Last Updated on September 14, 2021 by Fumipets

A dilute calico kitten is a white cat that preferred to experiment with watercolour colours rather than vivid oil paints. Those splotches of blue and cream, on the other hand, are the result of some complex genetics.

Calico

Calico is a pattern and a colour, but it is not a cat breed. Calico may be found in a variety of breeds and mixed breeds, including the American shorthair, American longhair, Manx, Japanese bobtail, Cornish Rex, Maine coon, and Persian, to mention a few. A genuine calico cat’s coat must have three distinct colours, one of which must be white, and the colours must show in spots or patches rather than being mixed together.

Dilute

The term “dilute” merely refers to the hue being less vivid. Cream, for example, is a lighter form of red, while blue is a lighter version of black. Blue is a smoky grey hue, while cream is a soft reddish tone, similar to strawberry blond. Lilac, which seems to be a lighter form of blue but is really the dilute of chocolate, and fawn, which resembles beige but is the dilute of cinnamon, are two more dilute colours.

Genetics

A dilute calico cat is the result of a complicated and perplexing mix of genetic markers. A dilute calico must inherit three particular genes: a mosaic gene that enables two basic colours to be expressed instead of just one; dilute markers for the two basic colours; and a white spotting gene that produces white spots on the coat. A cat may only be classified as a dilute calico if all of these indicators are present. Because basic or dense colours predominate, even if dilute genes are present, most calico cats’ colouration is dense rather than dilute. The expression of the recessive dilute genes is required to produce a dilute calico.

Colour Combinations

Despite the fact that calico is defined as a three-colour fabric, only specific colour combinations are really calico. White, black, and red, sometimes known as orange, white, chocolate, and red, and white, cinnamon, and red are all popular combinations for thick calico cats. Dilute calico cats, like white, blue, and cream; white, lilac, and cream; and white, fawn, and cream, must be dilute copies of their densely coloured relatives.

Tortoiseshell And Patched Tabby

Calico cats are often referred to as torts or tortoiseshell cats, although there is a distinct distinction in the colouration. Tortoiseshell cats have very little white on their bodies; tiny patches of white may be seen on the face, paws, or chest. In addition, the red and black do not appear in separate patches, but rather blend together in a brindle-like pattern. A calico cat with prominent tabby stripes inside the black and orange patches is known as a patched tabby.