Mindful Monday – Introducing the Calico

The calico cat is sometimes referred to as the peacock of cats and for good reason. Just look at the array of colors in their fur and some of them certainly strut their stuff.

Calico is not a breed, but a color. You’ll find tri-color cats in some cat breeds and whether the calico is a purebred Persian or born to a feral mom, tri-color cats are thought to have strong personalities. They’re generally smart, affectionate, and creative—yes, they can be a handful.

So what determines a calico? Over 99 percent of calico cats are female. A male calico is rare, indeed. I’ve never met one. A calico is 25-75 percent white with patches of black and orange or grey and cream.

There’s the standard calico with bold patches; the dilute calico; the cabby with patches of tabby markings; and some even have tortie patches. Some call the calico with tabby patches a caliby. Our kitten, Olivia, has a bold calico patched pattern, along with patches of tabby stripes and tortie patches. So does that make her a calitorby?

The calico cat is thought to have originated in Egypt and they have been worshiped over the years. The Egyptians worshiped them and in Japan they’re considered to bring good fortune. We’ve all seen the calico cat figurine clutching a gold coin and waving in Asian-owned businesses and for sale among Asian curios.

In America, the calico was chosen as the state cat of Maryland. Only two other states have state cats: Maine (the Maine coon) and Massachusetts (the tabby).

Here’s a weird fact. If you have a wart, rub it against the tail of a calico in May and it will go away.

Here’s a site showing photos of six types of calico cats including the rare male calico. Enjoy: https://excitedcats.com/different-types-of-calico-cats/

Do you have or have you ever had a calico? What are some of the interesting tricks or feats or personality traits your calico ever demonstrated? We’re chalking them up here with sweet and spicy Olivia.