Cats display a wide variety of coat colors and patterns. While solid black, tabby, and grey cats are some of the most common, there are many cats that exhibit striking and unique color combinations like white and orange. Understanding what these color patterns are called can help identify cat breeds and appreciate their beautiful and distinct appearances.
Bicolor Cats
One of the most common terms used to describe a cat that is white and orange is bicolor. Bicolor cats have a coat that is primarily composed of two colors in large, distinct patches. The colors may be any combination, but white and orange is a classic pairing.
Bicolor coats come in a few different pattern variations:
– Solid bicolors have one solid color like orange on most of their body with distinct white patches on parts like their face, paws, chest, underside, and tail tip.
– Patched tabby bicolors have a tabby pattern like stripes or swirls on sections of their fur with solid white patches on other areas. The tabby coloring is often orange or brown.
– Parti-color bicolors have more random-looking color patches instead of solid blocks of color. The patches appear splashed throughout the coat with no clear pattern.
Whatever pattern it takes, the key trait of a bicolor cat is having two very different colors on their body in distinct zones. The Oxford English Dictionary defines bicolor as “having two colors; specifically designating an animal (especially a cat or dog) having a white coat patched with another color.” So white and orange bicolor cats will clearly display both white and orange shades in large patches.
Calico Cats
Another term used to describe a tri-colored cat with white, orange, and black fur is a calico. Calico cats have a distinctive coat pattern of patched orange, black, and white fur. While they typically have all three colors, some calico cats may only display two of the shades.
Here are some key facts about calicos:
– The colors are always patches rather than swirled tabby patterns. Each colored spot is a solid shade.
– The three colors of calicos are virtually always white, orange, and black. Other colors are rare.
– The patches tend to be randomly scattered with no symmetry or orderly stripes.
– Orange patches can range from a light peach to a bright ginger.
– No area is left completely without color, even the belly and paws have colorful spots.
– The ratio of the three colors can vary greatly, but white is usually the predominant shade.
– Almost all calicos are female. The genetics behind their unique colors are linked to the X chromosome, so male calicos with an XXY chromosome set are extremely rare.
So in summary, a calico is a tri-colored cat with patched orange, black, and white fur in a random splash pattern. Calico is sometimes used as a catchall term for tri-color cats that include orange and white even if black is not present.
Tortoiseshell Cats
Tortoiseshell cats are similar in appearance to calicos but with one key difference – they only exhibit two colors instead of three. The typical tortoiseshell coloring is irregular orange and black patches without any white fur.
Here are some key facts about tortoiseshell cat coats:
– Their coats feature well-defined patches of orange and black fur. The patches are random with no tabby stripes or ticking.
– The orange can range from a light apricot to a deep reddish tone.
– The black is pure black without any brown tones.
– Small amounts of white may be present on rare occasions, but tortoiseshells are overwhelmingly orange and black.
– Like calicos, almost all tortoiseshell cats are female.
So in summary, tortoiseshell cats are distinctly patched into black and orange zones. They lack the white of calicos and have messier patches than tidy bicolors. “Tortoiseshell” refers to their resemblance to the mottled shells of tortoises.
Chimera Cats
While less common, some patched cats with striking color combinations are known as chimera cats. Chimeras have a genetic quirk that leads to their unusual coats:
– They have two different sets of DNA. Some cells in their body express one set of genes, while other cells express a different set.
– This happens when two fertilized eggs fuse together into one embryo early in development.
– Each set of DNA produces different coloration, leading to a patched coat with sharply divided colors like white and orange.
– The colors often meet in a straight line down the center of their face and body.
– Other common chimera patterns include a half orange/half black face or orange and black sides split down the middle.
– They are not limited to just white and orange colors but can have any combination.
So in short, chimeras exhibit their bizarre patchwork coats due to having two distinct sets of DNA telling some cells to produce one color and other cells to make another shade.
Norwegian Forest Cats
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a specific pedigreed breed that commonly has a white and orange bicolor coat. While not all Norwegian Forest Cats are white and orange, it is a classic color pairing for the breed.
Here are some facts about white and orange Norwegian Forest Cats:
– Their coats feature bright white combined with light reddish-orange patches.
– The orange can form solid blocks of color on the head, legs, and tail.
– On some, the orange appears in a classic tabby pattern of stripes and swirls.
– The white areas are often concentrated on the chin, chest, underside, and paws.
– They usually have long, fluffy coats as adaptations to Norway’s cold climate.
– While bicolor is most common, they can also have tabby, solid, tortoiseshell, or calico coats.
So in summary, Norwegian Forest Cats are a breed prone to the classic bicolor look of bright white and light orange patches. But white and orange is just one of the many attractive coat possibilities for this breed.
Turkish Van Cats
The Turkish Van is another pedigreed cat breed that commonly has a white and orange coat pattern. Thought to originally be from central Asia, the Turkish Van is known for its love of water.
Here are some facts about white and orange Turkish Vans:
– Their coats are mostly white except for color on the head and tail.
– The colored patches can be orange or red-brown and may form tabby patterns.
– The white is generally glistening pure white, sometimes extending up the legs in “flame point” pattern.
– Turkish Vans often have one blue and one amber eye. Odd-eyed cats run in the breed.
– They have semi-longhaired coats that are water resistant.
– While bicolor coats are preferred in the breed standard, Turkish Vans also come in tabby, solid and tortoiseshell patterns.
So in summary, Turkish Vans are a uniquely colored breed where white combined with orange tabby patches is the ideal look according to breed standards. Their partial color on a mostly white body is eye-catching and distinctive.
Conclusion
There are many possible names for a cat that has a coat colored white and orange. Bicolor, calico, tortoiseshell, and chimera cats can all display those two shades in patched or swirled patterns. Specific breeds like Norwegian Forest Cats and Turkish Vans are also prone to the classic white and orange look. Whatever you call them, cats with a mix of bright white fur and orange patches have delightfully beautiful coats!
