Cat
Breed Description:
Tortoiseshell cats are NOT a breed but a coloration pattern that describes a coat coloring found almost exclusively in female cats. Tortoiseshell cats are mottled; they display patches of orange or cream and chocolate, black or blue. Called "torties" these cats display a wide variations of incredible markings. The term "tortoiseshell" is typically reserved for cats with brindled coats that have relatively few or no white markings. Those that are largely white with red and brown patches (rather than a brindled aspect) are described as tortoiseshell-and-white (in the United Kingdom) or calico (in Canada and the United States). Again for clarification Tortoiseshells and Calicos are not specific breeds of cat but specific marking within their coats. The tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds. This pattern is especially preferred in the Japanese Bobtail breed. Tortoiseshell cats have coats with patches of red, brown or black, chocolate, cream, or cinnamon. The size of the patches can vary from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. Typically, the more white a cat has, the more solid the patches of color. Dilution genes may modify the coloring, lightening the fur to a mix of cream and blue, lilac or fawn. The markings on tortoiseshell cats are usually asymmetrical. Occasionally tabby patterns of eumelanistic and pheomelanistic colors are also seen (these are often then called "tortie-tabby", "torbie" or "caliby"). Tortoiseshell also can be expressed in the point pattern.
Origin:
Cats of this coloration are believed to bring good luck in the folklore of many cultures. In the United States, these are sometimes referred to as money cats. These colorings are extremely popular and quite beautiful. 