Facts on Orange Tabby Cats
The tabby cat is not a breed or color, but a pattern that shows up in many breeds. When the tabby color is in the red to cream range, the cat is called an orange or red tabby, also known as a marmalade or ginger cat.
Males versus Females
Orange tabbies are far more likely to be male, with an average ratio of 80 males to 20 females.
Orange Tabby Genetics
The gene for red is carried on the X chromosome. Males have one X chromosome, while females have two. A male needs only one red gene to be an orange tabby. A female must inherit two red genes, one for each of her two X chromosomes.
Tabby Types
Tabbies come in four distinct patterns: Mackerel, which includes the tiger tabby, Classic, a blotchy pattern with a bull's eye on the side, Ticked, a flecked or freckled look, and Spotted, in which ticked fur alternates with solid spots.
Fun Facts
Orange tabby cats often develop black freckles around the nose.
All orange cats are tabbies, but the markings may be so faint that the color appears solid.
The word "tabby" derives from a striped silk cloth made in Attabiyah, a neighborhood of Baghdad.
Famous Orange Tabbies
Winston Churchill's ginger cat, Jock, attended wartime cabinet meetings. Orange tabby film appearances include "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Alien," and "Men in Black." Garfield, the cartoon character, and Morris, the feline face of 9 Lives cat food, are both orange tabbies.
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