Tortoiseshell cats, or torties, combine two colors other than white, either closely mixed or in larger patches.[2] The colors are often described as red and black, but the "red" patches can instead be orange, yellow, or cream,[2] and the "black" can instead be chocolate, gray, tabby, or blue.[2] Tortoiseshell cats with the tabby pattern as one of their colors are sometimes referred to as torbies or torbie cats.[7]
"Tortoiseshell" is typically reserved for multicolored cats with relatively small or no white markings. Those that are predominantly white with tortoiseshell patches are described as tricolor,[2] tortoiseshell-and-white, or calico (in Canada and the United States).[8]
Tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds, as well as in non-purebred domestic cats.[8] This pattern is especially preferred in the Japanese Bobtail breed,[9] and exists in the Cornish Rex group.[10]
Black tortoiseshell ("tortie") short-haired cat
Black tortoiseshell-and-white tricolor ("calico") cat
Black tortoiseshell tabby-and-white tricolor ("caliby") cat
Black colourpoint tortoiseshell ("tortie point") cat
Black and red mottling on the paw-pads of a tortoiseshell cat
An extreme case of slow melanocyte migration from the skin and fur of a tri-color calico cat
A 16-year-old female tortoiseshell Ragdoll cat. While tortoiseshell Ragdolls are actually colourpoint tortoiseshell-and-white (calico) in color, the nomenclature is different in this breed's descriptions of colors and patterns.[22]
![A 16-year-old female tortoiseshell Ragdoll cat. While tortoiseshell Ragdolls are actually colourpoint tortoiseshell-and-white (calico) in color, the nomenclature is different in this breed's descriptions of colors and patterns.[22]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/BabyRagdoll2.jpg/120px-BabyRagdoll2.jpg)
Folklore[edit]
In the folklore of several cultures, cats with tortoiseshell coloration are believed to bring good luck.[23] In Ireland, tortoiseshell cats are considered to bring good luck to their owners.[23] In the United States, tortoiseshells are sometimes referred to as money cats.[24] In Japan, tortoiseshell cats are considered to bring good luck against shipwrecks.[23] There are some additional interpretations of the luck of tortoiseshell cats, such as the one in England that describes an announcement of misfortune when a strange tortoiseshell cat enters a house.[23] In England, if a woman dreams of a tortoiseshell cat, it can be interpreted as a warning that she should take care of her so-called friends.[23]
Behavior[edit]
Some studies have found that people believe tortoiseshell cats are more likely to be aggressive and have owners report stronger prey interest.[25][26] There is, however, little existing scientific evidence on the matter.[27] One study found that there was not a relationship between coat color and tameness.[28] Based on varying study results, assumptions cannot be made between cat coat color and personality.[29]