Do you have a cat that has patches of orange and black color? You might be wondering what breed your cat is.
If you look closely, it might be a Tortie Ragdoll Cat. They can easily be identified due to their beautiful markings. They are mostly known for their coat’s distinctive colors, which may include both black and red or chocolate (brown) and cream.
Tortie ragdoll cats also feature a mottled or “marbled” appearance, but this is usually only visible at a close distance.
What is Tortie Ragdoll Cat?
Tortie Ragdolls are nonstandard Ragdoll patterns with characteristic “tortoiseshell” markings on their coats: orange, black, and yellow patches.
They often have a deep red base with black patches, but they can also be cream or white-based with orange and black or all three colors.
The Tortie Ragdoll coat is often lighter at the neck and darkens to a deeper color toward the end of its tail.
Are Tortie and Calico Ragdoll same?
Tortie Ragdolls are often called “calico” cats, but they are not the same thing.
Torties look similar to calicos at first glance, but they do not share the same markings.
A tortoiseshell cat has an intermingled mix of color patches, while a calico’s patches are more distinct and separated from each other.
Torties are also more common than calicos, which occur only in females because males cannot carry both orange and black fur pigments at the same time.
Is tortie standard ragdoll pattern?
A tortie ragdoll is not a standard ragdoll pattern.
TICA, the International Cat Association, does not officially recognize it.
Torties are very popular and often requested, but they are not technically recognized as a color pattern.
Origin and History of Tortie Ragdolls cat
The Tortie Ragdoll cat is a nonstandard pattern first bred in the early 1990s.
Breeders were looking for a cat with the characteristic tortoiseshell markings, and they eventually created the Tortie Ragdoll.
Since then, the breed has become increasingly popular and is often requested by cat owners.
What are the different tortie Ragdolls patterns?
The tortie ragdoll can come in several different patterns. The most common are as follows:
Red/Cream Tortie
It is the most common tortoiseshell pattern and consists of intermingled white, cream, red, or orange patches. Sometimes a few black hairs will be mixed in with the other colors.
Torbie
This pattern is a mix of tabby and tortoiseshell markings and can come in any combination of colors, including red, cream, black, brown, blue, or gray.
Calico
Calicos are a specific type of tortie with very distinct patches of color separated from each other. They typically have a white base with black, orange, and yellow patches.
Tortie Point
Tortie points are Ragdolls that carry the tortoiseshell gene but do not display any tortoiseshell markings on their coats. Instead, they have the traditional pointed pattern with darker coloration around the ears, face, and tail.
Tortie-Point Lynx
This coloration has the traditional pointed patterns with dark stripes visible on their legs, face, ears, and tail. These cats will also have patches of lighter colors such as cream or white intermingled with their darker markings.
Chocolate-Tortie Point
This color is similar to the tortie-point lynx, but the chocolate replaces black as the dominant color. The result is a cat with lighter brown markings instead of black.
Lilac-Tortie Point
Lilac replaces cream as the lightest color in this pattern, and the resulting cat has darker purple markings instead of orange.
Blue-Cream Tortie Point
This coloration has light blue markings instead of the traditional cream, and it is most similar to the Seal-Lynx Point.
Chocolate Tortie Point
The chocolate replaces black as the dominant color in this pattern, resulting in a cat with light brown markings.
Seal Tortie Mitted
In this pattern, the seal color is combined with the mitted markings, which give the cat a white chest and belly, four white paws, and a white tail tip.
Blue Cream Tortie Mitted
In this pattern, the Blue color is combined with the mitted markings, which give the cat a white chest and belly, four white paws, and a white tail tip.
Chocolate Tortie Mitted
This pattern is similar to the seal tortie mitted, but the chocolate replaces the seal as the dominant color. The cat will have lighter brown markings instead of black.
Also read:
- Are Ragdoll Cats Hypoallergenic?
- Lynx Ragdoll Cats and Kittens Types and Origin
- Lynx Ragdoll Cats and Kittens Types and Origin
Are Torties Ragdolls always Female?
Like other tortoiseshell cats, Torties Ragdolls are almost always female.
Tortoiseshell cats result from two different gene combinations, one for orange fur and one for black fur. Since these genes are carried on the X chromosome, males only need one copy of either gene to display the tortoiseshell coloring, while females need two copies. Most tortoiseshell cats are female – because the vast majority of cats have two X chromosomes.
However, some males do carry both genes for tortoiseshell coloring, and when they mate with a female who also has both genes, their kittens can be torties. So while it is more common for females to be tortoiseshell cats, a male can have this coloring. There are documented cases of tortoiseshell males in the wild and shelters.
What is responsible for the tortoiseshell pattern in Ragdoll cats?
Genetics is the most common reason for tortoiseshell pattern in Ragdoll cats. It means that the gene for black and brown fur colors is dominant, while the gene for orange is recessive.
If a cat has two copies of the dominant black or brown genes, it will have a solid coat of that color. If a cat has one copy of the dominant gene and one copy of the recessive gene, it will have a tortoiseshell pattern. It’s because the orange fur color will show through on patches with fewer black or brown hairs. If a cat has two copies of the recessive gene, it will be an all-orange cat.
The tortoiseshell pattern can also occur if a cat has two different colors of hair follicles, but this is much less common.
Genetics isn’t the only thing that can cause a tortoiseshell pattern in Ragdoll cats. Hormones can also play a role. If a pregnant cat takes progesterone supplements, it can cause its kittens to be born with a tortoiseshell pattern. It’s because progesterone influences the development of the fur color genes in the fetus.
Difference between Tortie Ragdoll and other patterned Ragdolls
The difference between a Tortie Ragdoll and other patterned Ragdolls is that Torties are always female. If you see a male Ragdoll with a tortoiseshell pattern, it’s because he has a genetic mutation that causes him to look like he has the tortoiseshell pattern. This mutation is called Androgenization.
The physical difference between the Tortie Ragdoll and other patterns is that they have red/orange patches on their bodies with no set pattern in addition to their primary coat color.
Their patches can be anywhere on their body. In contrast, other Ragdolls have a set pattern of colors (e.g., a mitted cat has white paws and a bicolor has black fur on its head and tail). Torties can look very different from one another.
Male vs Female Tortie Ragdolls: What’s The Difference?
The main difference between male and female tortoiseshell Ragdoll cats is that males are rare than females. The gene for orange fur color is recessive, and a cat needs two copies of this gene to be an orange tortie. Females only need one copy of the gene to show the orange fur color.
Males can also have a different physical appearance than females. Tortie Ragdoll males often have more brown fur on their bodies than females, and their patches of red/orange fur are not as uniform.
Another difference between male and female tortoiseshell Ragdolls is that male torties are usually sterile, meaning they cannot produce kittens. The gene for tortoiseshell coloring is linked to the gene for male sterility.
Tortie Ragdolls personality
Tortie Ragdolls are generally affectionate cats that love to cuddle with their owners, but they can also be independent at times. They don’t always want to be held all the time as other breeds might!
Torties tend to be a bit more active than other Ragdolls, so they may be a good choice if you’re looking for an energetic cat.
Do Tortie Ragdolls Shed?
Tortie Ragdolls shed just like any other Ragdolls cat. Their coat sheds out seasonally, and they may lose more hair during certain times of the year (such as when they are stressed).
You may find that your tortie Ragdoll sheds more in the spring and fall when she is losing her old hair and growing in new hair.
How to take care of shedding Tortie Ragdolls?
There are a few things you can do to help with shedding. The first thing is to brush your cat every day, or at least twice a week. It will remove loose hair from their fur before it has a chance to shed on the floor, furniture, and clothing!
Another thing that helps with shedding is feeding your cat with high-quality food. Foods high in protein and Omega- fatty acids will help keep their fur healthy and shiny, which means less shedding.
Conclusion
Tortie Ragdolls are beautiful cats with a unique coat color pattern. They’re affectionate and playful but also independent at times! If you want an energetic cat who loves to cuddle, then this is the breed for you!
Be prepared for a bit of extra shedding, but with some regular brushing and good nutrition, it shouldn’t be too much trouble.