I had just returned to KS in 2006 after living in Ohio for 20 years because my multiple sclerosis had worsened significantly, and I needed family support. Where I now live are “independent living” 6-plex apartments. It is in the middle of the city, and we are next to a medium-sized cemetery.

Debrahinkson on September 21, 2015 (continued):

There were feral cats in the area that I began feeding 6 years ago with the gracious help of Michelle, my home health aide, who was an animal lover, though not so much of cats (until she began developing personal relationships with some of the little guys… and Joey, of course). About 5 years ago, with the great assistance of a wonderful feral feline organization that has a TNR program (Trap, Neuter, and Return), they helped stabilize the population and provide rabies shots for “the kids,” who now number 9: Sylvester, Tommy, Arlo, Precious, Cleo, Little Yin, Mama, Blackie, and Gabby.

Six years ago, a very petite “brownish” tortie (maybe 5 months old) showed up on my tiny porch, peering through the bedroom window, looking at Joey. She did not seem to be befriended by my colony of cats, but she and Joey quickly developed a relationship. Eventually, I felt I needed to bring her in for a number of reasons. I named her “Palette,” and she’s maybe 7 pounds. She has a huge attachment to Joey and, having been feral, has slowly developed a bond with me. Her nutrition was poor, and she is “slow.” She is very shy and needs the protection of Joey and me. I dearly love them both.

I am glad to have found your website and plan to share it with my friends who love cats and feral cats. Thank you.

Virginia Allain from Central Florida on February 23, 2015:

We had a calico cat when I was a kid. Not very creative, I called her “Cali.”

Tricomanagement on February 10, 2014:

@Sierradawn LM: I’ve had the same experience, only with dogs. You are lucky your cat found her way back home. Enjoy the love, as it is as true as any love can be…

Tanya Jones from Texas USA on February 07, 2014:

Years ago, when I raised cats, I had a pair of tortoiseshell cats (twins) born to a litter. Naturally, I had no trouble finding homes for them.

Delia on February 06, 2014:

Came back for a visit and see your photos again. In particular, Red’s nose marking is like my Kitty’s—they even resemble each other. By the way, I made a wrong button choice on the Debate. Sorry about that!

Sierradawn LM on January 17, 2014:

Previously, two of my rescue cats have been long-haired, polydactyl calicos. They came to me 30-some-odd years apart but were both so identical in personality and appearance that I became convinced the second calico was a reincarnation of my first one. I had been catless for quite a while, and my dad thought that I needed a kitten for my birthday. He did not know where to get me one.

The wind blew a discarded newspaper his way, and picking it up, he found an ASPCA ad for kittens. But when I got there, I wanted every cat and kitten I saw and started crying because I could not pick just one. Then I heard a cat calling and crying loudly from a distant room in the shelter. It sounded just like my Purrsia used to call me.

Sierradawn LM on January 17, 2014 (continued):

I got my calico Purrsia when I was in the second grade. Naturally, she was my best friend growing up. She lived to play with my daughter and died after a long life. Remarkably, I felt like somehow Purrsia was calling for me, some 30 years later. When I started through the door to find her, the attendant informed me that there were no cats available for adoption in that part of the shelter. Undeterred, I convinced them that this was my cat calling me.

As she was making such a fuss crying and calling, they let me in to her cage. I could not believe my eyes when I saw her. She pressed her nose up to the cage, rubbed up against me, and “talked” to me as if telling me all about her adventures during our separation. Marked exactly the same, with the same big polydactyl paws, chattering away to me in her same unique voice—I could not believe this was real.

The shelter let me adopt her because it was obvious she was my cat. Yet, she had been their mascot shelter cat, and as such they were planning to keep her. I had dreamed about Purrsia the previous night, and I did not know at the time that after that I was going to be surprised with a birthday kitten.

Titia Geertman (author) from Waterlandkerkje – The Netherlands on January 07, 2014:

@Norma-Holt: Here we have only one word for the tortie/calico too. It doesn’t matter if they have white or not.

Carol Houle from Montreal on January 07, 2014:

I learned something new with this lens. Titia, check your first paragraph for a galico. 🙂

Norma-Holt on December 28, 2013:

This is a very informative article. I never heard of calico cats before reading lenses about them. It seems to be an American term. In Australia, multi-colored cats are all tortoiseshells.

I have one now that is an absolute gem, and that is her name. Her last litter produced two beautiful ginger females, and one of them is still here. She looks red, and her coat is unbelievably beautiful. Her daddy is a Turkish Angora, and therefore she has a wonderful personality. Being ginger and white, she is not a tortoiseshell, but she is certainly unique, and ‘Red’ certainly suits her as a name. Well done.

Rbutler21 on April 26, 2013:

I have a calico named Precious. She is a very sweet cat.

Myno1star on February 25, 2013:

We have a calico girl named Calypso. She is quite the character!

Peggy Hazelwood from Desert Southwest, U.S.A. on February 25, 2013:

We had a tortoiseshell tabby named Frisky. She was great and so pretty!

Lionmom100 on January 24, 2013:

I have had a tortie who was a wonderful cat. None of the cats I have now are torties, though.

Leah J. Hileman from East Berlin, PA, USA on December 28, 2012:

I have a brindled calico. I also have a tortie named Clare and a tortie with some Burmese mixed in (a tortie with extra grey and a Burmese-shaped face). Of course their markings are so beautiful!

Wednesday-Elf from Savannah, Georgia on December 07, 2012:

My ‘footprint’ or ‘paw print’… LOL. What a fun story. Love the pictures of your cats.

I once had a calico cat who crawled into a crawl space in the laundry shed in the carport that was covered by the same roof as the house and found herself in the attic space. She proceeded to have five kittens up there, which we subsequently discovered only by hearing tiny ‘mews’ in the ceiling of the living room!

We only had a removable square in the hall ceiling to gain access to this small space above, so we put up a ladder and sent our 11-year-old son up with a box and instructions to make sure he brought back every single kitten (and mama cat). Success.

JoshK47 on August 02, 2012:

My favorite coloring of cat! Blessed by a SquidAngel!

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on July 27, 2012:

Your calico cat Red looks like one very happy kitty. I love the photo of Red on the stump overlooking the garden. Great picture for those who love cats.

SteveKaye on July 13, 2012:

Actually, I’m going to leave a paw print. We have a dark brown tiger house cat. Her name is Olivia Felini, and she is a very good cat. Thanks for the beautiful photos and delightful stories. Meow.

Jlshernandez on July 12, 2012:

I think my calico cat, Mali, and yours were related in another life. Loved the stories and photos. Blessed.

Everyday-Miracles on April 29, 2012:

My sweet Guinevere is a dilute torbie. She’s also FIV+. You can see pictures of her on my lens about Quinn, our other FIV kitty.

Tricomanagement on March 08, 2012:

I got so caught up with your lens that I forgot to wish you Happy International Women’s Day. Awesome lens—loved it!

Tricomanagement on March 08, 2012:

We have a calico cat, but there are two tortoiseshell females that live at the back of our land and often sleep in the barn. Naturally, they are welcomed hunters of mice and things. They definitely keep their distance—but once in a while, they are hungry, and food somehow makes its way to the bowl at the back of the goat’s pen… LOL.

Gayle Dowell from Kansas on December 28, 2011:

Great lens. We got a tortie from the shelter years ago. She was one of the best cats we’ve owned.

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on December 05, 2011:

I took a trip to our local SPCA to drop off some cat treats just recently and, of course, fell madly in love with an old cat who gave me the “eye.” So after 3 days of begging my husband to allow me to have another cat, I am still receiving a firm NO!

I so envy you your wonderful cats. I used to have a tortoiseshell cat, and she was absolutely the most charming creature that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I sure miss her.

Fugeecat LM on November 29, 2011:

The best cat I ever had was a tortie. Of course she was beautiful, and she knew it, and she was very loving. Actually, she was an attention hog.

Anonymous on November 25, 2011:

I LOVE this—what a gorgeous cat. Great pictures.

Anonymous on November 06, 2011:

Anything about cats gets a thumbs-up from me. I love tortoiseshells and calicos. The pattern is so great. 🙂

Jseven LM on November 04, 2011:

Pretty cats. I used to have all different ones, but I live in an apartment now.

Elsie Hagley from New Zealand on November 03, 2011:

I love cats, but I do not have any now. Basically, protecting the kiwi (bird) as we live in the high bush country in East Taranaki, New Zealand. Equally enjoy the call of the kiwi instead, which they must be protected from dogs, cats, and rodents. But I did have a calico cat, as you have already found out. Blessed.

BeyondRoses on July 25, 2011:

Your tortoiseshell and calico cats are delightful. Sweet photos! My cat is a tuxedo girl…

Termit_Bronx on June 19, 2011:

I also have cats at home, and they are very adorable. =)

Anonymous on June 18, 2011:

The information on the various colors was magnificent. Blessed. 🙂

Delia on June 09, 2011:

Love your very informative article with great images… Thanks for sharing!

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on June 08, 2011:

I enjoy your articles so much. They have a wonderful honesty and emotion to them that is lacking in so many articles today.

Pawpaw911 on May 18, 2011:

We have one tortoiseshell. Her name is Mama Rahrah.

LissaKlar LM on April 01, 2011:

Great facts about tortoiseshell and calicos. I love cats. I had two for 17 years. However, I just can’t bear to replace them yet.

RinchenChodron on March 25, 2011:

You do seem to be an expert on the differences between tortoiseshell and calico cats! Great photos of Red.

Puzzlerpaige on March 23, 2011:

I never knew how to tell the difference between tortoiseshell and calico cats. I’ve probably called each by the wrong name! Earlier, our vet told us that our cat was a “diluted calico.” She is sweet, but her mom, a tabby, is so much like your Red. A little bit wild.