Is it true that all orange Tabby cats are males?

Question

Is it true that all orange Tabby cats are males?

Answer 1

MOST orange cats are male.

The gene for orange fur is on the X chromosome, so normal female cats are XX and normal male cats are XY.  Since the male only has one X chromosome, he'll either be orange or he won't.  For females, they can have the orange gene on both X chromosomes and still be orange, but that is uncommon - they're more likely to have heterozygous alleles so with X-inactivation you'll get patches of orange fur and patches of the other color (calico or tortie).  So basically, orange females tend to actually be calico, which is why they are infrequently seen as just orange.

For calicos, you can actually have male cats that are calico or tortie, but it's uncommon.  One of the ways this can happen is if they have XXY, which is an abnormality but not fatal.  It does, however, make them sterile because their chromosomes can't separate properly for meiosis to make fertile sperm (the line-up doesn't work out).  However, they can also by XXY by having only a small portion of an extra X chromosome, and thefore can have both colors and still be fertile, or they can be chimeric (which happens in humans also) and have two different genotypes in one kitty, and those ones are still fertile as well.

Answer 2

No, just most of them are, I had a female orange tabby before, just like most calico's are female, and if it is a male it is sterile.

Answer 3

Do u mean ginger...???well most ginger cats are males but I've had a full litter(4) of scottish folds all female.Usually all tortie cats are females.X

Answer 4

Not all, but almost all orange cats are males. Same way almost all tortoiseshell cats are female.

Answer 5

*Most* are, like most tortie & calico cats are females.  Male tortie & calico males are sterile, if I remember right, but this isn't true for orange tabby females, as I've known a couple who became mothers.

Answer 6

no, not all orange tabby cats are males.  However, it is my understanding the if a cat has both orange/red and black then it is a female.  I believe the red gene and the black gene are both carried by the X chromosome only.  XX-female and XY-male.  So, you would not find a male with both orange and black markings.

Answer 7

No it is not there is a way you can check go to google.com and find out but i think it is a difference in the shape of there rump area  

Answer 8

Not all of them are, but most are.

Cats who have more of another color with patches of orange (like calicos and tortis) are usually female. Cat who are mostly orange are usually male.

It's a general rule, it's not always correct. And I don't think female orange cats are as rare as male calicos (plus male calicos are generally sterile). It's a genetic thing.

I've only known one orange female, but I've never know a male calico.  

Answer 9

no

Answer 10

No, my barn cat was and is an orange tabby.  The first one had cancer and had to be euthanized this year at 16.  She had several litters of kittens and they were all colors and hair lengths.  My neighbor found me a new barn cat.  She is a medium haired orange tabby.

Only one offspring of the first cat was an orange male.  He was a much more dilute color than his mother.  

I don't think that either s*x is rare or unusual in this color.  If you look at cat breed standards, there are a number of breed with orange or buff color cats.