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.

This stray cat brings his feline friends to a Metro station in Istanbul

Ginger tabby owns the Istanbul Metro. Screenshot.

This video, for me, is a reflection of the relationship that Turkish people living in Turkey have with their stray cats. They have community cats in Turkey and Turkey has an ancient tradition going back thousands of years to be kind to street cats. That's the way I see it. There are two cat breeds which originated in Turkey namely the Turkish Van and the Turkish Angora. Although, in my view, they are one and the same cat breed. What happened was this: the cat fancy took one Turkish non-purebred community cat and turned it (selective breeding) into two different cat breeds. But that's my theory and I can't really support it.

The real Turkish Vat.

But the real Turkish Angora is entirely different to the American cat fancy version of the Turkish Angora. And something similar can be said about the Turkish Van.

The real Turkish Angora.

But to get back to the video, initially we see a ginger tabby enjoying sitting on the barrier to Istanbul's Metro. The reason why this cat is there is because it is warm. They enjoy the warmth coming out of the machine. 

And then people stroke him because he is adorable (the vast majority of ginger tabby cats are male cats). And when they stroke him, he might follow them down the escalator by sliding down the side of it as if he is on one of those ski slopes about to do a job at the end.

And at the end of the video, you will see that feline mates of his join him in Istanbul's Metro where they do exactly the same thing; sitting on the warm ticket barrier waiting to be petted. It is here that they get access to company and some interaction with humans. That's what they like.

They should be in someone's home. It looks cute and lovely in many ways but it is very sad in another way. They don't have a genuine home and a cat caregiver to look after them properly. That is the failure of community cats. People do look after them in an ad hoc way but they don't really get the kind of care they need such as veterinary care.

Deep friendship between a domestic cat and a wild cat: the bobcat

The emotional connection and friendship is tangible. There is no doubt that this bobcat is deeply emotionally involved with the ginger tabby-and-white domestic cat. Obviously, the bobcat is domesticated to a large extent. But wild cats never quite attain that level of domestication that domestic cats do. 

Deep friendship between a domestic cat and a wild cat: the bobcat. Screenshot.

But in this video, it almost looks like we are viewing two domestic cats. The behaviour of the bobcat is no different at all to a domestic cat. He or she is allogrooming which is mutual grooming. 

It is the kind of thing humans do to cats when we stroke them. It's a bonding exercise which is exactly what it looks like. And they lick the parts that the recipient cat can't get to for obvious reasons. They must do it totally instinctively. They know the part that cats can't get to and therefore they lick them. I think that pretty clever actually.

Note: This is a video from another website which is embedded here. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.

Cat likes to sleep in resident bird's cage

This ginger tabby-and-white domestic cat likes to sleep in the birdcage. But this is not an empty, redundant birdcage but one with a resident bird. This family has what looks like a parrot as well as their domestic cat. The owner of the two, Tracey Robinson, cannot understand why her cat prefers to sleep in the birdcage and not somewhere else.

I think she is saying that they are friends which has to be the case. In the photograph you can see the bird looking at their cat friend snoozing and wondering what to do next! He's probably a bit miffed because he has lost his home. I'm going to guess and say that this cat likes the smell of the cage because it is the smell of his friend, the bird.

Cat likes to sleep in the bird cage occupied by a bird.
Photo: Tracey Robinson

There is one interesting comment on the Facebook page of Tracey Robinson where this photograph comes from which states that cat saliva is toxic to birds. They say that it is possibly fatal even if the cat just snapped once. I think they mean that if the cat just snapped up the bird and a bit of saliva was ejected from their mouth onto the bird it may kill the bird. I have never heard of that but it is an interesting thought.

A quick Internet search confirms this. On the Bird Conservancy website they say that the bacteria in cat saliva is toxic to birds. However, what they are referring to is a bite by the cat which if it doesn't kill the cat the saliva might. This therefore is no different to many other animals. Cat saliva can be injected into people's legs and hands causing a severe infection if it is left unattended.

Cat bite signs of infection. Image: MikB.

The key element of this aspect of cat caretaking is that if you are bitten by a cat and it breaks the skin causing a genuine minor injury then you must watch for a possible infection. I have a page on that and the photograph below is self explanatory.

My boyfriend doesn't like my new cat, so I have to give him away

What does the title mean to you?  Maybe your interpretation of the title tells us a bit about you.  It will be nice to gather some statistics about people's interpretation of the title.  You may guess that in this instance the girlfriend gave away her boyfriend and kept her cat.  Just for completeness of information, the lady's is cat is a ginger tabby-and-white and here is:

I have a sneaking suspicion that if a woman's boyfriend didn't like her new cat then 90% of the time they would keep their cat and get rid of their boyfriend.  However, there is a middle ground and that is to convert the boyfriend to like cats.  That can be done and it has been done.  For example, you can tell your boyfriend that your cat loves him.  This may at least make your boyfriend get to know your cat.  It may be better than that.  Your boyfriend might get to understand cats and when he does there is a very good chance that he will learn to like them.

A lot of the time, if a man dislikes cats it is because he does not know them.  He may have preconceived ideas about them. He may have unjustified prejudices gleaned from the Internet.  There is a lot of misrepresentation on the Internet about the domestic cat.  Then of course there is this macho culture.  But that said, a lot of women like men who like cats.  It's a bit of a turn on it seems to me.  So a man, even for that reason alone, should learn to like cats and he can do that by understanding them thoroughly.  If you understand cats you could argue that it is impossible to dislike them.

It is quite possible that on occasions a boyfriend will become jealous of his girlfriend's cat.