Ginger toms are friendlier and more confident that other domestic cats

It is dangerous to generalise but I think that it is fair to say that the general consensus among cat aficionados and perhaps some experts is that ginger tom cats are or tend to be more confident and more friendly than your typical domestic cat of other coat types and colours. But the "evidence" is largely anecdotal. That means there's no hard scientific evidence behind this claim. Although if enough people say it then you could argue that that is good evidence derived from personal experience.

Confident and friendly ginger tom cat at a supermarket.

RELATED: ginger cats are almost 18 times more predisposed to skin cancer than other domestic cats excluding white cats. Why? Find out my reason by clicking on the link below:

Pheomelanin in ginger hair greatly predisposes ginger cats to skin cancer.

A BBC article quotes Roger Tabor a broadcaster and naturalist and an expert on cats. He said the following on this topic:

"To be a ginger cat, a female kitten has to inherit two copies of the ginger gene, but males only have to inherit one. Measurements have also shown that generally male ginger toms are heavier than most cats of other colours. Male ginger cats tend to be both taller and broader than most other moggies - apart from the North American Maine Coon."

It could be that if ginger tabby cats are a little larger than average this makes them more confident and therefore more fearless which improves the possibility that they might become "leaders" in a cat colony. It also might make them more outgoing. So there may be a scientific connection here.

From my perspective, I remember meeting a ginger tabby cat in Malta who was indeed a leader of a cat colony. A colony of cats rescued by the lady who owned the house where he lived. Her name was Martha Kane. She has passed over the rainbow bridge to meet her beloved rescue cats there but her website is still on the Internet and I refer to it out of respect for her.

On the Internet there are a lot of stories about ginger cats looking very confident and liking the attention they draw when in public places such as a ginger and white tabby called Nala who likes to sit on ticket scanning devices at a station in Stevenage in Hertfordshire. No doubt he likes the heat from the devices but he probably also likes to meet the people passing through the devices.

And there is a ginger and white tabby cat in a branch of Tesco in Norwich, beloved of the public, but the management are not quite so sure about his presence. He likes to sit on self-service checkout machines looking for a bit of attention. 

And in Ely, Cambridgeshire, another ginger tabby called Garfield became very popular in Sainsbury's. After his death a eulogy was held in the city's cathedral and a brass monument was erected in his memory.

Here are some other points provided by my assistant:

Ginger cats, also known as orange or marmalade cats, are indeed quite special! Their striking appearance and unique coloration make them stand out, but it’s their temperament that truly captivates cat lovers. Let’s explore why ginger cats are often described as friendly, sociable, and outgoing:

• Friendly and Affectionate Nature: Ginger cats are known for their friendly and affectionate behaviour. They thrive on companionship and love engaging in playtime and interactions with their human counterparts. If you’re looking for a feline companion who enjoys cuddles and attention, a ginger cat might be a great choice!

• Sociability: These cats tend to be more social than some other coat types. They often seek out human attention and enjoy being part of family activities. Their outgoing nature makes them wonderful companions for households with children or other pets.

• Independence with a Dash of Charm: Beneath their sociable exterior, ginger cats also have a streak of independence. They strike a balance between seeking affection and having their own space. Their playful and curious personalities add to their charm, making them delightful pets.

Remember that individual personality and temperament can vary among cats, regardless of coat colour. While ginger cats generally exhibit these positive traits, there are always exceptions. If you’re considering adopting a ginger cat, spend time getting to know the specific cat’s personality to ensure a good match for your home and lifestyle! 😺🧡.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Are there age-related differences in cat coat colour?

Yes, there are age-related differences in cat coat colour and in fact markings. One comes to mind immediately which is you will see a young mountain lion cub with a spotted tabby coat while their parents are of one uniform colour. 

Image: MikeB

Nature has given the cub the added camouflage of the spotted coat because they are vulnerable particularly when the mother leaves the nest to hunt for food to bring back to her cubs. And at this time, when the mother is away, inquisitive cubs might venture from the nest making them more vulnerable. 

This difference between cubs and parents in terms of coat colour and markings is noted in the name of the mountain lion a.k.a. puma of which the Latin name is Puma concolor which means of an even colour.

In fact, all mammals exhibit important and obvious morphological (visible differences in anatomy) age-related differences. Humans are mammals and all of us realise that human hair changes as we get older. Hair colour lightens and becomes grey. The backs of male gorillas turn white at about the age of 12 which is why they are called silver-backs.

RELATED: Why are domestic cats different colours?

And we have to remember that elderly cats also develop grey hair around the muzzle as do dogs. It's quite a subtle change and its extent depends on the cat but it is sometimes quite noticeable.

And, turning to one of the popular cat breeds, the Siamese, when a new-born arrives into the world, they are pure white because they've been living in an even and warm ambient temperature, inside their mother's womb. 

But when they arrive into the world the kitten's extremities become colder than the central part of their bodies. This temperature gradient triggers the Siamese genetics which causes body extremities such as the distal parts of the limbs, tail, face and ears to become darker while the warmer the central areas remain lighter.

Interestingly, elderly Siamese cats have darker central areas because their cardiovascular system is less effective resulting in the dermis becoming cooler which means the central part of the body which is normally warmer starts to become cooler which means it becomes darker.

These are some examples of how age-related differences can be observed in cat coat colour and pattern.

This is a cross-post from another site.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

If your cat smells bad there is something wrong. Time to investigate.

Image: in public domain.

On the mumsnet.com website a lady asks if cats smell? She says that her cats don't smell which is normal she says if a cat is healthy. She is seeking reassurances from other mumsnet.com users.

Actually, domestic cats do smell slightly when they are healthy. It is a subtle, pleasant smell. Most cat caregivers have kissed their cat on various parts of their body and picked up the smell. It is a pleasant experience.

New cat owners

People who are new to cat ownership might be unsure about how domestic cats smell. This might be because they've read some misinformation on the Internet. Or, they might have a distorted idea about the normal body odour of domestic cats because they have a cat litter tray which is not cleaned enough or, perhaps, their cat is eliminating inappropriately. 

This means that they might be peeing outside the litter box or even defecating outside the litter box due to stress. That by the way will be due to an environmental problem which would be fully in the control of the cat caregiver and it would need to be investigated.

It may be that the entire house smells bad and their cat is picking up some of this odour. There are many possible reasons why their cat might not be smelling nice. Or they think their cat doesn't smell nice. There may be a subjective issue here: the owner's sense of smell might be dodgy or they don't like certain smells. 

It needs to be investigated because this short post has been published to tell people unequivocally that domestic cats don't smell bad. They smell nice.

Some possible reasons why a cat might smell bad

I will try and think of a few reasons why your cat might smell bad. These are some examples.

Oral health

Firstly, he or she might have very poor oral health. Bad teeth and gums are not uncommon in older cats. She might have bad breath. This might give the impression that she smells. This will need to be investigated because poor oral health is painful and it can stop a domestic cat feeding properly or at all if it is very bad.

Ear mites

Image: MikeB

A bad infestation of ear mites can result in a bad smell around the ears. This may give the impression to the owner that there cat smells bad. Ear mites are terrible parasites and they cause a lot of distress to the cat. Urgent medical treatment is required. The owner should not try to clean their cat's ears themselves unless they are very skilled at it. I have a page on that which you can read by clicking on the following link if you wish. Home treatment for cat ear mites.

Diarrhea

She may have diarrhoea and be unable to maintain a hygienic bottom. This may give the impression that she smells. If this is the case you need to investigate the underlying cause of diarrhoea which is a symptom of a range of ill health conditions.

Abscess

He might have an abscess which you've not spotted which is weeping pass which is smelly. That would be unusual for an indoor cat but possible as the most common cause of abscesses are fights. If an abscess is left unattended there will be a big buildup of pus under the skin. It will need to be attended to. It will need to be cleaned out and the cat given a course of antibiotics.

Chemical on coat

Another possibility would be that the coat has picked up some chemical or substance which you've not spotted which smells. Obviously, this should be removed from the coat because anything on a domestic cat's coat presents a health hazard to the cat as they are fastidious groomers normally and therefore will ingest that substance.

Skunk (America)

It is conceivable that an indoor/outdoor cat has met a skunk on their travels and they been left with the owner that that creature chucks and other creatures! Skunks spray to repel potential predators with a foul-smelling, oily secretion stored in their perianal glands.
Not grooming?

Cat fails to groom themselves

And this takes me to the last point and perhaps the most important point. If a domestic cat is not maintaining their own hygiene to a high standard as they normally do by which I mean they are not grooming themselves regularly on a daily basis, it is an indication that they are ill. 

It is an indication that they are not feeling themselves. It may result in the cat smelling not quite right. The usual pleasant nutty smell may no longer be there. This would be a warning sign and the cat caregiver should investigate carefully and it is likely that a veterinarian's visit is required.

Rolling in dirt

RELATED: Why do cats roll in dirt? 3 reasons.

Bathing

Cats don't normally need bathing and they should not be bathed regularly because it's not good for them. But bearing in mind that this page is about a cat smelling abnormally unpleasant it may be a moment to bathe your cat which of course should be done with care and respect.

RELATED: Do cats really need baths: If so, how often?

How do cats keep warm in winter and cool in summer?

I am applying the question to domestic cats which can keep cool in summer by staying inside in a cool corner of a room somewhere or the garage or a shed. And they can keep warm using the central heating! Heat pumps and not gas boilers please!!

Norwegian Forest Cat. Tabby-and-white. Photo copyright Helmi Flick.

Colder climates

But at an anatomical level (which is what the question is all about), you'll find that some cat breeds are selectively bred from cats that have adapted to either hot or cold climates. For northern climates you can name the Maine Coon (Boston area and Maine), British Shorthair (UK) and the Norwegian Forest Cat (Norway). 

Their coats are dense with insulating down, which, in cold weather, stands up erect and traps a thin layer of air as double glazing traps air in a wall of warm air between the panes of glass. 

Under the skin is a layer of fat which retains body heat. Heat is lost one third as fast through fat as through muscle.

It is said that in extreme cold a cat will curl up and place its tail over its mouth.

Warmer climates

Breeds adapted to warm climates radiate heat from their bodies more efficiently. The classic breed with the silky, single coat that does this is the Siamese which hails from Thailand, a country with a hot climate. Although you don't see or rarely see Siamese street cats in Thailand which is strange or which makes me question the origin of the breed.

Oriental SH. Photo copyright Helmi Flick. Single-coated beauty.

ASSOCIATED: Single cat coats are better than double coats

Siamese cats lack down hairs. They can shed primary hairs and their blood vessels dilate which speeds up heat loss from the body.

Although cats don't sweat like humans through their skin generally, they do from their paw pads and they pant like dogs when very hot or stressed.  They also lick their fur to deposit saliva on it which evaporates. The latent heat of evaporation removes heat from the body.

Domestic cats today are significantly smaller and more varied in colour compared to the Ancient Egyptian era

This is a short note to remind us that today's domestic cat is smaller and more varied in coat colour and pattern compared to the domestic cats of Ancient Egypt and earlier.

Domestic cats today are significantly smaller and more varied in colour compared to the Ancient Egyptian era. Image in the public domain.

This is because all the domestic cats of Ancient Egypt were very similar to their wild ancestor the North African wildcat. This is essentially a mackerel/spotted tabby cat and the same size as a large domestic cat nowadays. The average domestic cat size in Ancient Egypt was the same as a current large domestic cat.

In illustrations from Ancient Egypt we see what appear to be semi-domesticated wildcats which is what they were. They were not fully domesticated in those days. No doubt they hunted for most of their nutrition. It is quite hard to visualise all the domestic cats being essentially the same as we are very familiar with a huge variety nowadays. 

Over several thousands of years the domestic cat evolved into a more delicate, smaller creature with a multitude of coat colours and patterns. They developed these new coat types because of informal selective breeding on the back of spontaneous genetic mutations. There was no need for the cats to wear great camouflage. If people liked the coat it stuck and did not fizzle out as it would have in the wild.

The blotched tabby pattern is relatively recent - read about it by clicking the link below:

Evolution of the blotched tabby pattern of domestic cats

Is cat personality linked to coat colour and type?

People like to think that there is a connection between the appearance of someone or an animal and their personality. British people refer to tortoiseshell cats as being "naughty torties" or having "catitude". Sometimes blotched tabbies are referred to as "real homebodies". And mackerel tabbies are seen as being independent. While white patches on a cat's coat have a calming effect on the personality.

Incidentally, it is not until fairly recently that people started to understand that domestic cats have a personality. Even scientists believed that only humans had personalities. That seems hard to believe nowadays.

Is this tortie a naughty cat? Photo:Twitter.

I've always felt that red tabby cats have good relaxed characters. Red tabbies are also called ginger or marmalade cats. They always seem to be spoken of in glowing terms as companions with nice, affable characters. But this is all anecdotal. To turn to science, some scientists believe that the biochemistry that creates different coat colours and types also affects the cat's brain. This is called "pleiotropy". But apparently there is little evidence to support this scientific theory says Dr Bradshaw in Cat Sense.

Perhaps we are on a more solid scientific footing when we turn our attention to the purebred, pedigree cats. With pedigree cats there is a lineage so we know the parents and grandparents; in short, there is a family tree, which allows scientists to study the inheritance of the genes.

There is a relatively restricted gene pool in breeding lines which allows the temperament of a founding cat to be brought forward all the way down the breeding line. So, for example, there is a limited number of high-quality male cats within each breed who are available to produce the type of coat desired as per the breed standard. As a result, the personality of these tomcats becomes predominant within a section of all the cats in a single breed.

For example, there was a time about 20 years ago when British Shorthair cats bred in Scotland with tortoiseshell, cream and especially red coats were difficult to handle. They traced this personality trait back to a single male cat who had a difficult personality. This, incidentally, is an example of breeders breeding for appearance over personality. This founding, male cat was unsuitable, it seems.

And also pointed cats, which you will see both in the Siamese and other pedigree cats and indeed in non-pedigree cats, are likely to be vocal. This is a well-known trait for Siamese cats. The reason, it is said, is because the gene that causes the points i.e. the dark extremities to the cat's body are rare unless that cat has at least one Siamese in its recent ancestral past.

Another way in which coat type and colour can be linked to personality is when the gene that controls the coat is physically close, on the same chromosome, as the gene that affects the way the brain develops. Under these circumstances the chances that a kitten will inherit the combination of these two genes, one affecting the coat and one affecting the brain is much higher. They tend to be inherited together although it doesn't always happen.

An example would be the dominant white gene which causes a cat's coat to be devoid of pigment and therefore is white, sits next to a gene which causes both eyes to be blue and the cat to be deaf. That's why white cats are often deaf with blue eyes or they have odd-eye colour. Because the cat is deaf it affects their personality and therefore in this instance coat type and colour affects personality.

I am indebted to Dr John Bradshaw for the above. Some more...

One aspect of people attaching personality to coat type is that it may colour their opinion of their cat (excuse the pun). The point that I am getting at is that if a person believes that tortoiseshell cats are naughty and if with that belief, they mishandle their tortoiseshell cat and are scratched, the two aspects to their relationship come together which may result in the cat being relinquished to a shelter.

A study found that participants were likely to attribute friendliness to orange cats and intolerance to tricolour cats and aloofness to white and tricolour cats. White cats were seen as being more shy and calmer than cats of other colours.

The participants to the study said that they thought personality was more important than colour when selecting a cat companion. This is interesting because cat breeders of purebred cats attach more importance to appearance that personality. There appears to be a disconnect between cat breeders and their clients.

Blue British Shorthair Show Cat

Yep..another blue British Shorthair at a cat show it seems to me. He looks so smooth. His coat is crackling with crispness! The coat of the British Shorthair should be dense and the best cat coat of all to stroke.

Blue Brit SH - Photo quatre mains on Flickr

Lilac Pointed British Shorthair

Lionel in Snow - British Shorthair cat (white with lilac points), a photo by steviewonderous on Flickr.

His name is Lionel and he is a lilac pointed British Shorthair cat. He looks magnificent in the snow.

Although the British Shorthair is well known for its blue (grey) coat the cat associations allow a wide range of coat types and pointing is one of them.

I find that there is a very fine differences sometimes between blue pointing and lilac pointed. Lionel looks like he has blue pointing!

Silver Classic Tabby British Shorthair Kitten

I think I have shown a picture of this really nice looking cat before. This time the coat is more visible. This is a classic or blotched (as opposed to a mackerel - striped) tabby coat. The background is silver.

Silver tabby British Shorthair - Photo by warper

See a page with lots of pictures and explanations on the tabby cat coat.

Large Blue British Shorthair Cat

This is a great picture of a blue British Shorthair cat because the cat is gorgeous and a blue British Shorthair show cat and secondly the photo allows us to scale this cat because he is being held by a person.

Large Blue British Shorthair Cat - Photo byTomi Tapio

This is a large Brit SH. Not all Brit SHs are this large. This leads me to the subject of how difficult it can be to provide information on the weights and sizes of cat breeds.

I have a page on that subject: Largest Domestic Cat Breed, but at least one person has challenged my information.

The truth is that there will be breeders who breed large versions of a breed and in some countries the size might be smaller and there are differences between individual cats naturally.

Then there is the natural difference between male and female cats. It becomes complicated. All I know is that this boy is big and beautiful.

Glittered Bengal Cat

Glitter is something cat breeders seek when breeding the Bengal cat. It is rather mystical it seems to me! I discuss this interesting subject on this page: Bengal Cat Coat Glitter. Essentially it is what it sounds it should be. The effect is caused by mica, a silicate crystal, in the tip of the hair shaft, apparently.

Marble Bengal Cat

Window to my Desk, a photo by littleREDelf on Flickr.

Here is a nice photograph of a marbled (or marble) Bengal cat. Nice clean photo and a beautiful cat. The cat looks young in this photograph.

Marbled Bengal Cat

SUNDOG

The marbled pattern on the Bengal cat is the classic or blotched tabby pattern. It can be spectacular on a high contrast coat on a Bengal cat.

Perhaps the pattern of coat that we are most familiar with in relation to the Bengal cat is the spotted and rosetted spots but there are many wonderful marbled coated cats and Sundog is the most famous and spectacular perhaps. You can see him on the left on this page.

His coat is symmetrical and this is not that unusual as far as I can tell.

Not only is his coat symmetrical, the dark marbled areas are raised like a reverse embossing.  You can see a picture showing that on this page.

Click on this link to see pics and description of the Bengal cat coats.

The photo on this page is protected by copyright ©. Violations of copyright are reported to Google.com (DMCA).

Cat Coats White

Cat coats white is the last in a series on the cat coats. See all the articles by clicking on this link. In previous articles I have mentioned the Piebald gene (White Spotting gene). The gene usually (denoted by the letter "S") produces coats with white "spots" although "spots" is a misleading term. It produces areas of white leaving other areas in a wide range of colors and patterns such as Tuxedo, Tabby, solid colors and others (it is perhaps best to see all the posting to get the complete picture). 

All-white Maine Coon

 As can be expected if the white spotting works to maximum effect, then the whole of the cat will be white instead of areas of white, either small or large. Accordingly, one of the three genes that produces all white cats is the white spotting gene. Its actions are wide ranging as can be seen. That's why it is said to have "variable expression". It is called "recessive white" sometimes and I suppose because of its variable actions, it is "semi-dominant". 

 The genes that produce white fur cover up the other colors. Note: Albino cats are due to a different effect, the lack of production of color (see below). 

The other gene that produces cat coats that are white is the dominant white gene ("W"). This gene masks all other colors. 

As a result, it is impossible by looking at the cat to see what other genes are present. To use technical language, the gene W is "epistatic" meaning it masks all other color genes. There may be an exception in relation to eye color. The dominant white gene is a simple non sex related dominant gene. The white cat is not due to the presence of a number of piebald (white spotting) genes. 

Russian-bred all-white British Shorthair kitten. Photo: Альбина Шконда питомник британских кошек Golden Leris nursery Golden Leris. WCF.

The W gene is at a different position on the chromosome to the white spotting gene and is therefore independent of the white spotting gene. Epistatic crudely means that where there is a competition between genes as to what color or type of coat will be seen (for genes involved with coat color), the gene whose phenotype (the appearance) is expressed (the appearance seen) is said to be epistatic. 

The W gene is also associated with deafness as it can affect the cochlea in the inner ear (the fluid filled chamber that converts sound waves to nerve transmissions to the brain). The gene produces blue, orange or odd eyes. If the cat has blue eyes there is a good chance that he/she will be deaf as well. If she has one blue eye, there is a good chance that she will be deaf in the ear on the side of the blue eye. 

As the name of the gene implies this is a dominant gene so if fully present its effects are produced (from genotype - the genetics to phenotype - the physical result). In a survey of 185 cats, one quarter had normal hearing and yellow eyes, 31% had normal hearing and blue eyes, 7% were deaf and had yellow eyes and 37% were deaf and had blue eyes. 

 The third and highly unusual genetic make-up that results in all-white cat coats is the albino. This is complicated genetically so a brief mention is probably best. There are alleles that are known to produce albinism. 

An allele is one member of a pair of genes at a certain point on the chromosome. The alleles concerned are blue-eyes albino, pink eyes albino, Burmese Pattern, Siamese Pattern and full color (ref: Sarah Hartwell). These cats have pink eyes. The all-white cat is more prone to contract skin cancer as the skin more readily absorbs ultraviolet light. This should be born in mind by keepers of white cats in hot climates. Source:

• Messybeast
• Robinson's Genetics
• Me