All about tortoiseshell cats
My Name is Tortie!
Tortoiseshell cats (also called tri-color or tortie) are often confused with calico cats. The confusion is understandable. Calico cats are mostly white with black and bright orange spots. Tortie cats have the same colors, but very little or no white on them at all. The white fur on torties is usually seen on their paws, belly, and chest. Their brown, black, and orange colorings also blend together more than those of calicoes, giving torties a mottled appearance.It's also important to note that torties and calicoes are not breeds; they are just special colorings found in a number of breeds.
Flickr Groups for Tortoiseshell Cats
So you can share photos of your little bundle of joy!
- Tortoiseshell Cats
- All about the Tortie Cat. Multi Colored Beautiful cats.
- Tortishell Cats
- This group is for Tortishell Cat lovers. Tortishell cats are a type of calico, but they do not have nearly as much white on them as normal Calico cats do. They range from black, orange, cream, and brown, and usually the tortishell color often looks almost paint splattered. Ive owned two tortie-cats and love them to death, if you own your own special Tortie-cat, then feel free to show so here! Please only "Tortishell" calicos. Have fun!
- Tortie Kitties
- This group is for posting pictures of tortoiseshell cats
- Calico & Tortoiseshell Cats
- All about calico cats, long or short hair, patchwork or tortishell, as long as they have 3 or more colors in their coat. Genetics says this will be mostly ladies, although any male calicoes running around are definitely welcome!
- I've got a tortoiseshell too!
- Tortoiseshell cats...dilute or "full flavor"...y'all come!
My Experience with a Tortie
We got her when she was five months old from a pregnant woman in Midtown. My beautiful orange tabby, Surya, had just died suddenly of heartworms, and I was heartbroken. I needed a new friend. We took her home, and she was so scared that she wouldn't come out of the cat taxi. We finally got her out, and she ran to a corner and stayed there all night, hissing if you walked within ten feet of her. The next morning, I found her in the bathroom sink, looking up at me, meowing. She loved me! From then on, she was absolutely fine. She played with us, let us pet her, and even slept under the covers with me. It took me a week to name her, but I finally settled on Cooper, named for my dream car. It turned out to be the perfect name for her: she's cute, tiny, and fast, with lots of spunk.
I have to admit she does have a bit of tortitude, but it doesn't help that I spoil her. She can be very bi-polar at times. One minute she's purring as you pet her; the next minute she's biting your hand for no apparent reason. Even at two-and-a-half years old, she still acts like a playful kitten. She has a foot fetish; she bites & claws at toes and sleeps on & plays with shoes. Cooper's also my own personal alarm clock. Here's just a few of the tactics she uses to wake me: scratching my head, biting my toes, meowing like there's no tomorrow, and staring into my soul.
But she's also the most loving cat I've ever had. She's my little shadow, following me everywhere. She's there when I wake up, and there when I go to bed. And she's always there to keep my legs warm while I type, and of course to help me cook dinner.
Tortie sites
- Tortoiseshell Cats Catster Group
- Cat photos, pictures and stories.
- Messy Beast
- A detailed look into tortoiseshell, tri-color, and calico cats of various breeds.
- Messy Beast - Mosaicism
- Detailed information on male torties and calicos, plus other helpful resources.
- Tortie Love
- A fan site dedicated to torties!
- Wikipedia
- Details on color coat genetics and patterns of torties and calicoes.
- About.com
- November is for tortoiseshell ladies, because they are cloaked in the lovely colors of fall. Let's take a stroll through this picture rainbow of tortie cats, each one reminiscent of a pile of maple leaves glowing in the crisp fall air.
Tortoiseshell Superstitions
From the Tortie Love site (see link above)
--In Scotland and Ireland, a stray tortoiseshell cat settling in one's home is a good omen.
--To dream of a tortoiseshell cat means luck in love.
--In Normandy, seeing a tortoiseshell cat foretold death by accident.
--Edgar Allen Poe was devoted to his tortoiseshell Catarina. She inspired his story "The Black Cat". She sat with his wife during her illness and frequently sat on his shoulder when he wrote."
More superstitions here.
Tortoiseshell Goodies from Zazzle
"Tortitude"?
There's something of a great debate concerning the personalities & dispositions of tortoiseshell cats. Some swear they're all impish, diva-like, haughty, naughty, over-the-top, and not always the brightest crayon in the box. Others attest that this just isn't true, that merely sharing the same coloring doesn't make all torties have the same personalities.
So what do you say?
Do all torties have "tortitude"?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes.
Tortie_Lover says:
I love my ttortie shes so perfect
Posted November 02, 2009
Brooke says:
Yes. My cat, Callie, had her head stuck in a fence and we decided to keep her. She is beautiful and knows it. She is very aggressive to our other cat that is older by a year that is twice her size. She is very tempermental and very determined. She is so beautiful that she walks all over us and she knows it. Although we were warned at the vet that "torties" are aggressive we love her to pieces!! She def has "tortitude."
Posted October 31, 2009
neil says:
yer but its cute!
Posted October 28, 2009
Bri says:
My Tortie is named Ginger and she definitely has tortitude. She can be really nice and loving at times, but other times she can be diva-ish like she will refuse to jump of high places instead she will meow and stay their untill i come get her.
Posted October 26, 2009
Brea says:
I just adopted a torti... Found her completely by accident lol... We named her Izzy and so far she's the sweetest cat I've owned. I had a torti a few years ago, she was just a baby and wasn't getting the nutrition she needed. I didn't get her in time and she passed away a few days after I got her. Ever since then I've wanted another torti, and Izzy just happened on my door step, quite literally. Im looking forward to her growing up :)
Posted October 26, 2009
No.
runaway dreamer says:
Nope. My tortie is a sweetie. She's all licks and purrs, and every time I sit down to meditate, she sits with me. Because of her shyness she hangs back and lets her brother have all the good territory. The exact center of my bed and the scratching rights to my flip-flops are hers unquestioned, though. Other than that she's not really adventurous enough to misbehave. And if she does, she's smart enough to wait until the exact moment when I catch her brother doing something even worse.
Posted November 04, 2009
Dave says:
I am not aware of any genetic link between the genes for personality (a characteristic dependent largely on environmental cues) and that, which affects the melanocytes.
Dr. D. (D.V.M.)
Posted November 01, 2009
maggie says:
We had a little stray tortie show up in our garage. After one day I named her "Angel" because it feels like she has been a little angel in my life. Even though we have 4 other hard to get along with cats she worked her way into the household simply purring and playing inspite of all their hissing and snarling. She's never been anything but sweet and friendly and I've had so much fun having such a loving little playmate. She even kisses our big black lab and is apparently fearless. She's taught me a lot about relationships - Love is the Power!
Posted October 31, 2009
Susan says:
I have two Torties, Judy and Trudy. I call them the Torti twins but really they are like yin and yang. Trudy is loud and can be very diva-like if she doesn't get enough affection. Judy on the other hand is calm and kind of a loner. I can pick Trudy up like a baby and carry her around all day. Judy will have a fit if you try to pick her up. I think to each cat his own.
Posted October 30, 2009
MS says:
No tortitude here. Torties are much sweeter than persians-which I'm used to. When our persian died we got a tortie. Our 2 year old tortie-Miss Phoebe is very clean, doesn't shed and is very loving. I would love to get another one for her to play with
Posted October 27, 2009
Do you own a tortie?
Tortie Books
Well....sorta.
Until then, check out these books that talk about torties.
The Little Calico and Tortoiseshell Cat Book (The Little Cat Library)
Just about the only book kinda dedicated to torties.
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009) 
Used Price: $0.01
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul: Stories of Feline Affection, Mystery and Charm (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
From playful and hilarious accounts of life with cats to heartwarming tales of cat courage, healing and learning, each touching story in Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul celebrates the special bond we share with our cats.
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Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/26/2009)
Used Price: $0.10
ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats: Everything You Need to Know About Choosing and Caring for Your Pet (Aspc Complete Guide to)
For many, the search for a comprehensive cat-care book often leads to frustration, finding only specific topics addressed in each book--from a care primer here to a breed book there. Now, from the ASPCA, comes the Complete Guide to Cats, covering everything that a cat owner needs to know about choosing and caring for a kitty.
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Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/26/2009)
Used Price: $0.46
Dickens of a Cat, A: and Other Stories of the Cats We Love
Well-known authors, including Melody Carlson, Tracie Peterson, and Robert Benson, as well as new voices share their inspirational true stories of these otherwise ordinary cats whose presence in the lives of humans make them remarkable.
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Amazon Price: $10.39 (as of 11/26/2009)
Used Price: $2.36
The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know
The Cat Bible explains the mysteries of feline behavior to owners who are devoted to their cats without being able to fully understand them. It offers straightforward solutions to the problems that cause people to give up their cats, many of which are preventable, including litter box avoidance, furniture scratching, and physical ailments.
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Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 11/26/2009)
Used Price: $5.34
Tortie Lovers Unite
Do you have a tortoiseshell cat? Feel free to share your comments and stories!
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- partybuzz partybuzz Nov 22, 2009 @ 11:00 am
- Beautiful cat! Nice lens. :-)
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- admiralglass admiralglass Nov 22, 2009 @ 4:39 am
- Cooper sounds like a nauhgty pussy cat but thats the way we like them:)
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- kitty helper kitty helper Nov 4, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
- I am part of a team caring for a group of feral cats in Renton, WA, one of whom is the most beautiful silver tortie I have ever lain eyes or hands on! She is now ready for a forever home, and I'm wondering if anyone out there has any tips on finding tortie enthusiasts in the Seattle area? I am getting nowhere with the local feral cat groups, and our local Humane Society is filled to the brim, so I am trying to get her placed in a loving home before winter sets in. The management at our complex has just changed, and I actually fear for her life, if I may sound a bit dramatic. Please write back with any suggestions, beyond the avenues of rescue groups and shelters, which I have already contacted. She's a beauty, and very sweet and affectionate as well!!!!!
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- Mark Mark Nov 1, 2009 @ 10:21 am
- I have a 2 yr old Tortie, named Suzie. Her face is dark and her eyes are sometimes difficult to see. Hence we called her Suzie, after the flower, "Black Eye Susan". She is the love of my life. Perhaps the most intelligent cat I have ever owned. She came to me as a stray and while at first I thought she was wierd and ugly looking, I obviously have fallen in love with her - she has been a great comfort to me. She is my sweet little girl. Suzie will regularlily swat your leg as you pass by and bat your face if she is in the mood. Yet, she will be so affectionate with licking and cuddling. Unfortunately, my princess is quite ill right now and nobody seems to know what the problem is. I miss her youthful fun loving behaviour. As today is the feast of All Saints, I am hoping that St. Francis will give me a miracle. Torties, I think, are the brightest of the breeds and very personable. Get well Suzie Q
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- Trotie_lover Trotie_lover Oct 26, 2009 @ 8:13 am
- I have a nineteen year old tortie and she is the cuitest thing I have ever seen! I love so much. We are best friends and even now she still acts like a kitten. I love my cat.
*sigh of content*
- Load More
by TheLeftFitz
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